Indian Bike Brands At 2018 EICMA

Before the 2019 EICMA kicks off, here’s a quick refresher of what Indian manufacturers showcased last year

EICMA could be called the Holy Grail of motorcycle-only shows. Not only you get to see some of the most beautiful concepts here, manufacturers also bring their latest toys with them. And it’s not just European or Japanese bike makers who make a splash, even Indian brands try to create a ripple in the sea of exotic machines. Just to refresh your memory before the 2019 edition, here’s the Indian contingent that brought some of the sweetest motorcycles at the previous EICMA. 

Royal Enfield (KX Concept):

Time and again, we have seen someone or the other creating their own version of what a perfect Royal Enfield would look like. But at the 2018 EICMA, RE took matters in its own hands and brought the KX concept. The one-off concept motorcycle took inspiration from the original Royal Enfield KX from 1938, one of the most powerful motorcycles of its time. Yes, even Royal Enfield has engraved in its name in the ‘Horsepower Race.’

Although the KX is a modern version of the original motorcycle, elements like the dark-green paint job, a round headlamp and a single-piece seat hark back to the old-gen KX. Royal Enfield never revealed the power and torque figures of the motorcycle, but it did announce that the KX was powered by an 838cc, V-twin, air- and oil-cooled motor! Just like the original KX, the concept version also had girder forks. Moreover, it had disc brakes at both ends, alloy wheels and a digital instrument cluster, a first for any Royal Enfield. 

Apart from showcasing the gorgeous KX, Royal Enfield also launched the 650 Twins for the European audience. 

Hero MotoCorp (XPulse 200T):

Hero’s stand at the 2018 EICMA was a treat of us desi junta, because along with the production-spec XPulse 200T, the Indian bike maker brought a couple of concepts of the 200T at the motor show.  The first in line was a flat-tracker concept. Did it had fat tyres? Yes. Wide handlebar? Check. A flat seat? Check. It even had a cool red and black paint job and a raised exhaust system! Next up was the Scrambler. Unlike other concepts at Hero’s pavilion, which were more than just a cosmetic makeover, the Scrambler concept looked too similar to the production version. The only design elements which were different were the windshield, tyres, seat and the paint job. Apart from these, the motorcycle looked pretty much the same as the stock unit. 

Although Hero is known for its commuter motorcycles, thanks to its involvement in different rally raids around the world, Hero has vast knowledge when it comes to making motorcycles that can tackle sand dunes. And at the previous year’s EICMA, Hero unveiled a concept motorcycle called the Desert. It was equipped with dual-purpose tyres, spoke wheels, a bash plate, a high-set exhaust and, of course, fat USD forks.

Lastly, the Cafe Racer. If we were to choose either one of these, then it would have to be the Cafe Racer. The minimal white paint job with red pinstripe looked quite classy and so did the golden USD forks. It had a long, flat seat and the rear section was replaced by a cowl. Powering these concept motorcycles is the same 200cc motor that belts out 18.4PS and 17Nm of torque. The chances of these concepts motorcycles heading to production is nearly zero, but now that the XPulse is on sale, would you spruce it up as one of these?