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      Hero Glamour Motorcycles (751 Units) Handed Over To Karnataka Police

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      Hero Glamour for Karnataka Police
      Hero MotoCorp hands over 751 Glamour motorcycles to Karnataka Police Department in Bangalore

      As part of Hero MotoCorp’s partnership with state police departments, the two-wheeler manufacturer has delivered 751 units of Hero Glamour BSVI motorcycle to Karnataka’s police department. Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa, and Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai flagged off a rally from Vidhan Soudha in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
      In July 2020, the manufacturer handed over 100 units of Destini 125 and Maestro Edge 125 for women police officers in the UP Police dept. The trend sees Hero carry out such activities at regular intervals across police departments in the country.
      The far reaching CSR activity hasten Hero MotoCorp associate with police departments in Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Telangana, Haryana, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Karnataka, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, and Pondicherry.
      Hero MotoCorp CSR
      Number of vehicle handed over thus far exceeds 3.5k units. Project Sakhi CSR activity is tasked with bikes handed over specifically for women coppers. In most instances, stock bikes are slightly tweaked in regard to accessory packs and fitment to ensure coppers are able to accommodate all they need when doing the rounds. Special police stickers are added to visible areas of the bikes.

      Hero Glamour BSVI uses i3S (idle start-stop system) for enhanced mileage. Its 125cc engine with XSens Programmed Fuel Injection tech returns max power of 10.73 BHP @ 7500 RPM and torque of 10.6 Nm @ 6000 RPM. Front 240mm disk brakes and ground clearance of 180mm add to value proposition.
      Hero MotoCorp sales
      This festive season has been a busy period for Hero MotoCorp with the company having reported its highest wholesales to date. Wholesales is reported at 8,06,848 motorcycles and scooters in October 2020 at 34.64 percent sales growth up from 5,99,248 units in October 2020.
      The two-wheeler manufacturer finds its large buyer base in its large motorcycle range of which Splendor leads by miles. Domestic motorcycle wholesales accounted for 7,32,492 units last month. The month prior, the brand reported 6,60,948 units.
      This upward graph will certainly help consolidate Q4 2020 quarter to help Hero end the year well. For the same month, FADA Research reports retail sales at 3,33,563 units with the exception of about RTO data from AP,MP,LD, and TS.
      Earlier in 2020, Hero MotoCorp began an ongoing activity of handing over First Responder Vehicles (FRVs) to varied govt departments across multiple states. Thus far more than 25 such units have been distributed in Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh.
      The CSR activity is specially designed to aid Covid-19 relief efforts. The custom built Xtreme 200R motorcycles in use are equipped with a full stretcher with foldable hood, medical equipment including detachable first-aid kit, and oxygen cylinder, and a fire extinguisher. To ensure these vehicles are given a free pass wherever possible they’re fitted LED Flasher lights,a beacon light, an emergency wireless public announcement system, and siren. More

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      Honda CB350 Cafe Racer Might Launch Next Year – Render

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      Honda CB350 Cafe Racer – Render
      Japanese two-wheeler brand Honda is planning to explore other segments based on H’Nness CB350’s newly developed platform

