Bajaj to launch new cruiser motorcycle in 2015

Bajaj Auto will unveil a cruiser concept at the 2014 Auto Expo which will eventually be put into production in 2015. But the new cruiser will be nothing like the Avenger 220; Bajaj’s only cruiser offering in the country currently. So, the laid-back seating, the forward-set footpeg positioning as well as the high handlebar on the Avenger will instead make way for relatively more aggressive seating ergonomics. We expect the seat height to remain low, but the footpegs will move rearward and the handlebar will get flatter compared to the Avenger. We also expect the new cruiser to have way more muscular styling than the Avenger – a bigger, higher and more dominant fuel tank should be in place along with a new age headlamp design and, of course, beefier forks. We expect this new cruiser to fit the power cruiser mould than of a traditional cruiser. 

The power cruiser is a breed of motorcycle that combines the comfort of a cruiser with the performance and handling dynamics of a street bike. The traditional cruiser has forward biased foot pegs, tall handle bars to provide a comfortable riding position on the bike whereas a power cruiser has a more upright riding position along with flat and wide handle bars for a more enthusiastic riding posture.  Also the engine and chassis dynamics of the power cruiser is considerably different from that of the traditional cruiser as it manages to balance relaxed cruising with aggressive riding intent better than the latter. 

We expect all these aspects to be part of the new Bajaj cruiser motorcycle. Another highlight for this motorcycle will be styling. It will be more muscular than pretty like we mentioned above. But then, that’s exactly what a buyer looking for in a non-fared motorcycle. The new motorcycle will also most likely borrow from the Pulsar 200NS parts bin, especially the engine and gearbox, and some cycle parts as well. The 200NS is already a well sorted motorcycle dynamically and it has punchy engine in place too. Developing a whole new engine and gearbox for a motorcycle that is expected to deliver similar performance might not be a worthwhile exercise for Bajaj, and therefore adopting the 200NS engine seems the way forward. The overall chassis design will be tweaked though. The front end is bound to have higher trail figures and a lazier steering geometry compared to the NS.

Also knowing how competitive Bajaj is when it comes to pricing, the new Bajaj cruiser’s pricing should hover around the Rs 1 lakh mark. Bajaj will be closely gauging the response for its new power cruiser at the Auto Expo as the only power cruiser options in our market like the Ducati Diavel, Yamaha V-Max and Harley-Davidson V-Rod are priced exorbitantly and out of the reach of an average two-wheeler enthusiast.