Without a doubt, it is a good time to be a superbike aficionado in India. 2017 is about to draw to a close and we have seen some brilliant high capacity bikes being launched in India. One of the highlights of the year was BMW Motorrad officially starting its operations in India, which meant that Indian Superbike riders could finally get their hands on a Beemer too. Apart from BMW Motorrad launching its range in India, the usual suspects such as Triumph and Ducati too launched exciting products such as the new-gen Street Triple and the SuperSport. Harley-Davidson, on the other hand, launched its new 2018 range of Softail motorcycles. In all, it was a great year for superbikes in India and we too had a great time bringing you news and reviews of all these bikes.
Also Read: Top 5 Premium Bikes Of The Year
(Triumph Street Triple RS Review)One of the most anticipated launches of the year, the new-generation Street Triple proved to be hit for Triumph Motorcycles. In a smart move, the company first launched the base model of the bike, which is the Street Triple S and followed up with the launch of the top-spec Street Triple RS. The Street Triple is one of the highest selling Triumph bikes in India. With a comprehensive electronics suite and a powerful engine, the Street Triple RS makes its case for one of the best superbikes to be launched in India this year. Oh! And it also won NDTV's Sportbike of the year award as well.
Also Read: Triumph Street Triple RS Review
(The Ducati SuperSport S looks drop-dead gorgeous, from all angles)The Ducati SuperSport made its India debut last year and was one of the new launches from the Italian company in addition to the Monster 797, Multistrada 950 and the Scrambler Desert Sled. The SuperSport is one of the best-looking motorcycles to have launched this year too. The Ducati SuperSport offers the performance of a sportbike and the practicality of a sport tourer, which makes it a proper value for money buy.
Also Read: Ducati SuperSport S Review
(Honda Africa Twin)Honda finally launched the Africa Twin in India almost a year later after it was launched in international markets and it was worth the wait. The Africa Twin is a proper adventure motorcycle and is purpose-built to make light work of riding on tough terrains. In fact, it won our Adventure Motorcycle of the year award too. Our first ride of the Africa Twin also had us quite impressed as well. Its popularity could be gauged by the fact that the first 50 units that had come to India for sale were already sold in the first couple of months since the launch.
Also Read: Honda Africa Twin Review
(Kawasaki Z900)It would not be wrong to say that Kawasaki hit it out of the park with the launch of the Z900, which is a proper hooligan to say the least. Mad, mental power and only ABS in the name of electronics make this bike so desirable. Adding to the desirability quotient is the competitive pricing as well. The Z900 does everything right and fits the bills for a seasoned biker looking for a budget buy. The sheer madness that this bike brings along is enough for it to be on our wishlist.
Also Read: Kawasaki Z900 Review
(2017 BMW S 1000 RR)BMW Motorrad entered India with its complete repertoire which also included the S 1000 RR, the only track focussed bike on this list. With blistering power, long list of electronics and those lovely asymmetrical headlamps (We love those) the S 1000 RR easily makes it to our list of top 10 superbike launches of 2017.
(2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Bob)Harley-Davidson launched its 2018 range of Softail bikes in India and the bike which caught our fancy the most was the 2018 Fat Bob. Its post-apocalyptic styling, the rectangular LED headlamp and the chopped fenders is something that Mad Max wouldn't mind riding. The Fat Bob has an imposing presence on the road and looks muscular. In fact, it was also awarded the touring motorcycle of the year at the NDTV Awards as well.
Also Read: Harley-Davidson Launches 2018 Softail Range In India
(Indian Scout Bobber)The only launch from Indian Motorcycles this year was the Scout Bobber. It is a lovely take on the regular Bobber which takes inspiration from 1940s' post-war bobber designs. The knobbly tyres, chopped fenders, flat-track styled handlebar and the overall minimalist theme of the bike make it look drool worthy. Our esteemed two-wheeler jury members voted it to be the two-wheeler design of the year as well. Yes, it is truly good-looking!
Also Read: Indian Scout Bobber Launched In India At Rs. 12.99 Lakh
(BMW R 1200 GS)The other adventure motorcycle on our list apart from the Africa Twin is the BMW R 1200 GS. The GS is the best-selling adventure motorcycle on the planet and it finally made its way to India this year. Rock solid built, long list of features and an imposing presence makes this bike a complete package. If you are the type of person who loves to go on long motorcycle rides and cross countries/continents, the R 1200 GS is the bike to consider.
(Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled)If you are looking for a bike to ride on dirt, get some slides on and basically get your jollies from, the Scrambler Desert Sled is the one. It embodies the spirit of the Ducati Scrambler in entirety. The Scrambler Desert Sled gets the same engine as the regular Scrambler but is a lot higher and gets a different suspension setup as well. The bike gets ad dual-sport tyres which are good to ride on tarmac and dirt as well.
Also Read: Ducati Scrambler Desert Sled Review
(Suzuki GSX R1000 R)Lastly, rounding up our list of the top superbikes that were launched in 2017 is the Suzuki GSX R1000 R. Suzuki has given comprehensive updates to the 2017 GSX R1000 R and also claims that these are the lightest GSX 1000 bikes ever. The engine is all new and so is the chassis, which is now lighter. There is also a 6-axis inertial measurement unit and improved aerodynamics as well. The bike could be called all-new and as it is as mental as the previous GSX R1000 models.
Also Read: Suzuki GSX 1000 R Review