      Honda made inroads into the premium cruiser segment of motorcycles with the launch of H’Ness CB350 last month. Priced at Rs 1.85 lakh (ex-showroom), this retro motorcycle has mostly received positive reviews from all quarters and is being pitched as a worthy rival to Royal Enfield and Jawa prodigies.
      While we can agree in unison that a retro classic body suits H’Ness CB350 in the best manner. However, Honda has spent hundreds of crores in development of this platform from scratch and would be looking to utilize it in other designs as well. Reports suggest, the Japanese automaker is planning to develop a cafe-racer based on this same architecture.
      Alteration in design – CB350 Cafe Racer
      A design render of CB350 turned into a modern cafe-racer has been doing rounds on the internet. Rendered by SRK Designs, the design artist only had to make slight alterations to make this look like a proper cafe racer.
      The overall stance of the bike in the rendering has become much sportier thanks to the clip-on handlebars which provides a more aggressive forward-biased riding position typical of a cafe-racer. However, it is doesn’t seem to be overly demanding since footpegs remain in their original position.
      The handlebar gets classic silver bar-end mirrors on either side and blacked-out shock absorbers. The fuel tank has been redesigned which can incorporate the rider’s legs in a forward set riding position. New body graphics on the fuel tank also enhance the cafe-racer looks and go well with the motorcycle’s character. The major update can be noticed in the seat where the designer has replaced the stock seat with a cafe racer-style single-piece one which features a seat cowl.
      At rear, the grab handles have been removed, although that might not be the case in the production-spec model where it is mandatory to install grab handles for the pillion. Side panels sport ‘Cafe-Racer’ decals which enhances the sportiness of the retro motorcycle.
      It continues to receive classic designing elements such as round headlamps, round taillamps, round LED turn indicators, chrome-finished front and rear fender and engine with chrome garnish and exhaust. Other notable finish visual highlights include semi-digital instrument cluster and alloy wheels with tubeless tyres.
      Specs
      H’Ness CB350 is based on a new half-duplex architecture which has been specifically developed for the Indian market. This frame also provides versatility to incorporate it in many other forms and a cafe-racer seems to be the appropriate match. CB350 is powered by a new single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected motor which generates 20.8 bhp and 30 Nm of peak torque. This unit is paired with a 5-speed gearbox with a slipper clutch and assist.
      Expected Launch
      If this proposed render does go into production it will be positioned as an entry-level cafe-racer and an affordable alternative to Royal Enfield Continental GT 650. It is expected to be pegged at a competitive price of Rs 2.2 lakh (ex-showroom). This bike is expected to come out at the end of next year or 2022.
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      Exchange Old Activa, Splendor For New Hero Electric Scooter

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      Hero Electric Scooter
      Covid-19 pandemic has forced consumers to consider affordable e-scooters as a mobility option

      With electric vehicles (EV) movement slowly gathering pace and advent of new technologies in this field, people have started showing faith in this segment. It is clear that in the future automotive world, EVs will play a big impact on the growth and sufficing needs of consumers.
      India’s leading electric mobility solutions provider, Hero Electric, has formed an alliance with CredR, an omni-channel brand that deals in used two-wheelers, to come up with an exchange program. Under this program, a prospective buyer from a Hero Electric showroom can exchange his/her old petrol-powered scooter for a new electric scooter.
      Process of exchange
      Consumers will be provided a convenient and hassle-free exchange of their old scooter or motorcycle (any old two wheeler is valid – Hero Splendor, Honda Activa, TVS Jupiter, etc), for a brand new e-scooter. The new e-scooter will be delivered to them within a few days.
      For this, consumer needs to bring his old two wheeler to a Hero Electric showroom for a physical inspection and evaluation. At this point, CredR will quote an estimated price of the old scooter which will be generated through its proprietary pricing application.

      For completion of transaction, CredR will verify the documents and health of the petrol-powered two wheeler. The exchange price will then be adjusted against the final cost of the new e-scooter from Hero Electric. As of now, this program is available in Delhi NCR, Jaipur, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Pune and will be expanded to other centers across India soon.
      Demand for electric scooters has been on the rise, however, with the outbreak of Covid-19, there has been a surge in this demand in recent months. People have realised the need for personal mobility solutions and at the same time have become environmentally conscious hence many are opting for affordable electric vehicles and e-scooters fit the bill.
      In words of Sasidhar Nandigam, chief strategic officer, “CredR, India’s electric mobility landscape is going to change dramatically post Covid-19 pandemic and the sales are expected to rise.” CredR believes that not only two-wheeler and e-scooters but market will also see a rise in pre-owned mobility solutions as well. Currently, electric mobility contributes to less than 1 percent of the two-wheelers market that will only increase henceforth.
      Hero Electric Recent Launches
      Recently, Hero Electric launched an all-new ‘City Speed’ segment which caters exclusively to city commuters. This new range of e-scooters consists of models such as Photon-Nh, Optima-hx and Nyx-hx and is available at a starting price of Rs 57,660 (ex-showroom). This makes it the most affordable e-scooter in the country as of now. These new scooters offer a range up to 80 km on a single-charge and come with 3 yrs warranty. More

