FB Mondial HPS 300 Launched In India

Kinetic-owned Motoroyale has introduced the Italian motorcycle brand FB Mondial in India. And the first product the brand has launched in the country is the HPS 300. Priced at Rs 3.37 lakh, (ex-showroom pan-India), the motorcycle is currently the most affordable scrambler here.

FB Mondial was founded in 1936 and has a rich history of racing in the 50’s. However, due to financial problems, the brand had to be shut down after 1957. It was then resurrected in 2014, when it launched two small-capacity motorcycles, the Hipster 125 and Hipster 250. These two bikes are sold only in Europe, whereas the HPS 300 will be assembled and sold in India.

Design-wise, the HPS 300 looks quite minimalistic. The sleek fuel tank goes well with the beefy full-length bellypan, which adds symmetry at the bottom. At the rear, the skeletal tyre hugger, covering the chunky tyre with spoke wheels, nicely complements the off-road-friendly character of the motorcycle. The stubby tail section rounds off the design at the rear. The motorcycle sports a halogen headlamp, LED taillamp and indicators, and a circular digital instrument cluster.

Powering this scrambler is a 249cc DOHC single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine. It generates 25.1PS at 9000rpm and 22Nm at 7000rpm, working in conjunction with a 6-speed transmission. FB Mondial offers dual-channel ABS with the 280mm front and 220mm rear discs. Suspension duties are handled by 41mm inverted front forks and twin gas-charged shock absorbers at the rear.

Despite its premium pricing, the HPS 300 is the only model in the affordable scrambler segment as of now. However, in the price bracket, it goes up against the BMW G 310 R.