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      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 650 cc Twin Spied With New Gen 350 – Gets Alloys

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      Royal Enfield Classic 650cc Twin
      The Royal Enfield Classic has an unassailable lead in the Indian medium displacement motorcycle segment and why not augment it with a 650 cc variant?

      If you are a Royal Enfield fan, there is a lot to be cheerful about in 2021 as the retro classic brand is gearing up for a new product launches in regular intervals. Royal Enfield has plans to launch one new motorcycle every 4 months in India.
      While things are going to start with model year refreshes and minor updates, quite a few next-generation thumpers are in the pipeline for later this year. We all know the new 650 cc cruiser is on its way but RE has surprised by testing another twin-cylinder prototype that we believe to be the Classic 650!
      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 650 spied
      A recent spyshot of accessorized 650 cruiser was actually wrongly identified. The prototype featured a conventional roadster riding posture compared to the previously spied cruiser test mule‘s feet-forward stance. Not just that, the accessorized test mule also featured considerably higher seat height.
      We have come across a new spy shot of the mystery Royal Enfield 650 roadster in question, parked alongside a new gen Classic 350 prototype. The image is credit to automotive enthusiast Ganesan.
      Royal Enfield Classic 650cc Twin with new gen Classic 350. Footpegs positioning on both motorcycles is similar. Pillion seat is larger as compared to the 650cc cruiser spied earlier.
      As you can see, they both share quite a lot in common in terms of basic design elements – circular headlamps, almond shaped fuel tank, split seats and roughly same seat height – and ergonomics. The motorcycle features black alloy wheels, front and rear discs, twin exhaust pipes, and an eccentrically mounted circular instrument dial.
      Royal Enfield KX650 Cruiser with footpegs in the front, lower seat height and smaller pillion seat
      Though the engine of the 650cc Classic is seen in black, it is likely that it is just a cover. As the spy shot shows that the cover is broken at one point, and one can clearly see the chrome / silver engine underneath.
      Why Classic 650 when you already have Interceptor 650?
      The Royal Enfield Classic 650 would be an ideal spiritual successor to the now defunct 500 cc variant which had a sizeable fan following. More powerful and refined twin-cylinder engine, the trademark retro design and a nameplate with huge brand recall make for a compelling combo.
      Royal Enfield KX650 Cruiser with footpegs in the front, lower seat height and smaller pillion seat
      To give you a perspective, more than half of RE’s sales volume is accounted for by the Classic 350; which is at the end of its life cycle and this shows how strong the Classic brand is. So, why not augment it with a 650 variant?
      While the Interceptor 650 already covers the medium displacement roadster niche for RE, the company appears to be confident that there is sufficient difference in the appeal of the Classic 650 to have it alongside. The inverted telescopic fork, split seats with removable pillion unit and an old-school body-coloured headlamp housing distance the Royal Enfield Classic 650 from its sibling.
      Powertrain
      In its existing state of tune, the motor produces 47 hp and 52 Nm of torque and is mated to a 6-speed transmission. We may see a minor tweak to the gear ratios to suite the Royal Enfield Classic 650’s relaxed mile-munching nature. With more variants being spun off the same platform, RE would be able to leverage the economies of scale to come up with very competitive pricing for its upcoming products. More

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      KTM Duke 790 Gets Extended Warranty Of 2 Yrs / 30k Kms For Rs 4k

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      Image – Vikram James
      The extended warranty package for the 790 Duke needs to be purchased within 730 days of purchasing the motorcycle

