Over the years, India has seen many motorcycles, from commuters to ones that really captured the hearts of bikers. Some left a lasting impression while some continue to do so to date, despite not being manufactured anymore. Here are 10 iconic motorcycles that India has seen.
Royal Enfield Bullet 350
To many youngsters, when someone says ‘Standard 350’ or ‘Bullet 350’, they would immediately relate to the new Enfields with the UCE engine or the upcoming Bullet 350 that is expected to launch at the end of the month. However, very few think of the older cast iron 350s with the right-side four-speed gearbox.
Although it may seem outdated today, the older 350s had a character that still remains unchallenged to many. The model was in production for many years and if maintained well, they last forever. There are many examples of these Bullet 350s that have clocked over 2 lakh kilometres.
Jawa/Yezdi
Competition was intense back in the day for the Bullet 350 and one of the primary competitors was the Jawa. During the old days, the Bullet 350 seemed complicated with its long-stroke four-stroke engine, but the Jawas and Yezdis took a more simple approach with a two-stroke engine.
These motorcycles were the base for not just the 250cc singles, but also 350cc twin-cylinder models that are a gem even today. Owners swear by the reliability of these motorcycles and the simplicity of the engines that were workable with basic tools.
Royal Enfield Fury
Many would associate Royal Enfield with the long-stroke motorcycles that we see today, however, Royal Enfield did make two-stroke motorcycles and one of the most popular ones is the Fury. The Royal Enfield Fury 175 was a licensed copy of the German Zundapp KS175.
The motorcycle was built in India with parts that were imported from Germany when Zundapp ceased production and closed its factory in 1984. The Fury had many firsts for India such as a disc brake in the front made by Brembo, a 5-speed gearbox, and a hard-chromed barrel.
Royal Enfield Bullet 500
Carrying on the legacy of the 350, Royal Enfield introduced the Bullet 500 or the ‘Standard 500’ as called amongst enthusiasts. The Bullet 500 carried over the 350’s DNA but with a larger displacement and a torquey engine that chugged along in any gear.
The Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is pretty rare, especially a good example and is highly sought after in the biking community and by Royal Enfield enthusiasts.
Yamaha RX100
The Yamaha RX100 needs no introduction and is still a popular collector’s motorcycle today. The Yamaha RX100 was built by Yamaha in Japan and sold in India by the Escorts Group in 1985 before Escorts started building the pocket rocket in India in 1990 with a few parts imported from Japan.
Over the years, the RX saw many iterations such as the RXZ and the RX135, and was a popular motorcycle on the dirt track owing to its revv-happy engine. The RX is still a popular motorcycle in India amongst the racing community.
Yamaha RD350
Some say that the ‘RD’ stands for ‘Racing Death’ while others say ‘Race Derived’ and some even ‘Rajdoot’. The truth is, it stands for nothing, and it denotes road use series of motorcycles from Yamaha. Similar to the RX100, the RD was also sold by the Escorts Group in India and quickly became popular for its performance.
The Yamaha RD350 was the first two-stroke twin-cylinder performance motorcycle and the first to feature a 6-speed gearbox in India, The following for the RD is so much that a clean example can sell for over Rs 4 lakh in India, while it still dominates the drag strip.
Suzuki Shogun
The Yamaha RX 100 was a pocket rocket, no doubt, but when it came to top speed, the Suzuki Shogun was the motorcycle. The Suzuki Shogun competed directly with the RX100 and had a slightly higher displacement advantage, giving it the top speed advantage.
The Shogun was launched in 1993 and the TV commercials were equally exciting. The Shogun’s black and red theme with a bikini fairing gave it the looks to match its performance and the RX vs Shogun war continues to date amongst enthusiasts.
Kawasaki KB100
Completing the competition is the Kawasaki KB100, which was Bajaj’s answer to the TVS-Suzuki and Yamaha-Escorts partnership in India. The KB100 was based on the KH125, a 125cc motorcycle, but detuned to 100cc owing to the engine import restrictions in India.
The KB100 was in production till 1996 and saw various variants, including a 125cc version and the KB100 RTZ ‘Delta Super Tuned’, which was the last of the ‘KB’ series in India.
Hero Honda CBZ
The Hero Honda CBZ shocked everyone in India when it was launched in 1999. The CBZ took inspiration from Honda’s larger CB series but scaled down, and was powered by Honda’s 156.8cc single-cylinder engine. The CBZ was also the first motorcycle to have a disc brake in the modern era.
The CBZ was eventually discontinued in 2005 owing to costs as many parts were imported from Japan, leading to expensive maintenance. Also, Bajaj had an answer to the CBZ.
Bajaj Pulsar
The Bajaj Pulsar took the Indian motorcycle industry up a notch by not only being more affordable than the CBZ but also by offering a front disc brake as standard and upping the displacement as well. The Bajaj Pusar’s muscular fuel tank and sweeping tail section were an instant success.
That is the same success the Pulsar rides on today as well because the Pulsar series of motorcycles is the best-seller for Bajaj and over the years, there have been many iterations, but the first version is something most bikers cherish.