Royal Enfield has concluded the inaugural season of India’s first retro-racing championship - JK Tyre presents Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup 2021 - at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore this weekend.  

Anish Damodar Shetty from Hubli emerged as the National Cup Champion, with 64 points accumulated over four rounds, followed by Allwin Xavier with 61 points, and Anfal Akdhar with 40 points. 

The event witnessed “phenomenal response” from the two-wheeler racing community, the company said in a release.  

B. Govindarajan, Executive Director, Eicher Motors Ltd. said, “The success of the first season of the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup stands as a testimony of our efforts to bring accessible track-racing close to those budding and aspiring racers in the country. The championship aims to inculcate the competitive spirit of these riders and provide an opportunity to learn and improve their riding skills on track. The impressive performance of the close-to-stock Continental GT-R650 only goes to prove the potential of this brilliant cafe racer. In line with our efforts to nurture passion, skill and the spirit of competition, we shall also introduce track schools to provide professional training access to enthusiasts. Congratulations to the winners and I would also like to express my gratitude to every participant, crew member, and our partners who have contributed to the massive success of this season.” 

The Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup 2021, made its debut on the race track in September 2021, under the aegis of Federation of Motorsports Club of India (FMSCI). The championship racing event, conducted as part of the JK Tyre National Racing Championship 2021, was staged across four rounds. Royal Enfield has retained everything under the skin of the Continental GT 650 stock motorcycle and minimally modified the vehicle with a retro fairing, stiffer suspension, a more committed riding posture and stainless steel exhausts suited for track racing, the release said. 

The championship received entries from nearly 500 racing enthusiasts from all across the country. The selection process had participation from over 100 riders and the 18 fastest riders made it to the final grid. The track-ready Continental GT-R650, with its minimalistic, yet purpose-built modifications provided an un-intimidating, agile and spirited performance on the track. 

For the majority of the race, it was a three-way battle between Anish, Allwin and Meka Viduraj where Allwin won the final round followed by Meka Viduraj and Anish in second and third place respectively.
However, Anish Damodar Shetty continued to dominate in the first three rounds and secured the top spot, securing maximum points to win the overall championship. 

The champion, Shetty is a 27-year-old professional motorcycle racer, software engineer and a fitness enthusiast. Both Allwin and Anfal are young racers from Thrissur, Kerala. Anish was closely followed throughout the season by Allwin, a 22-year old adrenaline junkie who loves to be around motorcycles all the time. Anfal, only 21 years old, has started practicing on tracks since 2019 and has already left a big mark in his debut year in racing competitions. 

Shetty said, “Holding the first ever Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup Championship trophy is an absolute honour, in fact, it is like a dream come true. Royal Enfield has done a commendable job with the championship and especially the Continental GT-R650, which has performed beyond expectations. It was quite an adrenaline rush to compete with the selected racers on the first ever race-ready motorcycle from Royal Enfield. This first season of the Royal Enfield Continental GT Cup has further enhanced my racing skills and I am really looking forward to the next season.” (MT)

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Vietnamese automotive company VinFast has signed Letters of Intent (LoI) with its first group of over 50 e-motorcycle dealer partners in India, establishing a distribution footprint across 15 states and 34 cities. The agreement was finalised at VinFast’s manufacturing facility in Hai Phong, Vietnam, during a delegation visit by Indian retail partners.

As per the terms, VinFast and its retail partners will open showrooms in locations including Delhi NCR, Rajasthan, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha. The initial expansion target focuses on commercial centres with high two-wheeler adoption rates as part of the manufacturer's network setup.

Vo Thi Cam Tu, Managing Director of VinFast E-Scooters Overseas Market, said, "India is one of the most important markets in VinFast's global growth story, and this partnership reflects the scale of ambition we hold for the region. As we expand our presence across markets worldwide, India stands out for its scale, its growing demand for electric mobility, and the opportunity it offers to redefine mobility. This LoI signing demonstrates our long-term commitment to India, as well as our expectations and confidence in the vast scale and potential of the market."

Anurag Saxena, Chief Executive Officer of VinFast India E-Scooters, said, "Partnering with more than 50 dealer partners across 15 states and territories and 34 cities marks the beginning of our journey to bring VinFast e-motorcycles across India. Alongside, we are also building charging infrastructure and strengthening after-sales services to ensure that customers across these locations receive the support they need throughout their ownership journey."

The company entered the Indian market in 2025 with electric car manufacturing and distribution operations. The latest agreement represents VinFast's first dedicated retail network for electric two-wheelers in India, where two-wheeler registrations reached 21.41 million units in fiscal year 2025-2026, with electric models accounting for 6.54 per cent of total sales.

