Two-wheeler Launches In February: Honda CB300R, 2019 Bajaj Dominar & More

Update - Honda CB300R Launched In India

A neo-retro offering, classic British bike, power cruiser and middleweight ADV, here is a look at all the upcoming launches of the month

2019 has got off to a good start for Indian bike enthusiasts. While January saw the launch of the Yamaha FZ Fi Version 3.0 and the BMW R 1250 GS, February promises to be even busier with the launch of four new much awaited bikes in India. So without further ado, here are the new launches you can look forward to this month.

Honda CB300R

The CB300R will be one of the most significant launches from Honda in a long while. The company has been rather quiet in the budget-performance segment ever since it launched the CBR250R back in 2011. And while it did update its popular sports-tourer with a BSIV engine and LED lights, there was no denying that Honda needed something different to revive its fortunes in this segment. Enter the CB300R. Featuring the company’s Neo Sports Cafe design language, the bike is powered by a 286cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine that churns out 31.4PS of power and 27.5Nm of torque, paired with a 6-speed transmission. Its underpinnings consist of a pressed steel diamond frame, USD forks, rear monoshock, front and rear petal disc brakes and IMU-enabled dual-channel ABS. Honda will bring the CB300R to India as a CKD and has announced that it will get a sub-Rs 2.5 lakh price tag. Once it’s launched on 8 February, the bike will take on the KTM 390 Duke (Rs 2.42 lakh), BMW G 310 R (Rs 2.99 lakh) and Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 (Rs 2.5 lakh).

Also read: Honda CB300R: Everything You Need To Know

2019 Bajaj Dominar 400

To say Bajaj had high hopes for the Dominar would be a massive understatement. The company’s flagship offering had many things going for it including a generous equipment list, a powerful engine, surprisingly good dynamic ability and a fantastic price tag. On the downside, it fell short on engine refinement, had a stiff ride and lacked the big bike feel. Hopefully, Bajaj has addressed those issues with the 2019 Dominar 400, which is expected to launch this month. So far, we already know it gets USD forks, a redesigned instrument cluster and a reworked bassier-sounding exhaust. These changes are expected to result in a price hike of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 over the current Dominar 400, which retails at Rs 1.63 lakh. When launched, the 2019 Bajaj Dominar 400 will compete with the Mahindra Mojo XT 300 (Rs 1.63 lakh), Jawa (Rs 1.73 lakh) and Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350 X (Rs 1.62 lakh).

Also read: 2019 Bajaj Dominar 400 Fully Revealed: With Four Colour Options

Benelli TRK 502/502X

After a rather unceremonious end to its first stint in India, Benelli made a strong comeback with a different partner and a more aggressive approach. After relaunching the TNT 300, 302R and TNT 600i late last year, the company will launch its TRK 502 and 502X adventure motorcycles on 18 February. Both bikes are powered by the same 499.6cc parallel-twin engine that churns out 47.6PS of power and 45Nm of torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. While they do share many of their underpinnings, the 502X is better suited to off-road riding, thanks to a 19/17-inch spoke wheel setup shod with dual-purpose tyres. The Benelli TRK 502 and TRK 502X are expected to be priced around the Rs 5 lakh mark, which puts them in the same price band as the Kawasaki Versys-X 300 (Rs 4.69 lakh) and the BMW G 310 GS (Rs 3.49 lakh).

Also read: Benelli TRK 502 Vs Kawasaki Versys-X 300 Vs BMW G 310 GS: Spec Comparison

2019 Triumph Street Twin & Street Scrambler

The Street Twin is the most affordable product in Triumph’s ‘Modern Classics’ lineup and in its 2019 avatar, has upped the ante as far as power and performance are concerned. And Triumph is all set to bring the bike and its Scrambler version to India this month. The 900cc parallel-twin engine on the new bikes churns out 65PS of power (the outgoing bike offers a full 10PS less) and 80Nm of torque. Other notable updates include new KYB forks with cartridge damping and a four-piston Brembo brake unit at the front instead of the two-piston Nissin calipers on the existing bike. The updates are expected to increase the price of the Street Twin (Rs 7.7 lakh) and the Street Scrambler (Rs 8.6 lakh) by roughly Rs 50,000. And while the former has no direct rivals in the Indian market, the latter will compete with the Ducati Scrambler (Rs 8.56 lakh).

Also read: All-new Triumph Speed Twin Unveiled

(All prices, ex-showroom Delhi)