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    Firm (GM) directed to refund cost or replace defective electric scooter

    Case Study on OLA Electric Scooter (Pro Midnight blue, 3.975KWH) and Consumer Protection and Redressal MechanismsOla Electric ScooterThe Consumer Protection Act, 2019 was introduced to safeguard consumers against unfair trade practices, defective products, and deficient services. Let’s analyze a case study that involves the purchase of an OLA Electric Scooter (Pro Midnight blue, 3.975KWH) and the complaint filed against OLA Electric Technologies Pvt. Ltd. The case highlights the importance of consumer rights, redressal mechanisms, and responsibilities of businesses towards their customers.Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides legal remedies to consumers who have been affected by unfair trade practices, defective products, and deficient services. In this case, the complainant purchased an OLA Electric Scooter from OLA Electric Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and faced charging problems from the date of delivery.The complainant approached the servicing centre, but they did not respond properly. Forty days before filing the complaint, the servicing centre took the vehicle for repair and did not rectify the defect. The complainant filed a complaint seeking refund for scooter costs of INR 1,93,000 and INR 3,00,000 towards damages, pain, suffering, and mental agony.Complaint and Response; Legal ProceedingsComplaint filed under Section 35 of Consumer Protection Act 2019, seeking redressal for the problems faced with the OLA Electric Scooter. The opposite party, General Manager, OLA Electric Technologies Pvt. Ltd., did not appear before the District Consumer Redressal Commission at Khammam, despite being served notice. The complainant stated that they suffered a lot of pain and mental agony due to the attitude and conduct of the opposite party.According to the job record, the complainant’s vehicle was held in the service station for over five months. The complainant submitted a memo stating that despite the prolonged period of time, the issues with the vehicle such as charging, starting, and Bluetooth and sensor functionality were not resolved, and the vehicle was only returned to the complainant on 11-12-2022.The District Consumer Redressal Commission at Khammam analyzed the case and passed an order. The Commission directed the opposite party to either provide a genuine and appropriate replacement for the faulty vehicle, or issue a refund of the sum of Rs.1,63,549. And to pay Rs. 10,000 for deficient services, damages, and mental agony, and another Rs. 10,000 for litigation costs to the complainant.Analysis of the CaseThe case highlights the importance of consumer rights and the responsibilities of businesses towards their customers. The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 provides a legal framework for consumers to seek redressal for unfair trade practices, defective products, and deficient services. In this case, the complainant had a legitimate grievance against the opposite party, and the Commission passed an order in favour of the complainant.The Consumer Protection Act, 2019 empowers consumers to seek legal remedies against unfair trade practices, defective products, and deficient services. The case study involving the purchase of an OLA Electric Scooter and the complaint filed against OLA Electric Technologies Pvt. Ltd. (General Manager) highlights the importance of consumer rights and responsibilities of businesses towards their customers.Businesses must ensure that products and services meet the expected quality standards. And they must address customer grievances promptly. In conclusion, the case emphasises the need for businesses to be accountable and responsible towards customers. And the legal system provides consumers with the necessary tools to seek redressal for their grievances. Consumers are now well-informed and have the necessary legal framework to seek redressal for grievances. More

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    2023 Bajaj Pulsar 220F At Dealer Showroom – First Walkaound

