Searching for a great-sounding motorbike? Here are 5 bikes with a twin-cylinder engine
If you're in the category of enthusiasts who derive pleasure from the exhaust note of your motorbike, then you might find twin-cylinder bikes more interesting as compared to those with only a single cylinder. The dual pistons firing make an audible difference to the growl of the exhaust note, making it sound louder and sometimes even raspier. Besides, dual pot engines are generally much smoother revving at higher speeds, owing to their inherently balanced nature.
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Twin-cylinder bikes offer the perfect middle ground between refinement and adrenaline. Known for their smoother power delivery, throaty exhaust notes, and punchy mid-range, twin-cylinder motorcycles are gaining traction among Indian riders. Here's a curated list of five exciting twin-cylinder bikes that not only sound amazing but also bring a blend of sporty styling, everyday usability, and sheer riding fun. If you're on the lookout for an affordable twin-cylinder bike, whether you're upgrading from a single-cylinder bike or entering the world of performance motorcycles, your options are plenty. Each one caters to a slightly different type of rider, but all of them guarantee a more refined and exciting riding experience. Here are some of the most interesting options:
1 Kawasaki Ninja 650
The Kawasaki Ninja 650 is a mainstay in the middleweight sportbike segment, powered by a 649cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine that churns out 67.3 bhp and 64 Nm of torque. It features a modern TFT display, Bluetooth connectivity, LED lighting, and traction control. With an upright riding posture and light clutch, it's equally suited for city rides and highway fun. Weighing 196 kg, it sprints from 0-100 kmph in just 3.92 seconds and has a top speed of 210 kmph. The Ninja 650 is priced at ₹ 7.27 lakh (ex-showroom) in India.
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First Published Date: 14 Jun 2025, 15:00 PM IST
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Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Hindustan Times
We aim to finish No. 2 in 2025 MotoGP constructors' standings: Technical Director, Aprilia Racing
Having completed stints with Ducati and KTM in MotoGP, Fabiano Sterlacchini joined Aprilia Racing as its new Technical Director at the start of this season. The veteran has been instrumental in shaping the successes of his previous teams, and joins Aprilia as the factory-backed team looks at a more competitive year. With the championship well over the halfway mark, we caught up with Fabiano Sterlacchini to know about how the team is progressing since his arrival, and where we see the team finishing in this season's MotoGP constructors' standings. HT Auto: How's the experience been for you at Aprilia Racing so far, and what's different compared to Ducati and KTM? Fabiano: Compared to Ducati, Aprilia is quite similar. Maybe it's a matter of location and culture, and the people, and the scholastic background of the people. I would say that Aprilia is really similar to Ducati as a company. KTM was different in terms of the geographic point of view. This might seem like a silly statement, but their approach, being a company that was coming from the off-road, is quite different compared to road racing. Because clearly with road racing, you have is quite something in some ways simple for us, but probably not so obvious for all the other people. With road racing, you have the same track that is basically the same for 20 laps or 100 laps during the day, or 20 laps during the race. With the off-road, for example, every lap is a different track. Because you are modifying and destroying the track. So their approach, in terms of a statistical approach, is completely different. So I would say that basically it is an obsession to find some trend from a statistical point of view that we have in Aprilia, they had in Ducati. But in KTM it was different, it was more approach of trying and making some experiments, and seeing if the riders like it or not. I believe that in this moment, for the level of competition, we need to be more engineeriistic. Also check these Bikes Find more Bikes Aprilia RS 457 457 cc 457 cc 30 kmpl 30 kmpl ₹ 4.23 Lakhs Compare View Offers Aprilia Tuono 457 457 cc 457 cc 25.5 kmpl 25.5 kmpl ₹ 3.95 Lakhs Compare View Offers Yamaha R3 321 cc 321 cc 25 kmpl 25 kmpl ₹ 3.60 Lakhs Compare View Offers UPCOMING Honda CB500F 471.0 cc 471.0 cc 28.6 kmpl 28.6 kmpl ₹ 4.79 Lakhs Alert Me When Launched Kawasaki Ninja 300 296 cc 296 cc 30 kmpl 30 kmpl ₹ 3.43 Lakhs Compare View Offers CFMoto 650NK 649.3 cc 649.3 cc 20 kmpl 20 kmpl ₹ 4.29 Lakhs Compare View Offers Also Read : Aprilia files trademark for RSV1000 nameplate. Will it come to India? HT Auto: What changes have the bikes undergone since your arrival? What was the fundamental change from last year's bike to this year's bike? Fabiano: So it's not the main thing that we change. We try to work strongly on one of the most critical points of the bike. Because we have nobody to guide the level of performance. One is the technical performance of the bike, and the other is how much the rider, without understanding, is actually on the bike. Because the bike is sometimes unpredictable. How much margin are they keeping from the real technical performance of the bike? First of all, we try to make the bike much easier to ride for the riders, especially