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      Jawa Motorcycle Sales Record 50k Milestone – 2 Years Since Launch

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      Image – Jawa
      Rival Royal Enfield sold almost 67k motorcycles in single month of Oct 2020

      Classic Legends has announced 50k unit sales of Jawa Motorcycles since launch in 2018. Though it is almost 2 years after launch that this feat has been achieved, Jawa claims the sales feat was achieved in an effective 12 months of full operations. At the time of launch in 2018, Jawa had aimed to sell about 90k motorcycles annually or about 7,500 units monthly.
      Even though Jawa launched motorcycles in Nov 2018, it was only in April 2019 that the deliveries started. Then of course one had to deal with zero activity during specified periods of nationwide lockdown period (since March 2020), with near zero inventories owing to waiting period.
      As the company embarks on its journey for the next 50k milestone, Jawa motorcycles continues to expand production capacity and dealership count. Ashish Singh Joshi, CEO – Classic Legends Pvt. Ltd. said, “As the newest entrant in the Indian motorcycle market, we are proud of what we have achieved in such a short duration.” Jawa aims to register the next 50k unit sales in less than 1 year.
      Best Selling Jawa
      Jawa’s return to full fledged business was as recent as 2018. To get going, the company readied a production facility and sells 3 models -Jawa, Jawa forty two and Perak that not only make up the product lineup but also were tasked with the responsibility of brand resurrection. To support this, a sales network is under ongoing development, and ops have been ramped to meet customer demands.
      Perak has been best-selling Jawa motorcycle in recent months. Image – Ravinder
      The 50,000 motorcycles milestone is of significance to the brand as it portends a future roadmap that the company is geared up to achieve. Jawa Motorcycles views this as ‘healthy demand’ having had to contend with the 50k taking a longer time to reach owing to Covid-19 related production challenges.
      The company is upbeat the next 50k units milestone will be attained in lesser time. In the meantime, Classic Legends has started exports with a batch of Jawa motorcycles being shipped to Europe, and Nepal. Only last month, the company celebrated delivery of 2000 Perak units, making it the best-selling Jawa.
      Perak
      Perak roots goes back to the 1940s, during the time of the Nazi German’s rule in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. In those difficult times, there was a man dressed in black who moved in the shadows. It was rumoured that this strange figure was portrayed as a Czech hero.
      He gave the people a sense of comfort, leapt out of the darkness and was indestructible, not afraid of the German troupes or the ‘Bullet’. Though the Germans tried to capture this figure, which came to be called ‘Perak’, their efforts proved unsuccessful.
      Jawa Perak BS6, priced at Rs.1.94 lakhs, is presented in a single colour option. Buyers can avail the Perak with a zero down payment scheme or an EMI of Rs.6,666 along with an exchange program of upto Rs.5,000. More

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      Harley Davidson Dealers Unhappy Post Hero Alliance – Might File Legal Case

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      File Photo.
      Harley Davidson dealers in India have hired a law firm and are looking at legal options

