Aprilia 250cc-300cc Bike Launch Delayed

The upcoming motorcycle(s) are not only meant for India but also the global market

• Aprilia had earlier planned to launch motorcycles in the 150-odd cc segment.
• However, the brand had to change its plans as the market has rapidly moved towards the higher-capacity segment.
• The upcoming motorcycle(s) are likely to be manufactured at the Baramati plant in Maharashtra.

Along the sidelines of the unveiling of the Aprilia SXR160 at Auto Expo 2020, the CEO and MD of Aprilia’s parent company Piaggio, Diego Graffi, revealed that plans of launching a 250cc-300cc motorcycle(s) have been delayed. Graffi said the 150-odd cee cee segment was originally the brand’s target. In fact, it had even unveiled the Aprilia RS 150 and the Tuono 150 at Auto Expo 2018.

However, soon after that, the Indian market rapidly graduated towards higher-capacity displacement, forcing Aprilia to rethink its strategy. Graffi further revealed that complications in the new vehicle platform for the 250cc to 300cc category have led to this delay. 

Also Read: More Affordable Aprilia SXR 125 Incoming

The upcoming motorcycle(s) under this platform will not only be meant for India but also for the global market, he revealed. They are likely to be made at Aprilia’s plant at Baramati, Maharashtra. While the brand has not revealed any specific launch timeline, it’s safe to assume the launch of the motorcycle(s) is still about 1-1.5 years away. That said, expect Aprilia to unveil a concept of sorts at the 2020 EICMA by the end of this year. It could launch the bikes in India first, followed by exports to the international market.

As for the features, expect the upcoming motorcycles to come with a proper liquid-cooled motor and premium components like an inverted front fork, rear monoshock, and disc brake on both ends with dual-channel ABS. Aprilia could offer the new product under a faired RS guise and a naked Tuono version to cater to a wider variety of audience. It will be Aprilia’s flagship made-in-India performance-oriented motorcycle. Hence, we can expect these offerings at a slight premium compared to competitors in the segment.