In the coming months, we could see multiple new premium motorcycles from Yamaha’s global line-up making their way to the Indian shores
Yamaha is planning to launch multiple new bikes in the 250-1000cc segment in the Indian market. We can expect premium motorcycles from the Japanese two-wheeler brand in the coming years. This was confirmed by none other than Hajime Aota himself, who is the Chairman of Yamaha India, in an interview with ET Auto. While Aota refrained from naming the exact models, he hinted that the company will introduce several higher capacity motorcycles in our market. Presently, Yamaha’s most premium bike is the recently launched R2 with a 200cc engine.
In global markets, Yamaha has a diverse portfolio of higher capacity motorcycles which includes the likes of Tenere 700, XSR900, MT-07, MT-09, R3, R7 and R9 among many others. These bikes are globally renowned for their superior performance and hence it makes great sense for the brand to bring them to the Indian shores, following the recent premiumisation trend in India.
Yamaha had already showcased the R7 and Tenere 700 at 2025 Bharat Mobility Global Expo in New Delhi. However, it did not spill the beans on the launch timeline of both these premium models. But, now going by the words of Hajime Aota, we believe that both of these high-performance motorcycles could eventually go on sale in India in the next few months.
Apart from introducing high capacity premium models, Yamaha also has elaborate plans to expand its R&D base in India. Presently, Indonesia happens to be the biggest manufacturing hub for Yamaha as it accounts for most of the export volumes. But, the company wants to make India as its largest hub for exports due to the well established supplier base and strong demand.
Aota further added that Yamaha is looking to increase the local production so that it can achieve a highly aggressive pricing for the upcoming premium motorcycles. It is not a hidden fact anymore that pricing is one of the most crucial aspects for a new two-wheeler to succeed in the Indian market. The Tenere 700 could be the brand’s flagship adventure bike in our country while going against the Royal Enfield Himalayan 750.
The global-spec Tenere 700 comes with some of the most upmarket and advanced features in the form of Lean-senstive traction control system, Slide control system, Switchable cornering ABS, Cruise control with speed limiter, YCC-T electronic throttle and power modes. It draws power from a 689cc twin-cylinder liquid-cooled engine which churns out 72 bhp and 68 Nm while coupled with a 6-speed gearbox.