      While the Harley Davidson & Hero MotoCorp deal is a positive development for customers and motorcycle enthusiasts, many Harley dealerships are facing an uncertain future.
      Harley dealers are even more worried now because there’s a growing possibility that the total number of dealerships may be reduced to just 13-15 dealerships. This will be a major setback to Harley dealers who may be asked to shut shop.
      Demand for higher compensation
      One of the primary complaints of Harley dealers is that the compensation package is not enough to cover their losses. The compensation offered by Harley-Davidson management includes two components, one of which is Rs 1,500 per sq. ft., after adjusting for 10% annual value depreciation. The second component is reimbursement of sales margins for a period of 6 months.
      Harley dealers claim that this compensation is significantly lower than their collective investments over the last decade, which amounts to around Rs 300 crore. Moreover, since the lockdown was lifted in August, the dealers have been incurring huge losses of around Rs 30-40 lakh every month.
      Harley Davidson India Dealer
      In the domestic market, Harley’s bestselling product was Street 750 mid-sized motorcycle. It contributed around 70-80% of the company’s sales in the country.
      Earlier, dealers used to sell around 20-25 Harleys every month, but the numbers are down to single digits. As new Harley products may take some time to be launched via Hero MotoCorp partnership, dealers are demanding higher compensation for their investment and losses.
      Law firm appointed
      With the possibility that on-going talks may not lead to favourable developments, the Harley-Davidson Dealers Association has appointed a law firm AZB & Partners. The plan is to explore legal options to safeguard their investment and probably get higher compensation to recover their losses. However, this is a preliminary move to assess potential options. The dealers have not filed any case against either Harley or Hero MotoCorp.
      Harley Davidson dealers are hopeful that things will be resolved in a favourable manner for all stakeholders. They are currently waiting for a formal announcement to be made by either Harley or Hero MotoCorp. The dealers say that they need to be clearly told about the next steps, so that they can make adjustments accordingly.
      As per the deal between the two companies, Hero MotoCorp will be taking over the sales and service operations of Harley. This will be done via the existing Harley outlets.
      Hero will also be retailing original parts, accessories, riding gear, apparel and general merchandise. Hero also gets the license to develop and sell premium motorcycles with Harley Davidson brand name. The first of these products could be a 350cc – 500cc motorcycle that will challenge the supremacy of Royal Enfield. More

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      Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Teased Ahead Of Global Debut – Official

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      Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Teaser
      The Triumph Tiger 850 Sport is reported to be road focused and is likely to forgo several features to arrive at a competitive price point

      Triumph Motorcycles is busy introducing new products amidst the full blown pandemic crisis that has been greatly affecting the automotive industry. The British sportsbike marque just unveiled its most affordable three-cylinder motorcycle, the Trident, last month, and is already gearing up to introduce a new Tiger variant.
      Triumph Tiger 850 Sport
      Triumph India has released a teaser image of a new Tiger variant without furnishing any details. The image shows a red finished adventure tourer with the Tiger’s instantly recognizable LED light signature. International media expects the new variant to be called as the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport.
      The new Tiger 900 is currently available in four variants with a strong focus on all-terrain riding. The Tiger Sport 850 is expected to serve as a new entry level model with heightened focus on tarmac touring.
      However, new motorcycle does appear to be sporting 19-inch front wheel dual-purpose tyre. We expect the Tiger 850 Sport to feature some significant cost cutting measures to arrive at a competitive price point.
      Triumph Tiger 850 Sport Teaser
      Specifications
      With the Euro 5 emission norms forcing OEMs to go for slightly higher displacement, it is unlikely that the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport will feature an engine that is smaller than the 900 variants. The in-line three-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor displaces 888 cc and produces 95 hp and 87 Nm of torque. Transmission is a 6-speed unit. We expect the new variant to carry forward this configuration despite the ‘850’ in the nomenclature.
      If the Triumph Tiger 850 Sport is road focuses, then we expect the inverted telescopic front fork and rear monoshock to feature tweaked stiffness and damping coefficients. Triumph may likely delete some electronic features such as Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and related systems to make the 850 Sport more accessible than its 900 siblings.
      For reference, the fully loaded Triumph Tiger 900 variants are equipped with a 7-inch colour TFT instrument display, IMU-powered cornering ABS, cornering traction control, Triumph Shift Assist (bi-directional quick shifter), 6 riding modes, cruise control, heated grips and seats, mobile charger, tire pressure monitoring system, and so on.
      Rivals
      The Triumph Tiger 850 will lock horns with the likes of BMW F900XR and Yamaha Tracer 900. Pricing is expected to be competitive. The road-focused tourer will make its online debut on November 17th and is expected to be ready for the market sometime in first half of 2021. We expect Triumph to introduce the new Tiger variant in India sometime early next year. More

