The Stars of EICMA

We’re back at the greatest motorcycle show in the world for a preview of next year’s models, as well as a healthy helping of concept bikes. Here are some of the stars

- Anosh Khumbatta

Hero

Xtreme 1.R Concept

Hero MotoCorp’s massive stand at EICMA 2019 had all of the current models that are sold in 40 countries on display; however, centre-stage was the Xtreme 1.R Concept motorcycle. This striking bike is a demonstration of the direction that Hero wish to take with future Xtreme models. However, being a concept, we do expect the production version to be somewhat toned down.

The aggressive design is highlighted by that frowning face, floating seat unit, and upturned tail section, with a rear-view camera peeking out from just above the taillamp. We don’t expect the beefy USD fork, Nissin brakes, stubby Arrow exhaust or the slick tyres to make it to the production version, but it’s nice to see what Hero are capable of conceiving.

Although the company hasn’t released any technical details, we expect the oil-cooled single to displace 160 to 180 cc when it makes it to production.

XPulse Rally Kit

For all the XPulse 200 riders out there, Hero have been working on a rally kit to give the machine even more off-road capability. Taller, adjustable suspension units at both ends add 55 mm of ground clearance, while the flatter seat and bar-risers are more in tune with standing up on the pegs when riding off road. The kit also includes an extended gear-lever, designed to work with bulky off-road boots, reworked sprocketing for shorter final gearing to unlock immediate grunt at low revs, and knobby Maxxis rubber to find grip on loose surfaces. The rally kit should be available at your local Hero dealer early next year and we expect pricing in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 70,000. Unfortunately, the pictured carbon-fibre-tipped Akrapovic is not included.

Aprilia

RS 660 & Tuono 660