The New Year is already here and there are going to be a bunch of new motorcycle and scooter launches in 2019. A lot of new motorcycles to be launched in 2019 are going to be adventure tourers, and these range from entry-level 200 cc adventure bikes to the new BMW R 1250 GS bikes. And then, of course, there's the most-awaited KTM 390 Adventure as well, which will likely be launched this year. 2019 certainly seems to be the year of adventure bikes in India, and here's the list of top 5 adventure bikes we're looking forward to get our hands on this year.
The Hero XPulse will be the most affordable adventure touring motorcycle
The Hero XPulse is the entry-level adventure bike from Hero MotoCorp which will certainly make adventure touring affordable, and accessible. Based on the Hero Xtreme 200R, the Hero XPulse will have proper adventure capability, including long-travel suspension, an engine bash plate and proper dual-sport tyres. And, it is expected to come with a full-digital instrument panel, possibly with SmartPhone integration to provide satellite navigation as well. The Hero XPulse will be powered by the same 198 cc, single-cylinder, air- and oil-cooled engine which puts out 18 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 17.1 Nm of peak torque at 6,500 rpm. But the XPulse will have more features, and in our expectation, will be priced at around Rs. 1.1 -1.2 lakh (ex-showroom). At that price, the Hero XPulse will offer tremendous value, but will it be touring friendly? We can't wait to ride this one and see how capable it is for the long haul into the mountains.
Also Read: Hero XPulse 200 Concepts Explained
KTM 390 Adventure will share several of its parts with the 390 Duke
The KTM 390 Adventure is finally expected to be launched sometime in 2019, although timelines are still not clear, exactly when this adventure bike will finally be commercially launched. But an advanced prototype has already been sighted undergoing test runs in India, and in all likelihood, the 390 Adventure will be launched sometime in mid-2019. Based on the KTM 390 Duke, the 390 Adventure will have more adventure capability, so there will be longer travel suspension, different wheel sizes and a standard engine bash plate. While the 373 cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine of the 390 Duke puts out 43 bhp at 9,000 rpm and 37 Nm of peak torque at 7,000 rpm, the tuning of the 390 Adventure could be tweaked, as well as the gearing for more grunt at low- and mid-revs. The KTM 390 Adventure promises a punchy, and relatively affordable adventure bike which will be priced at around Rs. 2.75 lakh (ex-showroom). We can't wait to see how adventure capable this one is!
Also Read: What To Expect From The KTM 390 Adventure
The Benelli TRK 502 will be the first adventure tourer from the Italian brand in its second innings in India
Benelli will launch its middleweight adventure bike, the Benelli TRK 502 in 2019. It's the first launch from Benelli under new management, and the TRK 502 promises a relatively affordable adventure touring motorcycle. The TRK 502 will be powered by a 499 cc, parallel-twin engine which puts out just 47 bhp of power at 8,500 rpm and 45 Nm of peak torque at 5,000 rpm. With a kerb weight of 213 kg, the TRK 502 won't exactly be a lightweight adventure bike, but it sure promises something new in the adventure touring segment. We're waiting to lay our hands on the new Benelli TRK 502 to see exactly what it offers to adventure bike lovers in India.
Also Read: What We Know About The Benelli TRK 502
Triumph Scrambler 1200 is a cross between a modern classic and an adventure motorcycle
Triumph Motorcycles will expand its modern classic range with an all-new Scrambler in 2019. While there's an existing Street Scrambler with the 900 cc Bonneville engine, the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 offers full-blown off-road capability, with more power, better low-end grunt, long-travel suspension and five riding modes, including a dedicated Off-Road riding mode. The Bonneville "high torque" 1200 cc engine puts out 90 bhp at 7,400 rpm and 110 Nm at 3,950 rpm. We've already ridden the bike in Portugal, but we're looking forward to see how it performs in home conditions - in the Indian summer, on a long ride and some fair bit of off-road riding on our mountain trails. We just can't wait to ride the new Triumph Scrambler 1200 here in India!
Also Read: Triumph Scrambler 1200 XC First Ride Review
The BMW R 1250 GS offers more power, more torque and variable valve timing system on the engine
BMW Motorrad will be replacing its flagship adventure tourer, the BMW R 1200 GS with a new model - the BMW R 1250 GS - this year. And as the name implies, the engine gets more displacement and now gets variable valve timing. The 1,254 cc, boxer engine now makes 136 bhp at 7,750 rpm and 143 Nm at 6,250 rpm. It gets a whole new set of technology as well, including riding modes, ABS, automatic stability control, Hill Start Control and a full-colour TFT instrument panel with the BMW Motorrad Connected App offering satellite navigation, route logging and travel statistics. The flagship adventure tourer from BMW Motorrad promises more performance and more technology, and hopefully this year, we will get to ride it to see how capable this big ADV bike is!
Also Read: BMW R 1250 GS Gets New Engine, New Features