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      New BMW G 310 GS Vs KTM 390 ADV Vs RE Himalayan – Comparison

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      New BMW 310 GS
      With the launch of the updated BMW G 310 GS, a comparison is in order with its nearest rivals- KTM 390 Adventure and Royal Enfield Himalayan

      BMW Motorrad has finally launched its entry-level G 310 twins in India. While the G 310 R is a naked roadster, G 310 GS is an adventure tourer. With growing popularity and demands for Adventure bikes in India, this is currently a hotly contested space with big players such as KTM 390 Adventure and Royal Enfield Himalayan fighting it out.
      By launching a much affordable BS6 iteration of G 310 GS, BMW has announced its entry in a grand fashion. It is even more affordable than its KTM counterpart and that has left many biking enthusiasts surprised. So let us find out by comparing it with its nearest rivals in this segment how it fares against them.
      Engine
      All these bikes now comply with the latest BS6 emission norms. While all are powered by single-cylinder units, the Himalayan gets a single overhead camshaft instead of double cams like the rest. Therefore the Himalayan has the lowest power output among the three ADVs even though it carries the largest displacement. The 373.2cc engine of KTM 390 produces the highest output of 43.5 PS of power and 37 Nm of peak torque.
      While the Himalayan gets a five-speed gearbox, the 390 Adventure and G 310 GS get a six-speed unit. The latter two come with a slipper clutch and assist alongside clutch by wire system as standard. These have been new additions in the BMW adventure motorcycle.
      BMW G 310 GS Engine Specs vs Rivals
      Dimensions
      Dimensions of a bike turn out to be very critical when one to go in beaten tracks and these bikes are made for that. There is no considerable difference in their heights, widths and lengths. However, when it comes to their kerb weight, Himalayan is a lot heavier than its peers at 199kg while the KTM and BMW weigh 175kg and 169kg respectively and that can be felt in its performance as well.
      Features
      KTM 390 Adventure continues to lead the segment in terms of features on offer. However, BMW has made some valuable additions too in its latest iteration of G 310 GS. Both these motorcycles come with a throttle-by-wire technology and full LED lighting setup whereas Himalayan is offered with a conventional cable-operated throttle and halogen lamp setup.
      BMW G 310 GS Dimensions vs Rivals
      All three bikes are equipped with common features such as dual-channel ABS with switchable rear-wheel ABS deactivation. However, KTM 390 clearly leads with the equipment list consisting of a 5-inch TFT colour infotainment system with Bluetooth connectivity, Off-Road Mode, MTC (lean angle sensitive), bi-directional quick shifter, traction control and cornering ABS.
      Hardware
      While none of these motorcycles can’t be defined as hardcore off-roaders meant for trail bashing, the Himalayan is definitely more suited to take on the rough paths. Whereas the KTM and BMW are more touring friendly which can manage occasional off-roading. The KTM 390 and BMW G 310 are equipped with upside forks at front with 43mm WP Apex and 41mm USD suspension units respectively.
      On the other hand, Himalayan gets 41mm telescopic at front with a travel of 200mm way more than 180mm and 170mm available in BMW and KTM respectively. All three motorcycles are equipped with a mono-shock at rear with preload adjustable units for 390 Adventure and G 310 and a multi-link unit for Himalayan.
      The G 310 and 390 Adventure ride on 19-inch front and 17inch rear wheels while Himalayan rides on 21-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels. While the former two use alloy wheels wrapped around by tubeless tyres, Himlayan gets tube tyres which are wrapped around spoke wheels. Anchoring duties are carried out by disc brakes at both ends on all three bikes with dual-channel ABS on offer.
      BMW G 310 GS Price vs Rivals
      Price
      Royal Enfield Himalayan is by far the most affordable in this space with its prices starting at Rs 1.89 lakh. However, it is also the least powerful and least specced model too in comparison to its compatriots. KTM 390 Adventure is now the most expensive in this range at Rs 3.04 lakh, however, it is also the most powerful of the lot and gets the most number of features as well. (Prices mentioned are ex-showroom) More