    Bajaj Pulsar 220F was discontinued last year – But thanks to popular demand, it has now been relaunchedImage – The Sameer VlogsFirst launched in 2007, the Bajaj Pulsar 220 semi faired sport bike marked its foray into the entry level sports bike segment. It was a game changer for the company as well. It ruled the segment for close to 15 years following which it was pulled out of production in April 2022 once the new Pulsar F250 was launched in the country.2023 Pulsar 220F comes in with the same 220cc oil-cooled SOHC engine offering 20.4 hp power mated to 5 speed gearbox. Pulsar 220F was priced at Rs 1.25 lakh prior to it being discontinued. In 2023 avatar, it is priced from Rs 1.39 lakh, ex-sh.2023 Bajaj Pulsar 220F WalkaroundBajaj Pulsar 220F has entered production, initial examples have moved into company dealerships and deliveries are likely to commence soon. Ahead of that, we now have a first look walkaround of the 2023 Pulsar 220F, thanks to Biker Prakash Choudhary.Positioned below the NS200 and N250 in the Pulsar lineup, the new 220F will come in with some feature updates. Overall design remains akin to that seen on its earlier counterpart. This semi-faired bike sports a distinctive headlamp and engine cowl, shoulder fairing, large windscreen and clip on handlebars.[embedded content][embedded content]It gets projector headlamp, halogen turn indicators along with LED tail lamps. There are decals which give the look of carbon fiber to some parts. Split seats, upswept exhaust and colour combinations of black-blue / black-red are also seen.Engine BS 6 Phase 2 CompliantAs a major part of the updates, the re-launch of Bajaj Pulsar 220F will see its engine now compliant with OBD2 on board diagnostic technologies, a feature that is being made mandatory from 1st April 2023. The 220cc, fuel injected engine will make 20.8 hp power at 8,500 rpm and 18.5 Nm torque at 7,000 rpm mated to a 5 speed gearbox.It will receive telescopic forks in the front and dual shocks at the rear while braking will be via front and disc brakes with single channel ABS offered as standard. Dual ABS is not on offer yet.It will ride on 17 inch alloy wheels fitted with 90 section front and 120 sector rear tubeless tyres. Like its predecessor, the new Pulsar 220F will continue its rivalry against the likes of TVS Apache, Suzuki Gixxer SF and others in this price segment. More

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    Royal Enfield Sales Breakup Jan 2023 – Bullet, Meteor, Himalayan

    There was a decent growth registered by Royal Enfield sales for January 2023 in domestic market, but exports plummetedImage – Being TechnozzDomestic market is where Royal Enfield shows commendable growth in both YoY and MoM analysis. With 67,702 units sold in the domestic market, Royal Enfield saw a YoY growth of 36.15% over 49,726 units sold a year ago and 13.17% MoM growth as opposed to 59,821 units sold a month before. Volume growth is 17,976 units YoY and 7,881 units MoM.The highest-seller for RE in India is Classic 350 with a 38.60% market share. RE sold 26,134 Classic 350 and saw 26.36% MoM growth. With 5,452 units of volume growth. There was a 2.39% YoY decline, which is better than the 40.44% YoY decline found in December 2022. Hunter 350 secured 2nd place with a 24.48% market share.Royal Enfield Sales – Domestic MarketAs opposed to 17,261 units sold a month before, Hunter’s sales fell short with 16,574 units with a small 3.98% MoM decline. Bullet 350 is next on this list with 9,685 units sold last month. The evergreen Bullet managed to register 31.70% YoY growth and 9.86% MoM growth. Volume gain stood at 2,331 units YoY and 869 units MoM.Bullet was followed by Meteor 350 with 7,622 units sold in January 2023. Even though Meteor sales dropped by 9.91% YoY, there was a 21.02% growth MoM. Electra 350 sold 4,208 units with 58.73% YoY growth and 24.46% MoM growth. Volume gain for Electra 350 stood at 1,557 units YoY and 827 units MoM.Royal Enfield Domestic Sales Jan 2023ADV Himalayan sold 2,499 units which accounted for a 3.69% share of the domestic market. Sales weren’t enough to beat 3,248 units sold in 2022 and saw a 23.06% YoY decline. It fared better in MoM analysis with 10.72% growth. Lastly, we have 650 Twins with 980 units sold. 650 twins saw a 20.84% YoY decline and a 12.97% MoM decline.Royal Enfield Sales – ExportsRE’s flagship 650 lineup might have come last in the domestic market. But it tops in exports as it is the highest-shipped motorcycle from Royal Enfield. With 2,101 units shipped, it registered a 43.46% YoY decline as opposed to 3,716 units shipped last year. But, there is a staggering 516.13% MoM growth as RE shipped 341 units of 650 Twins in December 2022.Due to this, 650 Twins are accountable for 24.49% of RE’s total exports. Hunter 350 is 2nd with 1,810 units shipped with 9.23% MoM growth and 153 units volume gain. Classic 350 is pushed down with just 1,517 units shipped last month. Classic 350 saw a 25.71% YoY decline and a 42.80% MoM decline. Market share went from 30.91% to just 17.68% in just a month.Royal Enfield Exports Jan 2023Himalayan exports were at 983 units last month. It wasn’t enough to beat 1,050 units shipped a year ago and 1,531 units shipped a month before. In effect, Himalayan’s numbers declined by 6.38% YoY and 35.79% MoM. Volume lost was 67 units YoY and 548 units MoM. Lastly, we have Meteor 350 at 633 units.Meteor 350 fell into the red completely with a 72.53% YoY decline and a 73.60% MoM decline. In total, Royal Enfield shipped 7,044 units in January 2023. The company registered a 22.70% YoY decline as opposed to 9,112 units shipped in Jan 2022 and 17.89% MoM decline as opposed to 8,579 units shipped in December 2022. More

