Bajaj Twinner Trademarked: What Could It Be

Bajaj Auto recently trademarked the name ‘Twinner’. The application was filed back in May 2020 but was entered into the trademark journal only on January 10 this year. What exactly is it, though? From the name, it is evident that it will have a parallel-twin engine, possibly based on KTM’s upcoming 490 platform. But Bajaj’s take on it may not be as straightforward, so we reckon it could be one of these three: 

A neo-retro bike?

The name ‘Twinner’ obviously hints at a twin-cylinder engine, but more precisely, the experience of riding one. It’s evident from popular neo-retro roadsters such as the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 and the Triumph Bonneville T100 / T120 range that a parallel-twin engine configuration is apt for the neo-retro genre, so this could be Bajaj’s perfect opportunity to tap into this space.

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Bajaj does not have a retro bike at the moment, so a neo-retro motorcycle with a 500cc parallel-twin engine will help the homegrown bikemaker gain a foothold in the rapidly growing mid-capacity retro segment. 

Or perhaps a bigger-engined Dominar?

KTM’s engines have always been known for performance. Hence, a sporty tourer might just be apt for this powerplant. Bajaj already offers the Dominar range in two engine guises: Bajaj Dominar 400 and the Dominar 250. The Pune-based bikemaker might just use the 500cc heart on a range-topping Dominar, likely to be called Dominar 500. The powerful highway touring-friendly motor coupled with the relatively easy-going ergonomics should make it a powerful mile-munching machine.

Or what about a scrambler?

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Another possibility is that Bajaj might use this engine to make a scrambler. According to KTM’s presentation of its upcoming bike range, the 490 platform will birth an adventure bike and two supermoto motorcycles. So, it would be prudent for Bajaj to bring forth a scrambler at a more affordable price point than the KTM 490 Adventure.

This trail-friendly motorcycle will also give the company a ticket to the mid-capacity scrambler segment, where the recently launched Yezdi Scrambler is the only motorcycle with proper trail-taming hardware. 

Expect the bikemaker to make an announcement in the coming months. Let us know what you think in the comments below. 

Images used are for representation.