2018 is here, and the previous year was witness to the launch and reveal of many motorcycles that pushed predefined boundaries in their space just by their existence. Let’s take a look at some of the most interesting motorcycles launched in 2017.
BMW HP4 RACE
This is one motorcycle that will keep appreciating in value for years to come. BMW Motorrad has wrought an advanced, super-light motorcycle that is fearsome as well as exhilarating. Clad in carbon-fiber from head to toe, the BMW HP4 RACE boasts of 215 hp at the crank, and a dry weight of 149 kg. The numbers alone are enough to have our heads spinning. Oh, and it costs just short of $92,000, can only be ridden on a racetrack, and needs a new engine every few thousand klicks.
KTM 1290 Super Adventure R
Many would say that 160 hp is too much power for a big adventure motorcycle. KTM begs to differ. With a host of sophisticated electronics to assist both the rider as well as the bike, the Super Adventure R is currently the most powerful full-size ADV money can buy. In typical KTM tradition, where other bikes tread carefully over rough terrain, the Super Adventure R (R stands for Rallye) wheelies it out. And it’s got the legacy to back up its name. With thirteen back-to-back Dakar victories to their name, KTM can easily rest on their laurels with the Super ADV. Instead, they made it even more advanced and radical for 2017.
Honda X-ADV
Honda surprised global audience way back in 2015 with a rather quirky concept. The concept entered production and was unveiled to the world in 2017 as the X-ADV. Before Honda did their thing, nobody would have imagined going off-road on a scooter, let alone one as big as the X-ADV. But Honda has managed to create a new segment with this ingenious product, one which all other manufacturers will be scrambling to enter.
KTM 300 EXC TPI
Another KTM in the list, but this is a rather important one. You see, the 2017 KTM 300 EXC is a two-stroke competition Enduro that features fuel injection for the first time ever! KTM has successfully saved the two-stroke engine from certain demise and given it new life and relevance in today’s fuel-efficiency-crazed world. TPI stands for Transfer Port Injection, and manufacturers are already waking up to new facts in the motorcycle industry, hurrying to catch up to KTM and Husqvarna.
Harley-Davidson Fat Bob
Out of an entire range of all-new Softails, the Harley-Davidson Fat Bob stands out by a mile. Never before has a Harley looked so desirable, so sporty, or so modern. The rectangular headlamp nacelle, minimalistic dash, strong body lines, fat tyres, together with the beefy dual exhausts give the Fat Bob a rugged, muscular charm that is hard to ignore. Coupled with the all-new Harley-Davidson Milwaukee Eight 114 ci (1868cc) V-Twin engine, the bike promises to be a firecracker to ride.
So there we are with five of the most amazing motorcycles the world saw come to life last year. 2018 brings with it a new wave of even more such groundbreaking motorcycles, which we’ll take a look at soon!
