Milan Motorcycle Show or EICMA is an important event for all 2-wheeler enthusiasts. It is a place where brands can create the hype, necessary for sales boost and a positive sentiment. Speaking of brands focused around India, they have had a field day as they have done their best to get us excited about their future offerings. Today, we will be uncovering some of our personal favourites!
KTM 990 RC R
We are starting with one of the most notable manufacturers catering to enthusiasts who want to go as fast as possible i.e. KTM. The Austrian brand brought the 990 RC R. It replaces the KTM 890 RC 8C. It features several changes to improve the formula for a competent track weapon. The RC R’s overall styling is significantly aggressive compared to its predecessor. The fairing is smooth with the aggressive creases kept to a minimum. The RC R also has some cool aspects such as the MotoGP-inspired winglets in the front. The bike is also a wash of carbon fibre with components like winglets, front fenders, and splatter guard finished in the durable but light material aiding weight saving! In addition to this, the 990 RC R also has premium touches such as aluminium levers and a crisp TFT display.
It goes without saying that as this is a KTM and inspired by MotoGP, it is very orange! This creation is powered by the 990cc LC8 Parallel Twin Engine that produces 128hp and 103Nm of torque. The 990 RC R comes with 17-inch alloys and Michelin Powercup Tyres. Braking is one of the most important aspects of a track-focused bike and the 990 RC R has twin discs at the front radially mounted Brembo Calipers a single disc brake at the rear, and a 6-speed transmission that controls the power output. However, as much as we would want the KTM 990 RC R to launch in India, there is no official news regarding its launch in India.
Aprilia’s Tuono
However, a bike we could be confident about launching in India is the Aprilia Tuono 457. The RS457 has already garnered a lot of praise for being the ultimate sports bike in its category and Tuono has the learnings from the RS as well as the bigger Tuono 660 and Tuono V4! The 457 gets a flat handlebar, unlike the clip-ons in the RS version. What’s also changed is the light placement as the Tuono gets vertically placed lights as opposed to the split light setup on the RS 457. Overall, the Tuono would be the less committed version of the RS 457 and these changes effectively widen the audience who would be keen. Most of the things such as the engine which is the 457cc Parallel Twin Engine with 47hp. The suspension is the USD Forks in the front and adjustable monoshock at the rear. Other things will carry over from the RS 457 such as the TFT Display, Traction Control, Dual Channel ABS as well as riding modes. We recommend keeping your eyes peeled for this bike at the India Bike Week for a closer look!
The “Heros” Of EICMA
Hero Motor Corp was also creating a lot of excitement as they launched a variety of bikes and here are our personal favourites! First up it was the introduction of the Xpulse 210 which will be powered by a 210cc liquid-cooled engine which will produce 24.6hp and 20.7Nm of torque. It is only marginally lower than the Karizma XMR 210 at 25.5hp and 20.4Nm of torque. The silhouette is a typical ADV design thanks to the raised beak fender, gaitered fork, as well a long single-piece seat which houses a slick profile! The long travel telescopic forks allow for 210mm travel at the front, and the monoshock suspension allows for 205mm in the rear. The presence of a 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels setup may be difficult to maintain but looks the best! In terms of safety, the dual-channel ABS will surely help avoid a lot of accidents and give much-needed relief to the rider. You also get switchable ABS to cater to your offroading credentials and controlled slipping and sliding! The Xpulse 210 is offered with a TFT Display which will display all the necessary information.
There was also the introduction of the 250cc bikes in the form of Karizma XMR 250 and Xtreme 250R. Both can be considered sisters as the Karizma has the fairing and the Xtreme does not. The engine will produce 30hp and 25Nm of torque. The 250cc engines will also come with the much-requested USD Fork suspension in the front which makes the two of them a better competitor. The trellis frame is supported by 43mm forks at the front and a mono shock setup at the rear. Both the bikes will get alloy wheels and petal discs at the rear. As a Karizma owner, it is finally great to see the new generation of the Karizma compete with the best and continue its legacy as a good sportsbike. In terms of features, there will be the availability of LCD Display and a possibility of switchable ABS modes to suit each rider as well as height adjustable clip-ons.
There was also the Hero Mavrick 440’s updated version but we were interested in having a look at the Xpulse 421 Concept. Unlike the Xpulse 210 which has a dual sport design, the 421 concept has a design inspired by the Dakar Rally bikes. The powertrain is a 420cc single-cylinder engine which may produce 45hp and a trellis-frame housing USD forks in the front and monoshock at the back!
The EICMA 2024 has created a lot of buzz around the potential bikes that could be launched in India. However, it is important to take things with a pinch of salt. Brands often use motor shows like these to create hype but not deliver due to unfeasibility and factors “too complicated for our understanding”. We eagerly await the prospective launches as they will add all the ingredients missing in the brand’s current lineup. We would love to get behind the seat of the respective machines too!
