New Two-Wheeler Launches In March 2019

From the Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special to the Hero Maestro Edge 125, here’s everything you need to know

It’s an exciting month for all two-wheeler enthusiasts as manufacturers have lined up a number of new launches for March 2019. This extends from premium Harley-Davidson cruisers to peppy 125cc scooters. Here’s a lowdown on all the action that’ll take place this month. 

Harley Davidson:

The Milwaukee-based bikemaker will be launching two motorcycles in India on 14th March: the 2019 Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special and the Street Glide Special. The 2019 Forty-Eight features “Tallboy” handlebars and fresh new graphics, while the Street Glide Special gets a set of new alloys wheels, blacked-out components and a new engine. To draw a comparison, the standard Street Glide is powered by a 1,745 cc, V-twin, Milwaukee-Eight 107 motor that generates 150Nm of torque. On the other hand, the Street Glide Special draws power from a 1,868 cc, V-twin, Milwaukee-Eight 114 motor that makes 163Nm (up by 13Nm) of torque. The Harley-Davidson Forty-Eight Special is expected to be launched at a price of around Rs 11.5 lakh while the Street Glide Special is expected to retail at around Rs 32 lakh (both ex-showroom).

Yamaha:

The Yamaha R15 V3’s naked sibling will finally make it to India on 15th March. And thanks to a couple of spy pictures, we already know what the India-spec model looks like. Compared to the global-spec version, the localised Yamaha MT-15 gets a couple of mechanical changes to keep costs in check. You can read all about it here. It’s powered by the same 155cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder mill that produces 19.3PS at 10,000rpm and 14.7Nm at 8,500rpm. In terms of design, the bike borrows its design cues from its elder sibling, the MT-10. The Yamaha MT-15 is expected to be priced around 1.2 lakh (ex-showroom).

Speculative Launches -

Bajaj:

A couple of Bajaj dealerships across India have started accepting bookings for the 2019 Dominar 400. This, along with the fact the bike has been spotted testing on various occasions in India, leads us to believe that the much-anticipated motorcycle will be launched in March itself. Unfortunately, though, we do not have an official launch date from the manufacturer. As for the bike itself, it gets a host of new updates for 2019 which include premium upside-down forks, a new twin-port exhaust and redesigned rear view mirrors. Additionally, the 2019 Dominar 400 also features a revised layout for its dual-instrument console and a slightly tweaked motor that produces 4.9PS more compared to the current-gen model. Expect the 2019 version to carry a premium of around Rs 10,000 - Rs 15,000 over the current model.

Hero XPulse 200:

Hero Motocorp has earlier confirmed the launch of the XPulse 200 and XPulse 200T in early 2019. However, no communication has been made by Hero about the product launch, but we expect the XPulse 200 to be launched by end of March. The Hero XPulse 200, which is essentially a budget-friendly adventure tourer, was first showcased in 2017 at the Delhi Auto Expo. On the performance front, the bike gets a 200cc, single-cylinder engine that churns out 18.7PS of power and 17.1Nm of torque. It comes mated to a 5-speed transmission. We expect the Hero XPluse 200 to be launched in India around Rs 1 lakh (ex-showroom).

Maestro Edge 125: 

The Maestro Edge 125 was first speculated to be launched in India alongside the Hero Destini 125. Unfortunately, Hero MotoCorp had other plans and later announced the scooter will be launched at a later date. While both the scooters share the same underpinnings, they do differ in terms of styling. The Maestro Edge is sharper and more muscular compared to the family-oriented Destini 125, which looks sober thanks to its soft but elegant design language. It will be powered by the 124.6cc, single-cylinder mill that makes 8.83PS at 6,750rpm and 10.2Nm at 5,000rpm on the Destini 125, but the Maestro Edge 123 might get fuel injection as well. The Hero 125cc scooter could be launched under Rs 60,000 (ex-showroom) with IBS (Integrated Braking System) and i3S technology.