Bajaj has been trying to target the middleweight segment for quite some time now, but is yet to make any significant gains
While Bajaj had launched Dominar with great expectations, it didn’t create any major challenges for segment-leader Royal Enfield. The Chennai-based manufacturer continues to command a market share of more than 85% in the 350cc-500cc single cylinder motorcycle segment.
The market share is likely to increase further, with the launch of new Royal Enfield Hunter 350. However, Bajaj seems far from giving up and will be making another attempt soon. It will come via the company’s collaboration with UK-based Triumph Motorcycles.
Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle spied
As evident in the images, the new Bajaj-Triumph bike looks production ready. It seems to derive design inspiration from Triumph Bonneville range of motorcycles. Retro theme is evident with features such as round headlamps and rear-view mirrors.
Other key highlights include a compact design, sculpted fuel tank, single-piece seat, all-skeletal design, upswept exhaust and alloy wheels. Suspension system comprises USD forks at front and a monoshock unit at rear with pre-load adjustability. In comparison, Bonneville bikes such as Street Scrambler, Street Twin and Speed Twin are equipped with dual rear shock absorbers. Use of a monoshock unit at rear makes the bike better suited for tackling off-road terrains.
Off-roading capabilities are further enhanced with features such as dual-purpose Metzeler tyres. The bike has 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels. It also gets a rugged bash plate. Braking duties are performed by disc brakes at both ends. There’s a dedicated luggage rack at the rear and on the left side as well. Tank mounted bags could also be made available as an accessory.
Other details include a rectangular digital instrument console, which looks similar to the one used on KTM bikes. This may not necessarily be the unit that will be used for the production variant. As the bike has a retro profile, a rounded instrument console will be a better match. Two versions are expected to be on offer, one a classic retro and the other adventure scrambler. The latter gets knobby tyres, scrambler style exhaust, knuckle guards, raised front fender, etc.
Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle engine
Based on the structure and size of the engine, it appears to be a 350cc to 500cc unit. Single exhaust vent indicates that the engine will be a single-cylinder unit. The engine utilizes liquid cooling and comes with vertically mounted radiator.
Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle will be sold globally. It will allow Triumph to play the volumes game on a larger scale. As the bike will be manufactured in India, there will be significant reduction in production cost. Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle is expected to be launched at a competitive price point, somewhere around Rs 2 lakh. This is necessary since rivals like Royal Enfield motorcycles are among the most affordable in the country.
Launch was earlier planned for 2022, but things have been delayed due to the pandemic. Bajaj-Triumph motorcycle could be unveiled around Diwali this year and launched in early 2023. Although Royal Enfield’s dominance seems unshakable, the company will still be following these developments closely.
Source
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
