Image of the 2015 UM Hypersport for representation purpose only
The untapped entry level adventure tourer segment of the Indian two-wheeler industry recently saw the introduction of locally brewed Royal Enfield Himalayan. Currently, the Himalayan does not have a direct competitor but things are expected to change as it may soon have some serious competition from KTM (390 Adventure) and the rumoured BMW 300cc adventure (expected to be christened as F 310 GS). The race will soon be joined by the Chinese owned Italian motorcycle brand, Benelli, with the introduction of the TRK 502.
American two-wheeler brand, UM Motorcycles, who recently ventured into the Indian market, too is working on an adventure motorcycle which will soon make it to the subcontinent. The dual purpose motorcycle will be unveiled at the upcoming Intermot motor show in Cologne, along with several other models, on October 4, 2016. The motorcycle that will be unveiled at the 2016 Intermot will be produced for the European market in a 125cc avatar. The India spec model will be equipped with a higher displacement model. The folks at UM Motorcycles’ remained tight-lipped on the performance front but they did suggest that the displacement will be around the 300cc mark.
Also Read: UM Renegade Classic bookings to commence in March 2017, deliveries to begin in April
India’s first home brewed adventure tourer, Royal Enfield Himalayan
Given the specifications, the engine that comes closest to the aforementioned displacement is the UM Renegade’s 279.5 cc motor which delivers 24.8 hp of power at 8500 rpm and 21.8 Nm of torque at 7000 rpm.
When will it arrive? Speaking to the journalists at a conference held in Mumbai, UM India Director Rajeev Mishra and Business Development Director Juan Villegas suggested that the motorcycle should arrive on the Indian shores by 2017-18. The aim of the company is to price the dual-purpose product below the INR 2 lakh mark which would a highly competitive price tag.
We also got a glimpse of the motorcycle at the press meet and it looks… interesting. Sadly we could not get our hands on the images. We’d get them soon. Till the, let us know your views through the comments section below.