Upcoming Two-wheeler Launches In May 2020

Everything from 160cc Heros to 955cc Ducatis!

As we roll into May and the lockdown restrictions get gradually eased, we can finally expect to see some new two-wheeler launches. To prepare you for what’s to come, here are all the bikes likely to launch this month:

Hero Xtreme 160R

Hero MotoCorp took us by surprise when it unveiled the Xtreme 160R at Hero World 2020 back in February. Now, with things slowly going back to normal and with Hero having resumed production in India, we could very well see a launch sometime soon, perhaps within the month. Once here, expect a price of around Rs 90,000 to Rs 95,000, which will put it up against the Yamaha FZ V3 and the TVS Apache RTR 160 4V.

Hero XPulse 200 BS6

Another Hero bike that could officially arrive this month is the XPulse 200 BS6. We’ve already managed to find out its engine output in BS6 form and dealers have been accepting bookings for a couple of months now, so a launch should be just around the corner. Since it already had fuel-injection, the price hike should be around Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,000 over the BS4 price of Rs X.

Suzuki Gixxer 250 and SF BS6

Moving further up the displacement range, we come to Suzuki, which could have multiple new launches in May. The most important of these will be the BS6 updates to its 250cc range: the Gixxer 250 and Gixxer SF 250 models. Both bikes were unveiled at Auto Expo 2020 and have lost out on a little bit of torque, but maintained the same weight. Suzuki’s BS6 price hikes have been quite sizable so far, so expect these 250s to become dearer by around Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000.

Suzuki V-Strom 650XT BS6

The other Suzuki update that could be happening this month is the V-Strom 650XT BS6. The ‘big bikes’ section of Suzuki’s website went completely blank after the April 1 BS6 deadline. But now the V-Strom 650XT BS6 has appeared under this tab with a ‘Coming Soon’ sticker, hinting at an imminent launch. This bike was also unveiled at the Expo, and once here, it’ll be Suzuki’s first BS6 big bike in India.

Kawasaki Z650 BS6 and Ninja 650 BS6

It isn’t just the V-Strom, a couple more BS6-compliant 650cc offerings are also coming soon. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 BS6 and Z650 BS6 could finally be officially launched this month, giving us an exact price. The bikes were unveiled early this year and Kawasaki India gave us expected price brackets. Both models, in addition to getting a cleaner motor, also feature revised styling and more features like LED lighting and Bluetooth connectivity.

Triumph Tiger 900

Now we come to the real big bikes of this list. After launching the 2020 Street Triple RS last month, Triumph is now gearing up to launch the all-new Tiger 900 in India in May. The bike has been redesigned from the ground up and is now powered by a new 900cc cross-plane motor. It also features a slimmer, sleeker look and a bunch of new features.

Ducati Panigale V2

Italian bikemaker Ducati is all set to launch its first BS6-compliant bike in India. The Panigale V2 has been teased on the brand’s social platforms, indicating that it will be arriving very soon. Based on the erstwhile 959 Panigale, the V2 is powered by the same 955cc Superquadro L-twin motor which now produces more power and torque than before, despite meeting the stricter emission norms.