Admittedly, we had fairly unexciting expectations from the Auto Expo this year, largely due to the lack of major manufacturers in attendance, especially on the two-wheeler side. Unfortunately, the expo has failed to deliver even on these already low expectations. Yes, there were a couple of surprises, like an India-specific 160cc maxi-scooter from Aprilia, but there were also a large number of motorcycles and scooters we expected but didn’t turn up. Here are all the disappointing absences from Auto Expo 2020:
Suzuki Intruder 250
The 155cc Gixxer spawned the Intruder 150 which was quite popular when first launched, and so we expected the 250cc Gixxer platform to birth an Intruder 250 as well. Our hearts were set on seeing this bike at the expo, but unfortunately it was not to be. On the plus side, Suzuki did update the Gixxer 150 to BS6 standards, meaning that its tenure in the Indian market isn’t over just yet. We still hope to see a quarter-litre cruiser from Suzuki sometime in the near future.
Aprilia GPR250
The quarter-litre segment is experiencing a resurgence of sorts recently, with multiple new products entering this displacement range in recent times. Aprilia looked set to throw its hat in the ring with the GPR250 sportsbike first seen in China last year, and we were expecting it to make an appearance at the expo. Disappointingly, the GPR was absent, but Aprilia did give us a pleasant surprise with a new maxi-scooter - the SXR160. This will also be followed by a smaller SXR125, which will borrow its engine from the SR125.
Suzuki V-Strom 250
Another product of the Suzuki 250cc platform could be a V-Strom 250. The small-displacement adventure bike segment looks set for growth in India, and the KTM 390 Adventure will be followed up by a more accessible 250 Adventure. It would benefit Suzuki greatly to be a first-mover in this segment since there is no 250cc adventure bike currently on the market. Which is why we thought we’d see at least a prototype of the V-Strom 250 at the expo, but it didn’t materialise.
Okinawa Oki100
The defining theme for Auto Expo 2020 was electrics, but even amongst the buzzers, there were some notable absences. Okinawa has been making electric scooters for a while now, but back at Auto Expo 2018 it teased us with an electric monkey-bike called the Oki100. Since then, things have gone eerily quiet, and we were hoping Okinawa would resurrect interest with a production-ready example at its stall. Sadly, we were left disappointed, but Okinawa did unveil a new electric maxi-scooter - the Cruiser.
Suzuki Burgman 150/160
With ever stricter emission norms and more mature buyers, we suspect that the next big thing in the Indian scooter market will be a shift to larger scooters, namely in the 150-160cc range. Aprilia has spearheaded this movement with the SR150 and then consolidated it with the SXR160 that has a wider appeal. We expected Suzuki to follow suit as well, with a larger version of the Burgman Street, something powered by a 150-160cc motor, but this didn’t happen. On the plus side, the 125cc Burgman Street received a BS6 update as well as a special new MotoGP colour option.
Aprilia RS 150
Another highlight at the 2018 edition of the expo was the showcase of the Aprilia RS 150. With the CBR150R off the shelves, the R15 has been enjoying unchallenged dominance in the 150cc sportsbike segment, and the RS would be the perfect bike to take the fight to Yamaha. Aprilia even claimed that it would build the motorcycle in India, but two years down the line and there’s no news about the bike. Not even a showcase at the expo. We sincerely hope the project hasn’t been abandoned and we see an RS 150 in showrooms sometime soon.
Suzuki SV650 & V-Strom 1050
Aside from the India-specific products we expected from Suzuki, we were also looking forward to the brand showcasing and launching some of its bigger bikes. While it did excite us with its MotoGP bike and the Katana, we missed the SV650 and V-Strom 1050. The latter was unveiled at EICMA last year and has already been launched in other parts of the world, but an India launch will have to wait a little longer. More worryingly, Suzuki’s litre-class GSX lineup has gone missing from its website, leading us to believe that it might see a hiatus while the bikes are internationally updated to Euro5 norms.
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