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    Lapa Electric Scooter Carbon Fiber Chassis – First In India

    Tougher and lighter than steel, carbon fibre is used across segments such as aerospace, military, civil engineering and motorsportsLapa Electric Scooter Carbon Fiber ChassisElectric two-wheeler segment has witnessed a plethora of new brands, along with tons of innovation and unique design formats. A relevant example is EV startup Lapa Electric that has been working to create entirely new experiences for users.Expected to launch its first electric scooter soon, Lapa has unveiled a first-of-its kind carbon fibre monocoque chassis. This is a first for the electric two-wheeler industry in India.Lapa Electric carbon fibre monocoque chassisCarbon fibre has been here for quite some time, with commercial production occurring since several decades. However, its use in everyday commuter two-wheelers is something new. The carbon fibre monocoque chassis prototyped by Lapa is so lightweight that it can be easily lifted over the head. While the weight of the chassis has not been revealed, it could be around 5-10 kg.Creating the same structure in metal would have increased the weight by a significant percentage. It will depend on the type of metal used such as steel, aluminium or other alloys. While it is featherweight and seems quite fragile, Lapa claims that their carbon fibre monocoque chassis is five times stronger than a similar structure made from steel. It’s stiffer as well, which means it won’t be easily bent or deformed.[embedded content][embedded content]Carbon fibre offers various other advantages such as low thermal expansion, chemical resistance and high strength to weight ratio. While metal chassis and plastic panelling weaken with time, a carbon fibre chassis will be largely immune to things like corrosion, UV rays and humidity.While offering improved durability, Lapa’s carbon fibre monocoque chassis will also allow higher power-to-weight ratio. Range could also be higher. It could be equipped with a relatively smaller battery pack and yet offer adequate range, comparable to industry standards. A small battery pack will help reduce cost of the vehicle.Pricing hitchWhile carbon fibre offers several advantages, the one reason why it is not widely used is its expensive pricing. Compared to steel, the price of carbon fibre is around 10 times more. It remains to be seen how folks at Lapa will be dealing with this challenge. Or Lapa’s first electric scooter could be positioned as a lifestyle product, in which case, it can be launched at premium pricing.In addition to the carbon fibre monocoque chassis, Lapa electric scooter will have various other USPs. For example, it is expected to offer best-in-segment storage space. Another interesting detail is spider-web inspired alloy wheels that enhance the scooter’s dynamic profile. Innovations have also been introduced across other components such as the swingarm and suspension setup. More details will be revealed at the time of launch. More

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    Top 10 500cc+ Motorcycles Jan 2023 – RE 650, Ninja, Tiger, Hayabusa

