Yearender 2021: Yamaha R15, Suzuki Hayabusa to Ola S1 EV - Top 10 bikes launched in India
The Indian automotive industry is driving into 2022 with a positive mindset in its quest to reach the pre-pandemic levels of sales volume, having built a solid foundation in 2021 amid a semiconductor shortage hampering production.
Top 10 bikes launched in India in 2021: The year 2021 brought vast varieties of two-wheelers, including electric ones. Despite 2021 throwing several challenges for the industry, several two-wheelers were launched during the last year. The Indian automotive industry is driving into 2022 with a positive mindset in its quest to reach the pre-pandemic levels of sales volume, having built a solid foundation in 2021 amid a semiconductor shortage hampering production.
Let's look at the top 10 two-wheelers launched in 2021:
Kawasaki
Kawasaki is one of the most successful bike manufacturers in India, largely due to the Japanese giant’s competitive pricing. In 2021, the biggest launch for Kawasaki was the heavily updated 2021 Ninja ZX-10R. The new Ninja ZX-10R comes at a dreamy price of just Rs 15.14 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), which is significantly lower than any of its rivals. Along with it, Kawasaki launched the new MY22 Z900, Ninja 1000SX, and the Z H2.
Royal Enfield Classic 350
Royal Enfield launched an upgraded Classic 350, a cruiser bike, in India in September. The popular Classic 350 is available at a starting price of Rs 1,84,486. It is available in 5 variants and 12 colors with a top variant price starting from Rs 2,14,980. The Royal Enfield Classic 350 is powered by a 349cc BS6 engine which develops a power of 20.2 bhp and a torque of 27 Nm.
Ola S1 EV
2021 witnessed a slew of EV two-wheelers being showcased in the country. Ola Electric announced the launch of its much-awaited electric scooter on August 15 this year. The electric two-wheeler comes in two trims, S1 and S1 Pro. The price of the base trim, S1, starts from ₹ ₹85,099 (ex-showroom, Delhi) whereas the latter stands at ₹1,10,149 (ex-showroom, Delhi). The Ola S1 comes with a 2.98 kWh battery pack and offers the EV a range of 121 km on a full charge.
Honda CB500X
In 2021, Honda launched CB500X. The bike has full LED lighting – including both headlamp and tail lamp and compact signal indicators and a clear screen tail lamp. Honda CB500X is an adventure bike available at a starting price of Rs 6,87,811 in India. The Honda CB500X is powered by a 471.03cc BS6 engine which develops a power of 46.93 bhp and a torque of 43.2 Nm.
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson almost completely shut its India operations last year, but after a helping hand from Hero MotoCorp, it has made a comeback in India. Sportster S is the brand's second major launch in India in 2021 after the debut of the Pan America 1250 adventure touring model. Sportster S - the has been priced at a starting of Rs 15.51 lakh. The new model is the second bike based on the company's new Revolution Max 1250 platform as it also underpins the Pan America 1250 ADV.
Ducati Scrambler Icon
Ducati India launched a trio of Scramblers for 2021. The Italian brand has ridden in the Scrambler Icon, Scrambler Icon Dark, and Scrambler 1100 Dark Pro at Rs 8.49 lakh, Rs 7.99 lakh, and Rs 10.99 lakh respectively. Ducati Scrambler Icon is available in 2 variants and 3 colors with a top variant price starting from Rs. 8,49,240. The Ducati Scrambler Icon is powered by an 803cc BS6 engine which develops a power of 71.87 bhp and a torque of 66.2 Nm.
Yamaha YZF R15 V4
Yamaha Motor India launched the fourth-generation Yamaha R15 V4 in September 2021. The R15 has always been a very popular motorcycle and is a significant improvement over its predecessor. The new generation Yamaha R15 V4 out came with a better-than-ever iteration with a premium new design, impressive tech, and top-of-the-shelf components. The 2021 R15 V4.0 is priced from Rs 1.70 lakh going up to Rs. 1.82 lakh depending on the color option. The big update is the new design language on the 2021 R15 range. The bike borrows design cues from the new R7 that made its global debut in May this year as well as the M1 MotoGP machine.
Bounce Infinity - EV
Bengaluru-based EV start-up Bounce launched its first electric scooter - Infinity E1- in India in December 2021. The EV scooter is available at a price of ₹68,999 including the battery and charger. However, the price of the scooter stands at ₹36,000 without the battery. The scooter also comes with two riding modes – Power and Eco. The Infinity E1 is powered by a 2kWh lithium-ion battery pack that provides a certified range of 85km per charge. The battery pack can be topped up in about 4 to 5 hours by connecting to any regular electric socket.
BMW
The Bavarian company launched a handful of bikes in 2021 but the headlines were taken by the more affordable than ever G 310s. The model is an adventure bike available at a starting price of Rs. 2,90,327 in India. It is available in only 1 variant and 3 colors. BMW also launched its flagship naked, the S 1000 R, the bonkers M 1000 RR, R 1250 GS, and the R Nine Ts. in India.
Suzuki Hayabusa
In April 2021, the Suzuki Hayabusa motorcycle was launched in India at a price of ₹16.40 lakh. The 2021 Suzuki Hayabusa is available in three dual-tone color options. They are Glass Sparkle Black with Candy Burnt Gold, Metallic Mat Sword Silver with Candy Daring Red and Pearl Brilliant White with Metallic Mat Stellar Blue. The 2021 Hayabusa will be powered by a 1,340cc, inline four-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine which is now compliant with the Euro 5 emission norms, the equivalent of BS 6 in India.
ALSO READ | India Recap 2021: From Vaccine Century to General Rawat's death - What all made headlines