It was largely anticipated that Royal Enfield would soon bring ABS (anti-lock braking system) to its range of motorcycles after the launch of its first ABS-equipped Classic Signals 350. On the heels of yesterday’s launch event, a new report has surfaced confirming that Royal Enfield’s 500cc range and the Himalayan will be getting ABS next month.
Rudratej Singh, President of Royal Enfield, speaking to NDTV car and bike, said, “From next month onwards, you’ll start seeing it [ABS] on the Himalayan and on the 500 cc range.” This will surely excite Royal Enfield fans out there who have been yearning for the added safety feature. Moreover, from April 2019, all motorcycles which are more than or equal to 125cc, are required to be fixed with ABS, by law.
However, there is no clarity on whether RE plans to equip ABS on its range as standard or as an optional feature, the latter which is a common practice among bike manufacturers here in India. Also, motorcycles that sport a drum brake at the rear, such as the Bullet 500, might get single-channel ABS. That apart, no other mechanical changes are expected on the range of RE motorcycles.
With the inclusion of ABS, a premium of Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 15,000 over current prices is expected. On the other hand, introducing single-channel ABS might lead to an increase in prices by Rs. 7,000 or so. The Classic Signals 350, which was launched yesterday, is equipped with dual-channel ABS and it comes at a premium of Rs. 15,000 over the standard Classic 350 model.
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