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      Hero Xtreme 200S BS6 Launch Price Rs 1.15 L – Rivals Bajaj Pulsar 220F

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      BS6 Hero Xtreme 200S
      Hero Xtreme 200S will lock horns with Bajaj Pulsar 220F, which is priced at Rs 1.24 lakhs

      Hero MotoCorp has finally launched its fully-faired bike Xtreme 200S in its BS6 derivative. The bike was not yet been upgraded to the latest emission norms and, therefore, has not been in sale since April this year. Now, the brand has launched the latest iteration of its flagship motorcycle in India. Price is Rs 1,15,715, ex-sh; making it about Rs 9k cheaper than Pulsar 22F.
      Powertrain & Tranmission
      Hero utilizes the same 199.6cc single-cylinder motor on Xtreme 200S which has been upgraded to BS6 emission norms in Xpulse 200. This unit is also set to receive an oil-cooler as seen on the adventure tourer. It will continue to be mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
      As in the case with most updated BS6 two-wheelers, power figures on the new Xtreme 200S will be slightly altered. Output figures on the BS4 version read as 18.4 PS of maximum power and 17.1 Nm of peak torque. In its BS6 avatar, it now delivers 17.8 BHP @ 8500 RPM and an impressive torque of 16.4 Nm @ 6500 RPM. This means, power and torque figures, both have declined in BS6 avatar, when compared to BS4 figures.
      Design & Features
      Speaking of design, the BS6 Xtreme 200S sports the same styling with similar fairing as seen on its predecessor. Although, it now gets a new paint scheme called Pearl Fadeless White. Earlier two colours of Sports Red, Panther Black, which were on sale in BS4 avatar, continue to be on sale in BS6 avatar as well.
      BS6 Hero Xtreme 200S
      Equipment offered on the bike is also expected to remain same which shall consist of LED headlamp, LED taillight and an all-digital instrument console that comes equipped with Bluetooth-enabled turn-by-turn navigation, call alerts and gear position indicator. The Xtreme 200S comes with a 7-step adjustable mono shock suspension that offers superior ride handling, 276 mm Front Disc with single channel ABS and 220 mm Rear Disc for added safety.
      Commenting on the launch, Naveen Chauhan, Head – Sales and Aftersales, Hero MotoCorp, said, “The new Xtreme 200S showcases our focused approach to the premium segment. Our premium products like the Xtreme 160R and XPulse 200 BS-VI are receiving an overwhelming response from the customers. I am confident that the Xtreme 200S will build on their success.”
      Malo Le Masson, Head of Strategy, Hero MotoCorp, said, “Our horizontal strategy catering to all customer categories has worked really well and has allowed us to grow our market share in the premium motorcycle segment. We are confident that the BS-VI Xtreme 200S will continue its strong performance and further fortify our presence in the segment.”
      Hero Xtreme 200R No More?
      Hero Xtreme 200S is a fully faired bike based on its naked version Xtreme 200R; which in all likelihood is discontinued. Thanks to Xtreme 160R. Its smaller sibling Xtreme 160R made its debut a few months ago and has received a generous response overall. The naked roadster is offered in two variants at a starting price of Rs 99,850 going up to Rs 1,03,500 (ex-showroom).
      Hero Xtreme 160R is based on the Hero 1.R concept showcased at EICMA in Milan, Italy in 2019. The smaller Xtreme 160 is much sportier than its bigger sibling. The 160R attempts to be a sportier rendition of its elder faired sibling with minimum body panels, LED headlamp, heavily contoured single-piece seat, smoked-out LED taillight with ‘H’ signature and prominent chiseled fuel tank with contrast coloured extensions.
      The Xtreme 160R is powered by a 163cc single-cylinder, SOHC engine which produces 15 bhp and 14 Nm of peak torque. Same 5-speed gearbox used in Xtreme 200S is offered in Xtreme 160R.  More