because these margins sometimes are quite high. So the stability at the exit and the stability in the entry are the aspects where we work the most, and we work on the side characteristics of the engine, in terms of the dynamics, for what we can change in the bike. Because the engine is sealed in terms of electronics, and what we work on the vehicle. We also changed the ergonomics. So we try to work on a lot of aspects. Nothing is completely out of what the project was at the beginning, before I arrived, but we clearly modified a lot of small things. HT Auto: Now that you're working with Jorge Martin and Marco Bezzecchi, how's that experience been? What's your take on each of these riders and how they've progressed so far in the season? Fabiano: Let me say that when I was at Ducati, for example, I never had the pleasure of working with them, because I was out of Ducati when they arrived. So I came across them the time that I started to work in Aprilia. Unfortunately, as we know the story, with Jorge, we didn't have any time to work together, because we had just had a first contact point in Barcelona. Then at Sepang (Malaysia), and then the race weekend, which was his return. So it was just to relax and try to find your limit. It's quite difficult to make any kind of judgment. On the other hand, Marco has been an outstanding surprise. Looking from the outside, he seems to be easy, in terms of social attitude, super funny, super smart. But when he starts to work, he's unbelievable. He is super committed, super focused. He's a maniac of any kind of detailing, what we can do in the bike and what we can improve in the bike. And even if we have some good performance, he'll finish the race by commenting on something that could have been done better. And this is the right approach. Marco Bezzecchi is currently placed third in the 2025 MotoGP rider standings behind Alex Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia HT Auto: And what about Lorenzo? Where do you fit him into the larger scheme of things? Fabiano: Lorenzo is a super good guy in terms of talent and speed. When we started together, when he was replacing Martin in the fifth race. He was somehow unripe, not ready to be at that stage. We worked quite a lot with him, in terms of creating the right conditions that we see, to test a lot of things during the race weekend. Because the consistency of the rider is super important to be able to analyse data, to try to understand that we can gauge the difference in terms of physical parameters. So we work with him to try to be consistent, to improve the riding style and the repeatability of his riding. But in the meantime, we tried to work on his speed. To be honest, we have been monitoring since the beginning of the season, the gap in terms of fastest lap time between who won the race and Lorenzo. We went in the beginning of the season from 2.2 seconds of gap to less than a second in the last three races. That for sure has been quite a good learning process for Lorenza. On one side, to improve his speed, and on the other side, to try to dive into the problem. One important point of the test rider is not just to let me see step out from the bike, step off from the bike, say, I have a problem. But at a test on Friday, you have to describe the solution that you tested, which is a good point. If there is some interesting potential thing that we have to explore, or how we can compensate and help the rider to take the benefit of the solution. 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I believe that trying to finish third is not impossible. It's much more realistic to finish between fourth and fifth, rather than third, but third is not impossible. HT Auto: How do you see the concessions affecting the team going forward? Fabiano: With the points over the last race, we were probably closing the chapter now. Now it's still open, but we are speaking, if I'm not wrong, about 10 receiver points. So I think that probably here we could close the story without taking into consideration moving to Rank D. But in any case, if we have this opportunity, obviously, something that we will exploit for the next one. We jump from in Rank C to D, is basically due to the last six months. So in case we have the next three points at the end of the season, I believe that if we move to rank D, we can maintain it till the middle of 2026. Aprilia is looking to conclude the 2025 MotoGP season in the top three in the riders' standings and in second place in the constructors' championship HT Auto: How's the preparation going for the new regulations coming in from 2027? Fabiano: We've started to walk in parallel because it's a completely different project in terms of engine and everything around. We have a new engine because regulations are quite different. We have a new tyre, we have a new fuel. So basically, we have everything new. We start the job fixing some milestones of the project, some characteristics and specifications. It starts with changing, not because it's the most important thing, but because it's part of the project with a longer time in terms of period, basically weeks. So now the engineering is everything done in terms of designing the component. And basically, we suppose that arriving at the end of the season, we have some engine test, and then at the beginning of 2026, we keep working on the new project in parallel with the 2026 season. At a certain time, we will have to stop work on the 2026 season and focus on 2027 completely. Check out Upcoming Bikes In India. First Published Date:
New Indian Express
01-08-2025
- New Indian Express
Rahil Pillarisetty grabs pole position with a stunning lap
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Hindustan Times
18-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Keeway RR 300 vs rivals: Here's how the new sportbike stacks up against RC 390, RR 310
The Keeway RR 300 competes in the small-capacity sportbike segment with the likes of the TVS Apache RR 310, BMW G 310 RR, and the KTM RC 390. Check Offers The Keeway RR 300 has just been launched in India and the 300 cc fully-faired sportbike is available at an ex-showroom price tag of ₹ 1.99 lakh (ex-showroom). It is the latest contender within the premium small-capacity sportbike segment and goes up against rivals such as the KTM RC 390, TVS Apache RR 310, and the BMW G 310 RR. If you are interested in this segment and are eyeing the RR 300, here is a detailed breakdown of how it fares against its rivals. Keeway RR 300 vs KTM RC 390 vs TVS Apache RR 310 vs BMW G 310 RR: Price The Keeway RR 300 undercuts its rivals with an introductory price of ₹ 1.99 lakh, making it the most affordable in this list. The TVS Apache RR 310 comes next, starting from ₹ 2.77 lakh. Priced at ₹ 3.22 lakh, the KTM RC 390 offers the highest feature-to-performance balance, while the BMW G 310 RR is positioned at ₹ 3.05 lakh (ex-showroom), offering similar underpinnings to the Apache but with BMW branding and minor design tweaks. All prices mentioned are the ex-showroom rates in Delhi. Keeway RR 300 vs Rivals: Performance The KTM RC 390 leads in performance figures, with its 373.27 cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder making 42.9 bhp and 37 Nm of torque All four bikes use single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engines paired with six-speed gearboxes. The RC 390 leads the pack in outright performance with 42.9 bhp and 37 Nm from its 373 cc motor, followed by the Apache RR 310 and BMW G 310 RR with their 312.2 cc units. The RR 310 makes 37 bhp of max power and 29 Nm of peak torque, while the G310 RR is tuned for 34 bhp and 27.3 Nm of peak torque. The Keeway makes 27.5 bhp and 25 Nm from its 292 cc motor, and it also features a slipper clutch for smoother downshifts. The KTM remains the most powerful and track-focused of the lot, while the BMW G 310 RR and Apache RR 310 balance daily usability with decent top-end performance. Also Read : 2025 TVS Apache RTR 310: 5 key highlights of the updated streetfighter Keeway RR 300 vs Rivals: Chassis and Hardware All four motorcycles are underpinned by trellis or steel tube-type frames. The KTM RC 390 uses a steel trellis frame with a bolt-on subframe. Suspension duties are handled by WP Apex USD front forks and a monoshock at the rear, with preload adjustability at both ends. The Apache RR 310 has a trellis frame with a cast subframe and offers preload adjustment for the rear monoshock. The TVS BTO program offers you the option of kitting the bike out with fully-adjustable front suspension. The BMW G 310 RR shares the same frame and suspension setup as the Apache, but lacks the option for front-end adjustability. The Keeway RR 300 employs a bassinet-type trellis frame held up by USD front forks and a preload-adjustable rear monoshock. In terms of braking, all bikes feature a front and rear disc setup with dual-channel ABS. The KTM RC 390 uses a 320 mm front disc and a 230 mm rear disc. The TVS and BMW models use slightly smaller discs but remain effective for road use. Tyre sizes across the board are similar, with the BMW and TVS using Michelin Pilot Street radials sized at 110/70 front and 150/60 rear. The Keeway also uses 17-inch wheels with its rear tyre sized at 140/60. Also Read : Norton Motorcycles teases debut model, to be showcased on November 4 Keeway RR 300 vs Rivals: Features The 2024 TVS Apache RR 310 is available with new paint schemes, aero winglets, a bi-directional quickshifter, and more The RR 300 offers a TFT display, LED lighting, a slipper clutch, and dual-channel ABS, covering the essentials at its price point. However, it lacks the advanced electronics seen on its rivals. The KTM RC 390 includes a TFT console with smartphone connectivity, traction control, cornering ABS, and a bi-directional quickshifter. The Apache RR 310 and BMW G 310 RR both offer full LED lighting, multiple riding modes (Track, Sport, Urban, Rain), and a digital display with ride analytics and telemetry. The Apache is the most feature-loaded, with additional features such as GoPro pairing and a heated seat in its top-spec. Also Watch: Is the 2024 TVS Apache RR 310 the best track-ready sportbike on a budget? Keeway RR 300 vs Rivals: Variants The Keeway RR 300 is available in a single variant with three colour options. The Apache RR 310 comes in two variants but is quite customisable via the BTO platform, allowing buyers to add features such as the adjustable front suspension. The RC 390 is sold in a single fully loaded spec with two colour options. The BMW G 310 RR is available in two variants set apart by cosmetic features and elements. The Keeway RR 300 makes a strong case as a beginner-friendly faired sportbike, but the RC 390 and Apache RR 310 stand out for buyers prioritising outright performance and a premium tech suite. The G 310 RR delivers a nearly identical experience to the Apache with BMW's brand appeal and cosmetic tweaks. Check out Upcoming Bikes In India. First Published Date: 18 Jul 2025, 17:00 pm IST
