It is not every day that premium two-wheeler manufacturers enter India offering offbeat off-road motorcycles. So when Moto Vault brought in two new brands manufactured in China, heads were sure to turn. While Zontes is offering bikes belonging to the 350cc segment, Moto Morini is an Italian-origin brand that is manufactured in China and will cater to the comparatively higher 650cc segment in Indiaa. Zontes is retailed in India by Adishwar Auto Ride India which is a subsidiary of the Hyderabad-based Mahavir Group.
We got a chance to experience these motorcycles in an off-road setting in Gurugram, Haryana to see for ourselves if they’d create a fuss in the market or not.
My pick of the lot was the Moto Morini Seiemmezzo 6 ½ Scrambler and yes, although the name’s quite a mouthful, the Scrambler is quite manageable to ride. It’s quite an exciting motorcycle to rev that although might not be the most daring to go over an obstacle but will never shy away from going fast. On the other hand, the Moto Morini X-Cape 650X might not look a little too much to others but it just dwarfed me. So I was limited to appreciating its impressive hardware such as the really big screen and the adjustable suspension from the sidelines.
Earlier this month, Zontes launched its 350R streetfighter motorcycle in India at a starting price of Rs. 3.15 lakh, ex-showroom. Although introductory, the price of the Zontes 350R goes up to Rs.3.37 lakh, depending on the colour of your choice. This motorcycle competes with the popular KTM 390 Duke and the BMW G 310 R in India. As per the brand, the 350X is next and ready to serve as its sport-touring offering in India.
Moto Morini has now offered these bikes for the Indian market with prices starting at Rs. 6.89 lakh for the Seiemmezzo 6 ½ Scrambler and going up to Rs. 7.40 lakh for the flagship X-Cape 650X adventure bike!
