Kawasaki Versys-X 300 set to challenge Royal Enfield Himalayan: Adventure bike may be launched soon

Adventure biking segment, consisting of dual-purpose bikes, is not very popular in India. The segment is still in its early stages, and the most affordable offering is the Royal Enfield Himayalan. However, Kawasaki is reportedly set to challenge the domination.

The Japanese two-wheeler maker already sells bigger-capacity adventure bikes, like the Versys 1000 and the Versys 650.

A report in MotorOctane now claims the range will get expanded soon with the launch of the Versys-X 300. The publication claims India Kawasaki Motor will launch the bike in India soon -- by early 2018.

The Versys-X 300 was unveiled at the EICMA show in 2016. The motorcycle will boast off-road -friendly bits such as long travel suspension and a commendably low seat height. A new front fairing with a single headlamp instead of the twins on the other Versys bikes, a tall windscreen and a ground clearance of about 170mm are the other notable attributes of the Versys-X 300.

The motorcycle will be powered by a parallel twin-cylinder 296cc mill that already powers the smaller Ninja and Z models. Royal Enfield Himalayan, on the other hand, comes with a single-cylinder engine.

The Versys-X 300 mill is expected to churn out around 38bhp of power, instead of 39bhp of the Ninja 300. The torque is expected to be around 29Nm. It will be mated to six-speed transmission.

Kawasaki Versys-X 300 will 41mm telescopic suspension at the front and mono shock at the back. ABS will be a standard fitment on the bike. In addition, it will come with disc brakes on both wheels, the brake assist feature and also a slipper clutch.

India Kawasaki Motor is expected to offer the Versys-X 300 in two variants. The Versys-X 300 Urban will get a tank pad, grip guards, a centre stand and a 30-litre box, while the Versys-X 300 Adventure will get a tank pad, tubular engine guard, a centre stand and 17-litre panniers on either side.