Sub-400cc Aprilia motorcycle launch not very soon but it is under development, confirms company’s Indian MD…
Italian automaker Piaggio launched the Vespa Racing Sixties special edition scooters. However, during the event, the company’s India MD and CEO – Diego Graffi, announced something very big for its other brand – Aprilia!
It is a known fact that Aprilia was planning to launch 150 cc motorcycles in India that were also showcased at the 2018 Auto Expo. But it is now learnt that Aprilia has shelved that project. It is because the brand felt that the Indian entry-level performance segment has changed, and people are now preferring bikes in the bigger segments.
Today, during Vespa’s launch event, Graffi confirmed that Aprilia is evaluating 300-400 cc motorcycles for India. The said bike(s) will not be any existing model, as he confirmed that it would be an all-new product built ground-up.
The development is still in nascent stages, and it will take at least two to three years before we can see the motorcycle on our roads. However, what’s notable about the bikes is that while they will be designed and engineered in Italy with inputs from Aprilia India, they are expected to be built (or at least assembled) in India. This is important if these Aprilias want to be cost effective.
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While there is no word on either the design or engine specifications, we guess that the motorcycles will come with a single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine with a displacement of around 300-350 cc.
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When launched, these bikes will take on the likes of KTM 390 siblings, BMW G310 series, Apache RR 310, Honda CB300R, etc.
-Moin Ahmed