    The start of 2023 hasn’t been great for top 500cc+ motorcycles as there was a drop in sales of 20% YoYRoyal Enfield Super Meteor 650Big bikes are not selling as much as they used to before. After the decline reported by this segment in Dec 2022, it was speculated that sales would pick up as 2023 starts, but that has not happened in Jan 2023. In total, top 500cc+ motorcycles segment for the month of January 2023, accounted for 1,256 units as opposed to 1,570 units sold a year ago. This is a 20% decline in sales, as opposed to 2022 figures and volume loss, which stood at 314 units YoY.RE 650 twins sales have fallen below 1,000 mark at 980 units as opposed to 1,238 units sold in 2022. Launch of new Super Meteor 650 last month did not provide a boost in sales. This directly contributed to a decline of 20.84% YoY and a volume loss of 258 units. Royal Enfield’s market share in 500cc+ motorcycles segment is 78%. With the launch of Super Meteor, sales might pick up soon.500cc+ Motorcycles – Jan 2023 SalesKawasaki struck a streak with Z900, ZX-10R and Ninja 650 at 2nd, 3rd and 4th spots selling 67, 28, and 23 units respectively. All three saw positive YoY growth with ZX-10R registering 115.38% growth YoY. Suzuki has an advantage too as V-Strom 650 and Hayabusa sold 22 units each and secured 5th and 6th spots with positive growth YoY.Triumph Tiger 660 and Trident 660 sold 20 and 19 units respectively. Trident 660 lost 24% sales YoY. Kawasaki secured 9th and 10th spots with Versys 650 and Ninja 1000 by selling 15 and 9 units respectively. Where Versys 650 saw 36.36% YoY growth, Ninja 1000 SX saw a 35.71% YoY decline. Triumph Tiger 1200 only managed to sell 7 units in Jan 2023.500cc+ Motorcycle Sales Jan 2023Kawasaki Vulcan S and Triumph Rocket III managed to sell 4 units each. Vulcan saw a decline of 20% YoY and Rocket III with the largest production motorcycle engine in the world, declined by 69.23% YoY as opposed to 13 units sold in 2022. Kawasaki Z650 RS, Triumph Bonneville T120, Suzuki Katana, Honda Goldwing, Harley-Davidson Fat Bob and Fat Boy 114 all sold 3 units each last month.None of these above-mentioned motorcycles registered any positive growth with Harley-Davidson Fat Bob showing the steepest decline of 62.50% YoY. Kawasaki Z650, Harley-Davidson Heritage Classic, Triumph Street Scrambler, Tiger 900, Bonneville Speedmaster and Speed Triple are the ones with 2 units sold each.Out of these, Triumph Speed Triple doubled its figure from 1 unit sold last year to 2. Rest saw a decline in sales. All the big bikes that sold 1 unit each don’t show any kind of positive growth. These include Kawasaki W800, Versys 1000, Triumph Speed Twin, Harley-Davidson Roadking and Street Glide. Out of these Triumph Speed Twin suffered the most losses at 85.71% YoY decline.Big Bikes With Zero Sales- Jan 2023There are 44 entries in this list and almost a quarter of this list has sold zero units in the entire country in a month’s time. Motorcycles like Honda CBR650R, selling 20 units last year, have hit a wall. Other big bikes include Triumph Street Triple, Street Twin, Bonneville Bobber, Harley-Davidson Sportster S, 883 Iron, Forty Eight, Pan America, Electra Glide, Road Glide, Kawasaki ZH2, Aprilia RSV4 Factory and Tuono V4. More

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    Yamaha Sales Jan 2023 YoY Vs MoM – R15, MT15, FZS, FZ25

