The month of June is already underway and it's shaping up to be quite a packed month with a launch to suit a wide variety of motorcyclists. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you can expect.
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom, Delhi.
Hero Passion Plus
It seems like Hero is gearing up to face Honda all guns blazing, with the challenge that its newly launched Shine 100 will pose to it in the highly lucrative 100cc motorcycle segment, with the re-introduction of the Passion Plus.
Back in the day, the Passion Plus was a model based on the same platform as the Splendor and the HF models, as is this returning 2023 model. The Passion Plus appears to use the same 97cc ‘Sloper’ engine as the Splendor and HF, and this mill has been updated to meet the new OBD-2 norms and be compliant with E20 fuel (as can be seen from the sticker on the tank). The current Hero HF and Splendor bikes are priced between Rs 56,968-Rs 76,346 (ex-showroom, Delhi), and we expect the Passion Plus to be positioned somewhere in that bracket when it is launched.
Honda Dio H-Smart
Honda first introduced the H-Smart technology in its bestselling Activa, with the Activa 125 getting it soon after. And a few days prior, we were the first to report that the sporty Dio is soon to follow in those footsteps as well. Much like it did to the Activa duo, the H-Smart variant will bring keyless functionality and alloy wheels to the Dio. There are no changes mechanically and the Dio will continue to be powered by the same air-cooled, 109cc, single-cylinder engine that's good for 7.8hp and 9Nm.
Currently, the Honda Dio is priced at Rs 68,625 for the standard variant and Rs 72,626 for the DLX. The H-Smart variant will command a small premium over the DLX as it does on the other two Honda scooters. When it does launch, the Dio H-Smart will be the most affordable ICE scooter available with keyless functionality.
Updated Hero Xtreme 160R
The current generation of the Hero Xtreme 160R has been around for quite some time without any significant updates and to keep it fresh, the manufacturer will be updating it soon. We have already seen a test mule of the bike being tested with a USD fork and this will quite likely make it onto the production-spec bike. There are also rumours floating around that the bike will get a Bluetooth-compatible digital dash but that remains to be seen. With a launch date in mid-June, we don’t have long to wait to see what the updated Xtreme 160R brings to the table.
Hero Xtreme 200S 4V
The Xtreme 200 is currently the only model in Hero’s 200cc range to use the old 2-valve 200cc engine but all that is soon to change, with a production-spec Xtreme 200S 4V spied just a little over a month ago. The current Xtreme 200S is priced at Rs 1,35,360 and with this update, expect prices to go up.
KTM 200 Duke with LED headlight
Technology continues to trickle down KTM's line-up in India, with the 200 Duke now all set to receive the LED headlight that was previously offered only on the larger 250 and 390 Dukes. This new version equipped with the LED headlight will be priced at Rs 1.97 lakh (ex-showroom). For those who don’t value the brighter headlight, you won’t be forced to pay the premium for it – KTM will also keep the current 200 Duke on sale, with the halogen headlight. Prices for this version will remain pretty much the same, at Rs 1.93 lakh (ex-showroom), making it Rs 4,000 more affordable than the LED headlight variant.
The month of June will also see the global unveiling of the highly anticipated 400cc Bajaj-Triumph motorcycles and we should see the launch of the updated Street Triple lineup a month or two later in India.
There’s also the Yamaha R3 and MT-03 that had been shown to dealers over a month ago with unofficial bookings even being commenced by select dealers. However, since then there’s been no official communication from the company and it remains to be seen when these two models make it to India in June 2023.
Which of these new two-wheelers are you most excited about? Let us know in the comments section below.