Weekly News Round-up: Bajaj Platina 125 Spied, Yamaha R15 V3.0 MotoGP Edition Launched, Hero Xtreme 200R Reaches Dealerships And More

Here’s everything that transpired over the past week in a single story

Last week, a number manufacturers organised rides on the occasion of Independence Day. Apart from those rides, there were some interesting developments from local bikemakers as well. Here’s all the important news in the two-wheeled world that happened last week:

Bajaj Platina 125 spied:

The Platina has been one of the most comfort-oriented fuel-efficient 100cc commuters. In a bid to make the motorcycle a bit more powerful, a 125cc variant of the Platina is being tested by Bajaj. We expect the motorcycle to share the same engine as the Discover 125, presumably with a 5-speed transmission. This should improve the motorcycle’s highway efficiency as well. Check out the details of the test mule here.

Yamaha’s new launches:

Yamaha launched the YZF-R15 V3.0 MotoGP Edition this week, at a premium of Rs 3000 over the standard variant. The MotoGP Edition features exclusive Movistar livery and gold Tuning Fork emblem on the fuel tank. Other than that, the powertrain and the mechanical underpinnings remain unchanged. For more details, here’s the full story.

The Japanese bikemaker also launched two new colours for the rear disc brake variant of the FZ-S FI. The new colours, Matte Green and Darknight, are available at a premium over the already-existing Armada Blue colour variant. Here is the bike’s pricing and other details.

Hero Xtreme 200R to arrive in dealerships this week:

Hero MotoCorp officially announced that its 200cc commuter, the Xtreme 200R is set to arrive at dealerships this week onwards. The bike will reach dealerships in phases, and is priced at Rs 89,900 (ex-showroom Delhi). At this price, the Xtreme 200R is the most affordable 200cc bike in the country to be equipped with ABS, albeit a single-channel unit.

Harley-Davidson’s autonomous braking tech:

Harley-Davidson applied for a patent for its autonomous braking technology. It uses a number of sensors (even in the helmet!) which are capable of predicting an imminent collision and braking the motorcycle accordingly. Being inherently heavy, this technology should be ideal for Harleys, and will be a lifesaver on long, tiring rides. Here are the details of how it works.

Independence Day Rides:

Triumph organised its Freedom Ride on 15 August, with over 500 riders participating from across the country. The British bikemaker partnered with Smile Foundation to raise funds for educating underprivileged female children. Ducati also conducted an Independence Day ride with a similar initiative, with Lotus Petal Foundation to raise funds for educating and improving the living conditions of children living in the slums. Indian Motorcycle’s Independence Day ride was conducted across nine cities in the country with its official group - IMRG (Indian Motorcycle Rider’s Group). The American bikemaker also launched the limited edition Chieftain Elite at a price of Rs 38 lakh (ex-showroom). Here’s why the motorcycle commands such a premium price tag.

Suzuki Motorcycle India flagged off two riders on an epic journey to Myanmar and Thailand, as a part of Suzuki Brotherhood Tri-cultural ride. The 4200km trip will be completed astride two Intruder 150 FI motorcycles, and the riders are expected to conclude the expedition in the first week of September. Here are the details of the initiative.