    Yamaha has updated their motorcycle and scooter range to meet the new BS6 Phase 2 normsNew Yamaha FZ V4.0Yamaha India has done well in domestic markets reporting a 9.80 percent YoY and 31.60 percent MoM growth. However, exports have dipped YoY and MoM by 7.95 percent and 18.20 percent respectively. Yamaha domestic sales stood at 39,688 units in Jan 2023. This was a 9.80 percent YoY growth over 36,146 units sold in Jan 2022. MoM sales also improved by 31.60 percent from 30,157 units sold in Dec 2022.Yamaha Sales Jan 2023With FZ series once again in the lead after falling to No. 3 in Dec 2022, sales stood at 12,822 units last month, down 18.51 percent YoY from 15,734 units sold in Jan 2022. It was a MoM growth of 110.09 percent when compared to 6,103 units sold in Dec 2022. Share improved to 32.31 percent in the past month from 20.24 percent held in Dec 2022.Yamaha MT15 was at No. 2 with 8,738 units sold in Jan 2023 up 51300 percent over just 17 units sold in Jan 2022. It was also a 169.11 percent MoM growth from 3,247 units sold in Dec 2022. Up next was the R15 with sales of 7,925 units in the past month, up 28.95 percent when compared to 6,146 units sold in Jan 2022. It was a MoM growth of 16.08 percent from 6,827 units sold in Dec 2022.At No. 4 was the Yamaha RayZR with sales de-growth both on YoY and MoM basis. It was down 26.87 percent to 5,141 units in Jan 2023 from 7,030 units sold in Jan 2022 while in Dec 2022 sales had stood at 9,713 units relating to a 47.07 percent MoM dip in demand.Yamaha India Sales Jan 2023 vs Jan 2022 – YoYYamaha Fascino sales fell 35.03 percent YoY to 4,042 units in Jan 2023 while there had been 6,221 units sold in Jan 2022. MoM sales also fell 5.25 percent over 4,266 units sold in Dec 2022. This took share percent down to 10.18 in the past month from 14.15 percent held in Dec 2022. FZ25 has been doing well in terms of sales reporting a2.20 percent YoY growth to 1,020 units in Jan 2023 while MoM sales improved 101900 percent from just 1 units sold in Dec 2022.Yamaha Exports Jan 2023In export markets, sales dipped 7.95 percent YoY to 18,215 units in the past month from 19,788 units shipped in Jan 2022. MoM exports were also in the red down by 18.20 percent from 22,269 units sold in Dec 2022. Here also it was the Yamaha FZ that led the sales charts despite a YoY and MoM de-growth. Sales stood at 8,756 units in the past month.Sales of the Saluto were more positive with a 375 percent YoY growth to 2,850 units while MoM exports improved by 33.18 percent. It also improved sales for the MT15 to 1,502 units in Jan 2023 relating to a 838.75 percent YoY and 525.83 percent MoM improvement in exports.Yamaha India Sales Jan 2023 vs Dec 2022 – MoMThe export list also included RayZR (1,464 units), FZ25 (1,288 units) and Saluto RX(1,156 units). Saluto RX exports dipped MoM by 75.60 percent as there had been 4,738 units shipped in Dec 2022. Thereafter, exports of all other models on this list remained low. Yamaha SZ (636 units) saw flat MoM growth while R15 (508 units), Fascino (55 units) suffered YoY and MoM de-growth. Yamaha YD125 and Crux exports were down to 0 units. More

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    KTM India Sales Jan 2023 – Duke, RC, 125, 200, 250, 390 ADV

    KTM 200 commanded 50 percent of domestic sales last month while the KTM 390 posted excellent sales growth in exportsKTM India Sales Jan 2023Current KTM India lineup includes the likes of Duke 125, RC 125, Duke 200, RC 200, Duke 250, ADV 250, Duke 390, RC 390 and ADV 390. Each of these models are produced at the Bajaj Auto Plant, both for domestic sales and exports to over 118 global markets. The company recently achieved a major milestone with its 1 millionth KTM rolling off production lines from the Bajaj Chakan plant in Pune.Sales of the company in the past month have been low in domestic markets. Sales dipped 9.55 percent YoY to 4,197 units in Jan 2023, down from 4,640 units sold in Jan 2022. MoM sales however, improved 26.61 percent from 3,315 units sales in Dec 2022.KTM Sales Jan 2023 – DomesticIt was the KTM 200 (Duke and RC) that topped sales charts with 2,118 units sold in the past month, down 11.68 percent from 2,398 units sold in Jan 2022. This model commands a 50.46 percent share down from 54.12 percent held in Dec 2022 when sales had stood at 1,794 units.Sales of the KTM 250 range also fell YoY by 4.33 percent to 1,170 units in Jan 2023 from 1,223 units sold in Jan 2022. It currently holds a 27.88 percent share. MoM sales grew by 19.27 percent from 981 units sold in Dec 2022.KTM Sales Jan 2023 – DomesticGood demand was experienced for the KTM 390 with 787 units sold last month, up 226.56 percent YoY over 241 units sold in Dec 2022. MoM sales also increased by 172.32 percent from 289 units sold in Dec 2022. This growth improved share percentage from 8.72 held in Dec 2022 to 18.75 percent in the past month. Sales of KTM 125 series dipped YoY by 84.32 percent and MoM by 51.39 percent to 122 units. There had been 778 units sold in Jan 2022 while in Dec 2022 sales in domestic markets stood at 251 units.KTM Sales Jan 2023 – ExportsKTM Exports on the other hand saw better results. Total exports grew to 6,982 units in Jan 2023 up 65.57 percent from 4,217 units shipped in Jan 2022. MoM growth was at 5.13 percent from 6,641 units sold in Dec 2022.In export markets it was the KTM 390 that saw the most demand. Sales improved 261.56 percent YoY to 4,364 units, up from 1,207 units sold in Jan 2022. This was a volume growth of 3,157 units. MoM growth was at 21.02 percent from 3,606 units sold in Dec 2022. Share improved to 62.50 percent in Jan 2023 from 54.30 percent held in Dec 2022. KTM 125 sales improved 175.83 percent MoM to 2,168 units while exports of the KTM 250 and 200 series dipped YoY and MoM to 408 units and 42 units respectively.KTM Sales Jan 2023 – ExportsTotal KTM Sales Jan 2023Taking total sales into account, it was a YoY growth of 26.22 percent to 11,179 units in Jan 2023 from 8,857 units sold in Jan 2022. MoM sales improved by 12.28 percent from 9,956 units sold in Dec 2022. Sales of KTM 390 series stood at 5,151 units, up 255.73 percent YoY and 32.25 percent MoM while KTM 125 series sales saw a 194.34 percent YoY and 120.83 percent MoM growth to 2,290 units in Jan 2023.KTM Sales Jan 2023 – TotalSales of the KTM 200 dipped YoY and MoM by 47.39 percent and 40.02 percent respectively to 2,160 units while KTM 250 total sales fell to 1,578 units in Jan 2023 down 37.50 percent over 2,525 units sold in Jan 2022. It was however a 10.89 percent MoM growth from 1,423 units sold in Dec 2022. More