      KTM Duke 790 middleweight naked sportsbike has been in India for quite sometime. It serves as a natural upgrade option for existing 390 Duke customers, and has been doing reasonably well in the country’s premium bike segment. In a bid to further enhance its appeal and ownership experience, KTM India has introduced an optional extended warranty package at a nominal price.
      KTM 790 Duke extended warranty
      We thank Vikram James, owner of a 790 Duke, who shared this update with us. He reports that KTM India acted upon the feedback of existing KTM Duke 790 customers and came up with the extended warranty package which offers an additional 2 years or 30k km over the existing standard 2 year or 30k km protection.
      The extended warranty package of the KTM 790 Duke is priced at around INR 4,000. The customers should opt for the package within 730 days of purchasing the motorcycle. They are eligible for a discount on the extended warranty if they opt for it within 180 days of purchasing the vehicle.
      Of course standard warranty rules apply as to what is covered and what is not. The total warranty on offer for KTM Duke 790 customers has now been increased to 4 yrs / 60k kms – thanks to the addition of this new extended warranty package.
      KTM Duke 790 Extended Warranty – Brochure Part 1
      KTM 790 Duke at a glance
      After years of anticipation, KTM finally decided to treat its Indian loyalists with its middleweight sportsbike late last year. Nicknamed ‘the scalpel‘, the KTM 790 Duke incorporates the aggressive character that the brand’s street fighters are known for, but in combination with precise handling. Net result is a motorcycle which, in right hands, is capable of some very impressive stuff.
      At the time of its launch in 2019, the 790 Duke was available in BS4 avatar. After depleting the last few units of the inventory at a hefty discount of around INR 1 lakh (the ex-showroom price was INR 8.64 lakh), it was expected that the Austrian brand will eventually introduce a BS6 version. However, there is no official news about the 790 Duke being back on sale in India as of now.
      KTM Duke 790 Extended Warranty – Brochure Part 2
      The BS4-compliant 799 cc in-line twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine dishes out 105 hp and 87 Nm of torque. A 6-speed transmission is mated to the motor by means of a slipper clutch. The motorcycle offers four riding modes and switchable cornering ABS and traction control.
      KTM 890 Duke R
      Meanwhile, KTM has introduced an even sportier variant of ‘the scalpel’ called the 890 Duke R or ‘the super scalpel’. The motorcycle gets a 890 cc engine which is good for 121 hp and 99 Nm of torque. In addition to extra power, the 890 Duke R also offers extra features such as adjustable WP Apex front suspension, Brembo Stylema brake system, Michelin Powercup II hypersport tyres and so on. Hopefully, KTM India will soon launch the 890 Duke R in India in place of the over due 790 Duke BS6. More

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      KTM 250 Adventure Leaks From Dealer Showcase Event – Launch Soon

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      Upon its launch, the KTM 250 Adventure will compete against the likes of Hero Xpulse 200 and Royal Enfield Himalayan

      KTM is all set to make its fans beaming with joy by introducing its entry-level adventure tourer. The Austrian bike maker is expected to launch the 250 Adventure soon around the festive season later this month. Ahead of that, KTM India has showcased the motorcycle to their dealers in India.
      KTM had earlier revealed its plan to launch the 250 Adventure motorcycle in the first quarter of 2020. However, that as not happened. Instead, BAJAJ-KTM launched Husqvarna 250 Twins in February. The launch of KTM 250 was further delayed due to the outbreak of Covid-19. But now it seems the Austrian brand is finally ready to launch its entry-level tourer.
      The company is currently formulating the pre-launch training process of the upcoming 250 Adventure. Although KTM has not officially revealed this upcoming motorcycle, from the leaked video and spy shots plenty of details can be obtained. Below is the leaked video from the dealer showcase event of KTM 250 Adventure in India, giving the first look at the upcoming motorcycle.
      [embedded content]
      Design
      From the images seen until now, it can be said that the 250 Adventure will be an amalgam of 250 Duke and 390 Adventure. Much of its design has been inspired by its elder sibling. However, it is expected to get the single-piece headlamp instead of the split headlamp setup in the new 390 Adventure. Also to keep the cost in check, it is expected to be a halogen unit although it could be equipped with LED DRLs.
      Features
      In KTM’s product portfolio, the 250 Adventure will be placed above 250 Duke at a premium of Rs 30,000-35,000. For this additional premium, the 250 Adventure will get KTM 390 Adventure-like styling and some extra features. This includes a TFT instrument cluster unlike the LCD unit present in its naked sibling.
      This unit will read out essential information but may miss out Bluetooth connectivity present in 390 Adventure. Since being an entry-level bike, the younger adventure tourer is also set to miss other features such as offroad ABS, traction control system, ride by wire and multiple riding modes.
      Mechanical Details
      The 250 Adventure will draw its power from the same 249cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine which also powers its naked sibling. This unit is capable enough to produce 30 bhp at 9000rpm and 24 Nm of peak torque at 7500rpm. It will be paired with a six-speed gearbox assisted by a slipper clutch.
      Hardware used on the bike is expected to be the same as 390 Adventure which means it will be built on the same steel trellis frame. Suspension duties will be carried out by WP Apex 43 mm USD at front and mono-shock at rear. The 250 Adventure is expected to be priced around Rs 2.35 lakh (ex-showroom) which will be about Rs 65k lower than 390 Adventure. More

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      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Official Scale Models Merchandise Leak

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      The upcoming Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is built upon a completely new platform and will be powered by a new 350cc engine
      Anticipation for the much-awaited Meteor 350 from Royal Enfield grows higher and higher with each day passing as it gets nearer to launch. Till now, the Chennai-based bike manufacturer hasn’t revealed much about its upcoming cruiser neither has it officially released its images.

