Top 5 Neo-Retro Bikes You Can Buy In India

Looking to ride the neo-retro wave that is currently sweeping India? Here are five bikes that fit the bill the best.

From sunglasses to yesteryear shows, movies and other bits of pop culture, retro is well and truly in vogue these days. Retro has permeated popular culture in India as well and the country’s two-wheeler market at the moment reflects that too. To be fair, retro bikes have always been popular in India. Just look at the number of Royal Enfields, vintage Jawas/Yezdis and classic Yamahas that still smoke the streets in India. While all those machines do hark back to old times, the same can also be said for their engine, performance and other specs. The ideal scenario then would be a modern engine and equipment housed in a latter-day interpretation of the retro design, which is what the five bikes we’ve compiled below represent. Read on to know which are the top five neo-retro bikes that you can buy in India.

Jawa

One of the most hyped launches of recent times, the Jawa is an excellently done modern iteration of a vintage bike. The brand is synonymous with retro appeal and the new Jawa retains those evocative lines while packing in thoroughly modern equipment. For instance, it is powered by a 293cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine that produces 27PS of power and 28Nm of torque while already being BSVI-compliant. It also offers a 6-speed gearbox and single-channel ABS at the front. But the coup de grace is without a doubt those gorgeous twin exhaust pipes that instantly remind you of the Jawas of yore. You can bring the Jawa home for Rs 1.64 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

Royal Enfield Interceptor

Royal Enfield has done a lot of things right with the Interceptor. For example, it is a beautiful modern-day resurrection of the Royal Enfield Interceptor that was sold between 1960 and 1970. The bike offers just the right mix of modern and retro styling bits and in fact, wouldn’t feel out of place in the ‘60s. But where Royal Enfield has truly upped the game is with the Interceptor’s underpinnings. The bike is powered by a thoroughly modern parallel-twin engine that churns out 47.6PS of power and 53Nm of torque. The 648cc engine further boasts of a counter-balancer to negate vibrations, thus making the Interceptor among the most refined motorcycles sold in India. You get all that along with dual-channel ABS at a brilliant price of Rs 2.64 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Honda CB300R

Honda entered in to this segment with the uber-cool CB300R. The baby CB300R looks like a scaled-down version of the bigger CB1000R. The compact proportions and the round LED headlamp increases its styling quotient to quite a few notches. It is powered a 286cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled DOHC engine. While the international variant produces 31.4PS, the India-spec model churns out 30.45PS of power and 27.5Nm. Suspension bits include an inverted front fork and a rear monoshock. The bike comes to a halt using petal discs on both ends working alongside an IMU-assisted dual-channel ABS. Priced at Rs 2.42 lakh (ex-showroom), the CB300R is the only neo-retro motorcycle in its 300cc segment.

Vespa VXL 125/150

Vespa is one of the pioneers of neo-retro bike design in India. The company’s products offer an excellent balance of retro design and modern equipment and performance. Look, for instance, at the Vespa VXL 125/150. Available in two engine options -- a 125cc and a 250cc mill -- the VXL is proof of how Vespa has perfected the formula of combining the vintage with the modern. The VXL’s smooth and flowing lines hark back to simpler times. However, bits like high-quality switchgear, excellent paint finish, smartphone connectivity, anti-dive front suspension and fat rubber at both ends pull you back into the present. If you are looking for a premium and stylish way of commuting around town, the VXL twins from Vespa are a no-brainer. The VXL 125 is priced Rs 74,884 while the VXL 150 is priced Rs 92,594 (both ex-showroom, Delhi).

Triumph Bonneville T100

The one that started it all. The Bonneville from Triumph set the ball rolling when it came to neo-retro bikes in India. Its premium price notwithstanding, the T100 offers plenty of bang for the buck. For example, the Rs 8.7 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) price gets you a bucketful of goodies including ride-by-wire, standard dual-channel ABS, switchable traction control, and a USB charging point, among others. The star of the show, however, is the engine. A 900cc parallel-twin liquid-cooled unit, the T100’s ultra-refined motor dishes out 55PS and 80Nm. Built like a tank, the Bonneville T100 is at home both as a highway mile-muncher and a city runabout.