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, has announced pricing and opened bookings for the Honda XR300 L and Honda XR300 Rally. The announcement follows the initial unveiling of both models in July 2026 as part of the company's product expansion plans.

The XR300 L is priced at INR 183,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru, while the XR300 Rally is priced at INR 208,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru. Effective from 5 October 2026, bookings for both models have opened across the manufacturer's BigWing dealership network and online platform for a reservation amount of INR 5,000.

Both motorcycles are powered by a 293.5cc air-cooled engine equipped with an oil cooler; both variants come with torque control systems, rear suspension setups, front and rear disc brakes, switchable dual-channel ABS and an assist slipper clutch.

The XR300 L is designed for mixed city and off-road use and is offered in Extreme Red and Shasta White colour options. The XR300 Rally features bodywork designed for wind protection during long-distance riding, along with a TFT instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity.

The Rally variant is available in Extreme Red and True Black options. Both models form part of the manufacturer's domestic production initiative for local and export markets.

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Triumph Motorcycles, one of the leading premium motorcycle manufacturers, has expanded its lineup in India with the launch of the Bonneville T40, T40 Black and T4 models, with pricing starting at INR 279,999 ex-showroom, Delhi, while the latter is priced at INR 254,999 ex-showroom, Delhi.

The new models feature traditional styling elements, including a teardrop fuel tank, round headlight, twin rear shock absorbers and spoked wheels with aluminium rims. The motorcycles are available in two-tone schemes with hand-painted coach lining and peashooter silencers. The bikes offer an accessible ergonomic setup, featuring a low seat height that can be reduced to 770 millimetres with an accessory seat.

All three variants are powered by a 350cc iteration of Triumph's TR Series engine. The engine produces 29 PS of power at 7,000 rpm and 31 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm, tuned to deliver low-end torque and a distinct exhaust note.

The T40 and T40 Black feature a four-inch circular TFT instrument display with smartphone connectivity, including map navigation, phone and music controls. The models also come equipped with five ride modes, cruise control, cornering ABS and cornering traction control. The Bonneville T4 includes a colour LCD with turn-by-turn navigation, selectable ride modes, and dual-channel ABS.

Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer, Triumph Motorcycles, said, “The Bonneville is one of the most significant motorcycles in Triumph's history, so introducing a new model carrying that name comes with a responsibility to get it right. From the outset, our ambition was not simply to create a smaller Bonneville, but to create a motorcycle that delivers the style, character and ownership experience riders expect from a genuine Bonneville. Bringing that experience to more riders is strategically important for Triumph, particularly as lower-capacity motorcycle categories continue to grow around the world."

"Working closely with Bajaj, we challenged ourselves to retain the details and qualities that make a Bonneville special, from the proportions and finish to traditional touches such as hand-painted coach lining, while also introducing a level of technology and rider-focused innovation not previously seen in this category. The result is a motorcycle that stays true to the values that have defined the Bonneville for generations while opening the experience to even more riders.” Sargent added.

The company has begun online bookings for the motorcycles starting 7 October 2026. Deliveries for the Bonneville T40 and T40 Black are scheduled to begin in the second week of November 2026, while deliveries for the Bonneville T4 will commence in the second week of January 2027.

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Aprilia India has launched its SXR GT scooter lineup, introducing the SXR GT 125 hp-e and SXR GT 175 hp-e models to expand its product offerings in the country. The SXR GT 125 hp-e is priced at an introductory rate of INR 109,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e is priced at INR 129,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra.

The scooters are powered by air-cooled single-cylinder engines. The 124.45 cc engine produces 7.8 kW of power at 7,400 rpm and 10.4 Nm of torque at 6,200 rpm, while the 174.7 cc engine delivers 9.76 kW at 7,200 rpm and 14.14 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm.

Both scooters feature three valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection, electric starting, and compliance with BSVI OBD II Stage B regulations and E20 fuel blends. The chassis setup incorporates 14-inch wheels fitted to both models.

Suspension is handled by telescopic front forks and a dual-effect hydraulic shock absorber with five-position adjustability at the rear. Braking relies on a 220 mm front disc brake paired with a 140 mm rear drum brake, with the 125 cc variant utilising a combined braking system and the 175 cc variant employing an anti-lock braking system.

The SXR GT 125 hp-e is available in Matte Black, Glossy Azzurro, and Glossy White colour finishes, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e comes in Metallic Blue, Matte Black and Matte Green. Both models have gone on sale across Aprilia dealerships in India.

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