      However, a series of spied images and videos have been doing rounds on the internet for a very long time. Recently, the brochures of the upcoming bike got leaked and we got some insights on the details. With the launch around the corner, we have received another set of exclusive images that might suggest what the final production-spec model would actually look like.
      The images we have received are of scaled miniature models of the actual production-spec which is expected to go on sale from 20th of September. Along with the new bike, RE will also launch miniature scale models of Meteor 350 as official merchandise. These leaked images reveal a lot more details about the upcoming cruiser bike. As we all know, the Meteor 350 is set to replace the outgoing Thunderbird 350 and Thunderbird 350X.

      Powertrain & Transmission
      The Meteor 350 will sit on an all-new platform codenamed ‘J1D’ which is set to underpin future models from Royal Enfield. It will be powered by a new 350cc powertrain which might have an OHC (Over Head Cam) setup. The current 350cc motor in Classic 350 and Bullet produces 20 bhp and 28 Nm of peak torque. The new unit is said to generate an output similar to its predecessor. This engine will be coupled with a 5-speed gearbox.
      Coming to the images shown here, they give a clear idea as to what the final product might be. These scaled miniature models will be sold as Royal Enfield merchandise alongside the actual bike. The pictures clearly show the low saddle height for the rider as seen in a cruiser.
      Variants & Features

      As reported earlier, the new Meteor 350 will be offered in three variants- Fireball, Stellar and top of the line Supernova. All three are visually distinctive from each other. The base Fireball variant will carry all blacked out components, a coloured rim tape in the alloys, graphics with decal and a single colour fuel tank. Meanwhile, the Stellar variant will have body-coloured components, chrome finish on handlebars and a backrest.
      On the other hand, the Supernova variant will sport machined alloy wheels, premium seats, windscreen and chrome indicators. All three variants also offer some common features such as a semi-digital Dual pod instrument cluster and inbuilt turn-by-turn navigation called ‘Tripper Navigation’.
      Expected Price

      The new Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will employ a new instrument device that displays a lot more information such as tripmeter, odometer, gear, low-battery, drive modes, ABS MIL and many more. The Meteor is set to undergo the launch later this month and is expected to be priced around Rs 1.65 lakh (ex-showroom). More

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      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Leaks – 7 Colours, 3 Variants of Fireball, Stellar, Supernova

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      The new-gen ‘UCE 350’ Royal Enfield Meteor 350 comes in three variants (Fireball, Stellar & Supernova) and seven colours
      Chennai-based motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield is almost ready to launch its new-gen ‘UCE 350’ range that starts with the much-awaited Meteor 350. Essentially a replacement to the now discontinued BS4-compliant Thunderbird and ThunderbirdX 350 siblings, the 2020 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 sits on an all-new platform, gets an improved air-cooled power plant and features a host of modern equipment.

      Over the months, we have shared multiple spy images and videos of the Meteor 350. Many have spotted the cruiser doing test runs across the stretches of India. Exciting times lie ahead of Royal Enfield fans since the British-origin automaker plans several interesting products for the near future. Using the same ~350cc mill, another prototype (supposedly dubbed ‘Hunter 350’) is also doing rounds wearing heavy camouflage.

      To the surprise of many, the company has even revealed that it is working on all-electric models for the years to come. A Royal Enfield without the typical ‘thump’, or virtually zero noise for that matter, may upset hardcore ‘RE fans’. However, this is something to think about at a later stage. Let us dive into what is hitting our market in a few months’ time or maybe even weeks.
      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 brochure leaked
      We bring you an exclusive glimpse into what the upcoming new-gen ‘UCE 350’ model offers. In a brochure leak (more like a dealers’ overview), one can understand the variants, colours and cosmetic features of the new Royal Enfield Meteor 350. There are seven colours in total: Fireball Yellow, Fireball Red, Stellar Red metallic, Stellar Black matte, Stellar Blue metallic, Supernova Brown dual-tone and Supernova Blue dual-tone.