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    2023 Royal Enfield 650 Twins Edition – GT Thunder, INT Lightning

    As of now, these new RE 650 Twins editions are only offered in the UK and are not likely to be offered in India2023 Royal Enfield 650 GT Thunder EditionRE 650s are major contributors to 500cc+ motorcycle segment in India with over 80% market share. Ever since the Royal Enfield 650 twins were launched, they have been a runaway success. Until last year, the 650 Twins lineup included Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650. Now it also includes Super Meteor 650.To keep the winning streak and buzz around its 650cc range, RE has now launched Lightning and Thunder Editions for Interceptor 650 and GT 650 respectively. These are only launched in the UK as of now. For India, RE will soon launch 650 Twins with alloys.Lightning And Thunder Edition – FeaturesThese Editions are basically modified versions of standard 650s with original accessories. These new editions get small front fly screen, soft panniers at the side, a touring seat with a ribbed pattern, touring ORVMs, engine guards, an aluminium sump guard, and a CNC-machined oil filler cap.Accessories are common between both Interceptor 650 Lightning Edition and Continental GT 650 Thunder Edition. With all the accessories in place, Interceptor 650 Lightning Edition looks more like a scrambler, especially with the ribbed seat, soft panniers and sump guard.2023 Royal Enfield 650 INT Lightning EditionPricing for Interceptor 650 Lightning Edition is GBP 6459 (approx Rs. 6.42 lakh) and Continental GT 650 will set one back by GBP 6659 (approx Rs. 6.62 lakh). With Lightning and Thunder Edition, Royal Enfield is not offering any mechanical changes over a standard motorcycle.We won’t complain if Lightning and Thunder Editions are never launched in India. This is because Royal Enfield’s extensive accessory catalog already has these add-ons on offer. One can spec up his / her 650 twin to achieve what Lightning and Thunder Editions has to offer.The 648cc parallel-twin engine is kept as is, making a healthy 47 bhp of power and 52 Nm of torque. This is still an air/oil-cooled engine coupled to a 6-speed gearbox. This platform brought incredible smoothness, something never associated with a Royal Enfield before. Due to their character, rider ergonomics for Interceptor and GT 650 differ slightly.2023 Royal Enfield 650 INT Lightning Edition and GT Thunder EditionFacelift 650 Twins LaunchIn India, Royal Enfield is readying updated versions of its 650cc motorcycles. Test mules for the same have been spied donning 18” alloy wheels. It can be speculated that LED headlights and an integrated tripper module might be part of this update. We can’t say for sure.What we can say for sure, is that other componentry like 41mm telescopic front forks, twin shockers, and braking hardware will be carried over as is. A slight bump in price tag is expected as opposed to outgoing prices – Starting from Rs. 2.88 lakh for Interceptor 650 and Rs. 3.05 lakh for Continental GT 650 (prices ex-sh, Delhi). More