New Two-Wheeler Launches In May 2020: Vespa 125 Notte, Suzuki Gixxer SF 250, Kawasaki Ninja 650, BMW F 900 R And More

Despite the COVID-19 lockdown, we saw a host of two-wheeler launches this month

While India has been under lockdown due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it has not stopped bikemakers from launching their two-wheelers. While the majority of this month’s launches come from Kawasaki, BMW also brought in two completely new motorcycles to India. Here are all the launches that took place this month:

Vespa Notte 125 BS6 (Rs 91,864 ex-showroom, Delhi): 

Despite being one of the most affordable Vespa scooters on sale in India, the Vespa Notte 125 BS6 now commands a whopping Rs 17,000 premium over its BS4 predecessor. That’s quite surprising considering the new scooter gets absolutely nothing new other than a cleaner fuel-injected motor. Read more about the new Vespa Notte 125 BS6 here.

Kawasaki Ninja 650 BS6 (Rs 6.24 lakh ex-showroom, India):

The next-generation Ninja 650 BS6 gets updated styling which makes it look like Kawasaki’s newer sports bikes like the Ninja 400 and the Ninja ZX-6R. Apart from a cleaner motor, the Ninja 650 gets a sportier visor, LED headlamps, and a colour-TFT instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity. Its BS6-compliant parallel-twin motor delivers 68PS and 64Nm. Underpinnings remain unchanged except for the introduction of more premium Dunlop Sportmax Roadsport 2 radial tyres instead of the previous Dunlop Sportmax D214. Get more details about the 2020 Ninja 650 BS6 here.

Kawasaki W800 BS6 (Rs 6.99 lakh ex-showroom, India):

Next on the list is Kawasaki’s retro cruiser, the W800. It gets a massive price drop but the overall specs remain unchanged. It still offers impressive build quality while its 773cc air-cooled vertical-twin motor continues to deliver 52PS and 62.9Nm. The old-school styled cruiser gets telescopic forks, dual shock absorbers, wire wheels, and retro-looking dials and modern-day safety aids like disc brakes on both ends and dual-channel ABS. More on the Kawasaki W800 BS6 here.

Kawasaki Versys 1000 BS6 (Rs 10.99 lakh ex-showroom, India):

Kawasaki’s litre-class adventure tourer now gets a greener motor but retains the features and new design that the bike got back in February 2019. While the price hike is modest, Kawasaki has done well to offer the same 120PS and 102Nm from a greener 1043cc in-line 4-cylinder motor. Here’s a closer look at the Kawasaki Versys 1000 BS6.

BMW F 900 R / F 900 XR:

BMW Motorrad opened its BS6 innings with the F 900 R  and F 900 XR. Both bikes are the most affordable high-capacity BMWs you can buy in India. While the F 900 R is a sport naked, the F 900 XR is an adventure tourer. Both get features like all-LED lighting and a colour-TFT instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity. The bikes are powered by an 895cc parallel-twin motor that delivers 105PS and 92Nm. While both bikes get a similar bridge-type frame, the F 900 XR gets longer travel suspension, touring-spec tyres, and electronic semi-active rear suspension on the Pro variant. Get prices and details about the new BMW F 900 R and F 900 XR here. 

Kawasaki Z650 BS6 (Rs 5.94 lakh ex-showroom, India): 

Kawasaki’s mid-capacity naked bike gets a generational update and looks more like the Z900 thanks to a new LED headlamp. New looks aside, the Z650 BS6 now features a 4.3-inch colour-TFT instrument console with Bluetooth connectivity. Its BS6-compliant 649cc parallel-twin motor continues to deliver the same 68PS but torque sees a 1.7Nm drop to 64Nm. Underpinnings remain unchanged save for grippier Sportmax Roadsport 2 tyres. Know more about the new Kawasaki Z650 BS6 here.

Suzuki Gixxer 250 BS6 / Gixxer SF 250 BS6:

Suzuki had unveiled the Gixxer 250 twins at Auto Expo 2020 along with its BS6 lineup. While the new BS6-compliant Gixxer 250 and Gixxer SF 250 receive a nominal price hike compared to Suzuki’s other BS6 models, other than a greener motor, they remain virtually the same as their BS4 counterparts. Even the new cleaner motor delivers the same 26.5PS power, but torque sees a minor 0.4Nm drop to 22.2Nm. Read more about the new Gixxer 250s here.

BattRE GPSie (Rs 64,990 lakh ex-showroom): 

BattRE Electric Mobility has launched the GPSie electric scooter with connected features. These features, developed in collaboration with California-based firm Aeris Communications, include GPS tracking, geo-fencing, secure park, and remote immobilisation. The features are available via an annual subscription. You can check out more details about the new electric scooter here.

Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX BS6 (Rs 10.79 lakh ex-showroom, India): 

The Ninja 1000SX BS6 is one of the last Kawasaki motorcycles to be launched this month. This litre-class sports tourer gets a generational update and its design is now more in line with the new Ninjas. Besides a cleaner motor, the updated motorcycle gets a new adjustable windshield, a large 4.39inch colour-TFT instrument console, cruise control, a bi-directional quickshifter, wider pillion seat, and a compact exhaust system. Its 1043cc inline-four BS6-compliant motor delivers the same 142PS and 111Nm as before. Know more about the Kawasaki Ninja 1000SX BS6 here.