The adventure or adventure tourer motorcycle segment in India has been growing over the years. There has been consistent demand for good and affordable adventure bikes, and brands are trying their best to cater to the needs of buyers. Today, we will witness the launch of not one but two motorcycles that would be loved by adventure junkies. One is the much-awaited BMW F450 GS, and the other is the updated Yezdi Scrambler. Here is what to expect from these motorcycles.
This is a much-awaited motorcycle from BMW. It will be the new entry-level twin-cylinder adventure bike from the brand. The motorcycle has been under development for quite some time, and it is developed jointly with TVS at their Hosur facility. The bike is also manufactured here in India, and we really hope this helps BMW price the bike aggressively.
The F450 GS will compete with the likes of KTM 390 Adventure, Honda NX 500, and even the Himalayan 450 in the segment. BMW has actually commenced bookings for this motorcycle officially. The motorcycle will get a design that is inspired by the bigger BMW adventure models. It gets a beak at the front with a sleek-looking headlamp, visor, and so on.
The motorcycle is already available internationally, and there are several videos of international journalists available online. The BMW F450 GS is based on a brand-new platform and comes with a new 420cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine that generates 48 bhp and 43 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
In terms of features, the motorcycle will offer a slipper clutch, bi-directional quickshifter, 19-inch wheels at the front, and 17-inch wheels at the rear. The bike will also get dual-purpose tyres, USD forks at the front, and a monoshock at the rear. It will also come with ABS, traction control, ride modes, and many more features.
BMW is expected to offer it in Basic, Exclusive, Sport, GS Trophy, and other variants. The top-end variant is expected to get the Easy Ride clutch, knobby tyres, and wired spoke rims. All other variants are expected to get alloy wheels. In terms of pricing, BMW is expected to launch the motorcycle at around the Rs 4.5–5 lakh bracket.
The Yezdi Scrambler is also getting launched in the market today. The bike has been due for an update for some time now. A scrambler, as the name suggests, is a motorcycle mainly meant to be ridden on beaten tracks or off-road sections.
The current Yezdi Scrambler weighs around 182 kg, and that is actually heavy for a bike in this segment. As part of the update, it looks like Yezdi might work extensively on reducing the overall weight of the bike. They might achieve this by stripping down a few panels or maybe even redesigning some of them, or using lightweight materials.
The headlamp on the bike will remain the same, but Yezdi might make some changes to it internally. The Scrambler might also get an updated feature list, which would help it compete with the likes of the Scram 411 from Royal Enfield. Yezdi might also introduce a new set of colours and graphics to give the bike a fresh look.
Coming to the engine, the Yezdi Scrambler will use the same Alpha 2 series 334cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that generates 28.7 bhp and 28.2 Nm of torque. It will be mated to a 6-speed gearbox and will continue to offer switchable ABS and other features. In terms of pricing, the current version starts at Rs 1.95 lakh, ex-showroom, and we are expecting similar pricing to attract buyers.
There is a possibility that at the same event, we may also see the launch of the BSA’s Scrambler 650. It is the scramber version of the regular Goldstar which is available in the market. It would come with stripped down body panels with different graphics and also revised suspension set up and exhaust.
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