Suzuki Motorcycles’ stand in Hall No. 2 at the Auto Expo 2018 is set to have 17 two-wheelers on display. This line-up will include the upcoming Burgman Street scooter, new CKD motorcycles, the company’s Indian line-up, dirt bikes and the GSX-RR –Suzuki’s Ecstar MotoGP race bike.
The Japanese brand has said that the Auto Expo will also pave the way to fulfil its commitment of delivering two new products for the Indian market every year. We expect one of these products to be the new Burgman Street, a premium scooter Suzuki has developed for India. Engine details are unclear at the moment and the Burgman Street could share the 125cc motor from the Access 125. However, there is also a possibility that it could feature a new 150cc engine developed specifically for the application. Currently, the only other 150cc scooters on sale are the Aprilia SR150 and the Vespa 150.
We expect the second product to be a CKD motorcycle. It is likely that this bike will be Suzuki’s first sub-1,000cc big bike offering in India, and it could be either the V-Strom 650 adventure bike or the GSX-S750 naked sports bike. The V-Strom 650 uses a 645cc V-twin motor that produces 71hp while the GSX-S750 gets a powerful 749cc, inline, four-cylinder engine that produces 114hp. In terms of pricing, the V-Strom may be priced slightly higher than the Kawasaki Versys 650. But if it’s the Suzuki GSX-S750 that’s launching, it could be priced on-par or may even undercut Kawasaki’s well-priced Z900, while offering similar performance. The Suzuki also offers traction control, which the Z900 misses out on. Both bikes are expected to be displayed, with one launching at the Expo and one later in the year.
Besides the company’s Indian offerings and the previously-mentioned Ecstar Moto GP race bike, Suzuki will also have the GSX-RR, the Gixxer Cup racing model, various motocross variants, the 2018 Suzuki RM-Z450, the 2018 RM-Z250 and 2018 DR-Z70 will also be on display.
Azaman Chothia
Vishal Venugopal
