Top Five Entry-Level Performance Bikes Launching In First Quarter Of 2017

Buying an entry-level performance bike? You should keep your purchase on hold for these upcoming motorcycles expected for the first quarter of 2017.

Motorcycling in India is not just a way to commute now as more people have started taking it as a passion as well. Especially, the young riders now want to upgrade their regular motorcycles with more powerful and purpose-focused machines. And that is the reason making the entry-level performance one of the fastest growing segments in the Indian two-wheeler market. The year 2016 witnessed some brilliant products in this segment, such as the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and the Royal Enfield Himalayan, getting a tremendous response from the Indian enthusiasts. Moreover, Bajaj ended it with a bang, launching the 400cc power cruiser, the Dominar 400, with a remarkably affordable price of Rs 1.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Inspired by the success of the existing products in this niche segment, more manufacturers are going to introduce some interesting options in the market in 2017. And here we are with some of the best entry-level performance bikes going to be launched in the first quarter of this year, i.e. between January-March. So, let's see whether you should hold your purchase plans for these upcoming machines or not.

Yamaha FZ-250: 

Going to be launched on January 24th, the Yamaha FZ-250 has already been spotted during its test runs in the country. Moreover, a dealer recently leaked a teaser image of the bike, giving a clearer vision of its interesting front fascia. The aggressive design of the upcoming bike looks like a cross between the existing FZ-S FI V2.0 and the MT-03, while its mechanics seems to be based on the Brazillian-spec Fazer 250. Powering the bike is speculated to be the same 250cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that provides 20.7PS of power and 20.4Nm of torque to the Fazer 250 in Brazil. The fuel-injected motor gets a five-speed gearbox and the company might also offer ABS as an optional extra with the bike. Looking at the prices of existing products of the Japanese manufacturer, we can expect the upcoming Yamaha FZ-250 to be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh. Read More....

TVS Akula 310: 

One of the most anticipated motorcycles for 2017, the TVS Akula has been confirmed to enter the market before the end of the current financial year. While the bike was showcased as a racing concept at the 2016 Auto Expo, its production model spotted testing seems to be a sport tourer. Based on the BMW G 310 R, the production-spec Akula 310 will retain most of the design from its concept version, incorporating changes for a split headlamp, rear view mirrors, a pillion seat, new LED tail lamp and a comfortable riding posture. The same 313cc, liquid-cooled single which is powering the BMW G 310 R will power the Akula too. In the German roadster, the motor delivers 34PS of power and 28Nm of torque. The bike will be introduced with the features like USD front forks, adjustable rear monoshock, wide radial tyres, ABS (optional) and much more. Still, the bike is said to be introduced with a price tag similar to that of the KTM RC 200; that means under Rs 2 lakh. Read More.....

Benelli Tornado 302: 

Borrowing DNA from the bigger Tornado 1130, Benelli created a new everyday sportbike around its well-tuned 300cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor that is also used in the existing TNT 300. Unveiled at the 2015 EICMA show in Milan, Italy, the first small capacity full-faired Benelli, christened the Tornado 302R, also arrived at the 2016 Auto Expo. Sporting a true Italian design with the exotic Benelli sound and a decent output of 36PS, the bike also gets premium features like USD front forks, adjustable rear monoshock, dual front disc brakes, performance tyres and ABS, making it a tempting deal. Coming to the price quotient, the Benelli Tornado 302 will get a price tag of around Rs 3.5 lakh. Speculated to be launched in January, it will challenge offerings like the Yamaha YZF-R3, KTM RC 390 and the Kawasaki Ninja 300. Read More....

2017 KTM 390 Duke: 

KTM unveiled the updated version of its popular 390 Duke at the 2016 EICMA in November, stating to launch the bike in India in the first half of 2017. The company has already started testing the motorcycle here and some reports claim that it could be launched in the country by February this year. Inspired by the bigger 1290 Super Duke R, the 2017 KTM 390 Duke gets an all new sharper and meaner design with lots of major mechanical updates as well. With a revised frame, the bike gets 10mm shorter wheelbase, 15mm extra ground clearance and 30mm increase seat height, resulting in agiler handling geometry. The 373.3cc, liquid-cooled single has also been tweaked to comply with the Euro-4 norms and now delivers 2Nm extra as well. The front disc of the bike is also larger at 320mm and it also gets some new features like TFT screen instrumentation with "KTM MY RIDE" (smartphone tethering), all-LED headlamp, ride-by-wire along with the existing dual-channel ABS, and slipper clutch. Read More....

BMW G 310 R: 

BMW has also confirmed in reply to an Indian enthusiast’s tweet that it will be launching the G 310 R in India in spring 2017. In India, spring season starts from mid February to mid April, which means BMW’s first small capacity motorcycle could also be launched here in the first quarter of 2017. Already unveiled in the country at the 2016 Auto Expo, the bike looks quite promising with respect to its premium features, such as inverted forks, adjustable monoshock, meaty tyres, disc brakes, ABS, powerful engine (described with the TVS Akula 310) and most importantly, the BMW badging. The company has already announced the price of the bike in some other markets including the US and the UK, and our analysis says that the bike will be priced around Rs 1.85 lakh in India, more affordable than its biggest rival, the KTM 390 Duke. Read More....

So, here we have something for every performance bike enthusiast and we are sure that you will wait for one of these promising products before buying your new ride.