      As the names suggest, the 2020 Meteor 350 comes in three variants: Fireball, Stellar and Supernova. It is worth mentioning that the ‘Fireball’ variant was previously leaked from an online configurator page.
      Cosmetic highlights of the Meteor Fireball variant include blacked-out components, single-colour fuel tank, body graphics, machined cooling fins and coloured wheel rim. ‘Stellar’ adds body-coloured components, premium badges, chrome elements and a backrest. Finally comes the Supernova variant sporting dual-tone paint scheme, machined alloy wheels, premium seat upholstery, flyscreen and chrome turn signals.

      ‘Tripper Navigation’ (most likely inbuilt navigation with turn-by-turn directions) remains standard. We have already shared a real-life image of the same. The semi-digital dual-pod instrument console also features Bluetooth connectivity — a first for Royal Enfield.
      Possible engine characteristics & pricing

      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Speedometer
      Unlike the archaic tappet-valve arrange of the current-gen BS6 ‘UCE 350’ mill, the new avatar might have an OHC (Over Head Cam) setup. This can boost output by a significant margin. For reference, the existing 346cc air-cooled FI single-cylinder engine generates just about 20bhp and 28Nm. The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 is expected to get a 5-speed transmission as its predecessor. Ex-showroom prices should start at roughly Rs 1.65 lakh (Rs 10,000-15,000 over the Thunderbird 350). More

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      KTM 250 Duke gets LED headlight from Duke 390 – Spy Shots

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      There are no other changes on the quarter liter street fighter except the full LED headlamp
      When KTM introduced the new 390 Duke with upmarket equipment, it also introduced a 250 cc variant with a few cost cutting measures to cater to select markets including India. The bigger-engined Duke with its configurable color TFT display and a sharp looking full LED headlamp positions itself as a premium medium displacement street fighter, the 250 with halogen lamp (plus LED DRLs) and amber-backlit LCD instrument console has a mid-premium appeal to it. Well, not anymore.

      The 2020 KTM 250 Duke with updated full LED headlamps just like the one of 390 Duke has been spied. It looks like the new version has already started reaching dealer stockyards in the country. The naked bike which received its BS6 update earlier this year retails at a little over INR 2 lakh (ex-showroom) but the headlamp update is likely to inflate the price even further. We expect to know more in the coming days. The instrument console, however, continues to be a simple digital unit.
      The new full LED headlamp units is identical to the one on the 390 Duke. In fact, the entire Europe-spec Duke family employs the same unit in international market including the entry level 125 cc variant. The sharp looking unit is bifurcated vertically and alights with the brand’s latest design identity. Hat tip to auto enthusiast Miraj and Akshay for sharing the details with us.

      Existing KTM Duke 250 with halogen headlamp
      2020 KTM 250 Duke at a glance
      There seem to be no other changes to the India-spec 2020 KTM 250 Duke. The quarter liter motorcycle continues to be underpinned by steel trellis frame, WP upside front forks, WP rear monoshock, and 17-inch wheels with 110 mm (section) front and 150 mm rear tyres. Braking system comprises a 300 mm front and 230 mm rear disc by ByBre which are governed by Bosch dual-channel ABS (can be switched off).
      Power comes from a liquid-cooled 249 cc single-cylinder engine which is mated to a 6-speed gearbox via a assist and slipper clutch. The motor produces an impressive 30 hp and 24 Nm of torque.

      New KTM Duke 250 with LED headlamp
      The 2020 KTM 250 Duke rivals the Yamaha FZS 25 and Suzuki Gixxer 250 in India. Both the competitors recently received BS6 updates and are priced significantly lower than the Duke but they are also significantly low on power output.
      The lockdown has forced all OEMs including Bajaj to suspend product temporarily and this has resulted in delivery delays. We expect the LED headlamp equipped 250 Duke to be officially launched in the coming weeks with a noticeable bump in price tag. More

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      Mahindra Mojo Exclusive dealership coming up in Bangalore

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      New Mahindra Mojo exclusive store. Image – RR Stories The Mahindra ‘Mojo’ outlets are aimed to create an exclusivity factor for the motorcycle and will not sport any conventional ‘Mahindra’ branding The Mahindra Mojo 300 is an underrated motorcycle, to say the least. The single-cylinder tourer was introduced on the Indian market back in October […] More

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      Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Spied Undisguised – New Thunderbird

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      2020 Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Production ready variant of Royal Enfield Meteor, the successor to the existing Thunderbird 350 cruiser, has been spied up close These are arguably the clearest yet spyshots of the new gen Royal Enfield Thunderbird, which will be called Meteor. Shot by automotive enthusiast Arun, while the new motorcycle was parked […] More