The motorcycle segment in India has been growing, and last year we saw the GST 2.0 revisions coming into effect as well. This made many motorcycles more affordable, while some other models became more expensive. This is because, after the revisions, any motorcycle below 350cc falls under the 18 percent tax slab, while anything above 350cc comes under the 40 percent slab. This made 400cc motorcycles from Bajaj, KTM, and Triumph more expensive than before. In order to address this issue, manufacturers have decided to bring down the engine capacity on a few of their models. Here is a list of five new KTM and Triumph motorcycles that are launching next month.
The first bike on this list is the Adventure 350. KTM will be downsizing this adventure motorcycle to benefit from the new tax slab. However, it should be noted that these new models will be sold alongside the existing 390s. This means customers can choose between the 390cc and 350cc models.
The bike will remain the same in terms of design, but it will be powered by a smaller engine generating around 40 bhp and 36 Nm of torque. This new model would not only be more affordable but also offer the benefits of the new GST slabs to customers.
Just like the Adventure, the naked street motorcycle from KTM, the Duke 390, will also be getting similar revisions. The engine on this motorcycle will be downsized, and just like the Adventure, the Duke will also be offered with both engine options for customers to choose from. Bajaj will monitor this move and, based on customer response, decide whether to continue or expand this strategy to other models.
Triumph launched its most affordable single-cylinder motorcycles in India a couple of years ago, and they were all using a 400cc engine until now. However, because of the new GST reforms, the brand is also expected to downsize the engine.
The Triumph Speed is the entry-level naked street motorcycle offered by the brand. It will remain the same in terms of design and dimensions. The engine, however, will be different. It won’t be a brand-new unit but a scaled-down version of the existing 400cc engine. It will generate less power and torque than the current models.
For those who wanted a more adventure-ready version of the Speed, Triumph launched the Scrambler in the market. This model was also initially offered with a 400cc engine. It will now get the 350cc engine as well. Just like the Speed, we are not expecting many changes in terms of design.
The recently launched Thruxton, which is a café racer version of the same motorcycle, will also be getting this update. It looks like Triumph may discontinue the 400cc versions to benefit from the 18 percent GST slab.
Bajaj launched the NS400 only recently. It is the most powerful and fastest Pulsar in Bajaj’s line up. Just like all other models listed above, the NS400 also faces issue because of the GST norms. In order to fix this issue, Bajaj decided to downsize the engine on the NS400. While the exact power and torque figures of the engine are not known at the moment, it is clear that they will use a revised or downsized version of the same engine that generates less power and torque. The exterior design of the bike will remain the same but the graphics and stickers might change and read 350 instead of 400.
Just like the Pulsar, Dominar range on the Bajaj line up will also see the engine downsizing. The exterior design of the the sports tourer will remain the same while the engine capacity will come down. Since all these motorcycles will use smaller engines, this will also help the brand price them more aggressively against rivals like Royal Enfield in the Indian market.
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