Adventure bike enthusiast? 5 upcoming bikes worth the wait before zeroing in on Himalayan, Versys-X 300

Affordable adventure bikes segment has got significant traction in India in the past couple of years. Hero MotoCorp was the first automaker that forayed into the segment with the Impulse way back in 2011. However, being an early bird it failed to woo the audience and the company eventually discontinued Impulse in India.

For those who wish to buy an affordable adventure bike, the main two options currently are Royal Enfield Himalayan and Kawasaki Versys-X 300. The former is priced at Rs 1.70 lakh (ex-showroom) and it is powered by a 411cc oil-cooled single-cylinder mill. Kawasaki's Versys-X 300 is an expensive deal costing at Rs 4.6 lakh (ex-showroom) and it is powered by a parallel twin-cylinder 296cc mill.

However, if you are planning to buy an adventure bike and willing to wait for a while, there are at least five dual-purpose models in the line-up for launch in India.

We have compiled a list of all the newcomers. 

BMW G 310 GS

BMW Motorrad India will launch the adventure sibling of the G 310 R, the G 310 GS by the end of this month or early next month. Bookings are already open and the adventure bike is expected to be priced less than Rs 4 lakh.

BMW G 310 GS will be powered by a 313cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine that develops 33.5bhp of power at 9,500rpm and a maximum torque of 28Nm at 7,500rpm mated to a six-speed gearbox.

BMW G 310 GS borrows design cues from elder sibling BMW R 1200 GS. The new motorcycle features a newly-designed fairing, the 'GS' moniker on the fuel tank, a long-travel suspension, off-road friendly tyres and a new engine cowl.

Hero XPulse 200

The XPulse 200 will be the spiritual successor to the Impulse. The 200cc mill in the XPulse 200 will be a fuel injected unit and will develop 18.1bhp of power and 17.1Nm of torque. The motorcycle will boast off first-in-the-segment 'Turn-by-Turn' navigation which is spot on for off-roading and cross country rides. In addition, the XPulse will have full-led headlamps, protective windshields, luggage rack and knuckle guards. On the safety front, the bike will be equipped with ABS and disc brakes on both ends.

KTM 390 Adventure

KTM India has recently confirmed that it will launch the 390 Adventure, a dual-purpose based on the hugely popular 390 Duke in 2019. KTM 390 Adventure will borrow design cues from the flagship 1290 Super Adventure.

Spy shots from abroad indicate the 390 Adventure will come with the beefier swingarm and a different engine case. Since it will be based on the new 390 Duke, the adventure bike will be powered by 373.2cc, single-cylinder engine that develops 44bhp of power and 35Nm of torque. KTM may tweak the tuning for more power and better torque at low revs.

UM Motorcycles adventure bikes

Though UM Motorcycles India has not mentioned its plan to enter adventure motorcycling yet, its two adventure bikes have been spotted in India recently. The models in question are the Hypersport and the DSR II. UM Motorcycles India is expected to launch both the bikes in the upcoming festive season.

The Hypersport has a typical dual-purpose bike styling with raised mudguard, large fuel tank extensions, and small headlamp. The UM DSR II comes with wire-spoke wheels (19-inch front, 17-inch rear), a digital-analogue instrument cluster, full-LED lighting and USB charging.

Both the bikes are expected to pack a 230cc mill that also powers the UM Renegade Duty twins launched at the Auto Expo 2018. The air-cooled, single-cylinder develops 15.5bhp and peak torque of 17.7Nm mated to a five-speed gearbox.

Benelli TRK 502

Benelli's Indian arm DSK Benelli is expected to launch the TRK 502 adventure tourer anytime soon. The dual-purpose motorcycle features a twin-cylinder, four-stroke liquid-cooled 499.6cc engine with electronic injection. The mill belts out 47bhp at 8,500rpm and 45Nm torque at 4,500rpm mated to a six-speed gearbox that has a hydraulic clutch in place.

The motorcycle comes with a large fuel tank which can store 20-litres. The combination of the adjustable upside-down front fork at front and swingarm with monoshock at the rear provides suspension travel of 150mm. The TRK 502 features 230mm of ground clearance and weigh just 210 kg and both are ideal for off-road motorcycling.