If you’re a motorcycling enthusiast there’s no better place for you than EICMA in Milan. The annual show also popularly known as the Milan Motorcycle show sees major 2-wheeler makers from around the globe showcase their latest products, technologies and trends. Many of these bikes and scooters eventually make their way to India. The show also provides a worthy platform to indigenous 2-wheeler manufacturers to show their products to the world. The 2019 edition kicked off earlier this week and once again there was a lot to take home for the Indian bike lover.
Honda
Global giant Honda’s focus at the show was clearly the Indian premium motorcycle market. Within six months of establishing its new premium big bike business vertical the Honda BigWing the company shared the overview of its growth plans for fun biking enthusiasts in India. The Japanese company unveiled its 2020 European line up at EICMA 2019 with 3 of the total products unveiled to soon come to India. Get ready for the iconic CBR1000RR-R Fireblade in an all-new avatar. Heavily inspired by the RC213V MotoGP machine and its street legal RC213V-S counterpart, the 2020 bike is powered by the most powerful inline four-cylinder engine that Honda has ever made. An SP variant will also be on offer. The new CRF1100L Africa Twin Adventure Sports was also revealed in Milan. A lighter, more powerful parallel twin engine, narrower frame, five-stage adjustable screen and three stage cornering lights are some of the attributes here. Rounding off the story was the CB1000R which got subtle cosmetic changes further enhance its premium look and commanding road presence.
Royal Enfield Flat track
Cult bike maker Royal Enfield showcased a total of 6 customs at the show but none got more attention than the flat track based on the recently launched 650cc twins. The flat track has been built in collaboration with UK based Harris Performance Bikes and gets a special old school brazed steel tube frame which is draped in a carbon fibre body by the company’s Industrial Design Team in UK. A big bore kit for the 650cc motor coupled with Silencers from SS Cycle adds to the 650’s familiar roar. Finally we have a Royal Enfield Factory build that is designed from the ground up to slide.
KTM 390 Adventure
Probably the biggest piece of news from the Indian perspective at the show this time came from the house of Austrian bike maker KTM. The company showcased the much awaited 390 Adventure in Milan. And the good news is that the bike will be launched in India before this year ends. KTM says the new bike has harnessed the attributes and DNA from the popular and highly rated 790 Adventure as well as the development information gleaned from nearly two decades of success at probably the toughest cross country rally in the world, the Dakar. The company is calling the 390 Adventure a machine that is breezy, agile and ideal entry model for riders keen to discover the ‘adventure’ sensation. The motorcycle also offers added versatility for touring and light offroading. The bike is based on the KTM 390 DUKE which has been selling in India for a while and has seen good success. At the show KTM also launched its flagship the 1290 Super Duke R in a new avatar. The bike has trimmed weight across the board, while a reworked LC8 engine gets more power. The midweight segment too got its limelight with the new 890 R naked getting a new engine, better brakes, and fully adjustable suspension.
Hero Xtreme 1.R
World’s largest 2-wheeler manufacturer, Hero Motocorp presented a glimpse into the future of its premium motorcycle range at EICMA 2019. Leading the charge was the Xtreme 1.R concept which the company says is inspired by the precision of an arrow. Some major attributes include an aggressive stance which ensures agile and responsive handling. The bike that offers a sneak-peek at the next generation of the Xtreme brand has a kerb weight of less than 140 kg, pointing towards an engaging and fun motorcycle. It also gets LED headlamp and signature LED tail-lamp. The company also revealed a rally-kit specifically developed for its adventure motorcycle XPulse 200, integrating the learnings from its Dakar Rally experience. The kit has been developed and tested at company’s R&D hub in India. It consists of fully adjustable, taller front and rear suspension, flatter seat for easy position change while off-roading, extended gear pedal to suit off-road boots, handlebar risers for greater maneuverability while riding standing up, extended side stand for the additional ground clearance, front sprocket 12T, rear sprocket 40T for greater grunt, and rally tyres for better traction. While the rally kit is not homologated for road use it is ready-to-fit on the XPulse 200, which transforms the street legal motorcycle into an all-out rally machine.