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Naveen Soni looks at the coming attractions in the bike market.
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Motorcycling in India is not just a way to commute as more and more enthusiasts are becoming passionate about their two-wheelers.

Young riders now want to upgrade their regular motorcycles with more powerful and purpose-focused machines.

And that is the reason making entry-level performance bikes one of the fastest growing segments in the Indian two-wheeler market.

2016 witnessed some brilliant products in this segment -- the TVS Apache RTR 200 4V and the Royal Enfield Himalayan, getting tremendous response from Indian bikers.

Bajaj ended 2016 with a bang, launching the 400cc power cruiser, the Dominar 400, with a remarkably affordable price of Rs 1.36 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Inspired by the success of the existing products in this niche segment, more manufacturers are gearing up to introduce interesting options in the market in 2017.

And here we are with some of the best entry-level performance bikes likely to be launched in the first quarter of this year, between January and March.

Let's see whether you should hold your purchase plans for these upcoming machines or not.

Yamaha FZ-250

To be launched on January 24, the Yamaha FZ-250 has already been spotted during its test runs in the country.

Moreover, a dealer recently leaked a teaser image of the bike, giving a clearer vision of its interesting front fascia.

The aggressive design of the upcoming bike looks like a cross between the existing FZ-S FI V2.0 and the MT-03, while its mechanics seems to be based on the Brazillian-spec Fazer 250.

Powering the bike is likely to be the same 250cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that provides 20.7PS of power and 20.4Nm of torque to the Fazer 250 in Brazil.

The fuel-injected motor gets a five-speed gearbox and the company might also offer ABS as an optional extra with the bike.

Looking at the prices of existing products of the Japanese manufacturer, we can expect the upcoming Yamaha FZ-250 to be priced around Rs 1.5 lakh.

TVS Akula 310

One of the most anticipated motorcycles for 2017, the TVS Akula has been confirmed to enter the market before the end of the current financial year.

While the bike was showcased as a racing concept at the 2016 Auto Expo, its production model spotted testing seems to be a sport tourer.

Based on the BMW G 310 R, the production-spec Akula 310 will retain most of the design from its concept version, incorporating changes for a split headlamp, rear view mirrors, a pillion seat, new LED tail lamp and a comfortable riding posture.

The same 313cc, liquid-cooled single which is powering the BMW G 310 R will power the Akula too.

In the German roadster, the motor delivers 34PS of power and 28Nm of torque.

The bike will be introduced with features like USD front forks, adjustable rear monoshock, wide radial tyres, ABS (optional) and much more.

Still, the bike is likely to be introduced with a price tag similar to that of the KTM RC 200; that means under Rs 2 lakh.

Benelli Tornado 302

Borrowing its DNA from the bigger Tornado 1130, Benelli created a new everyday sportbike around its well-tuned 300cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin motor that is also used in the existing TNT 300.

Unveiled at the 2015 EICMA show in Milan, Italy, the first small capacity full-faired Benelli, christened the Tornado 302R, also arrived at the 2016 Auto Expo.

Sporting a true Italian design with the exotic Benelli sound and a decent output of 36PS, the bike also gets premium features like USD front forks, adjustable rear monoshock, dual front disc brakes, performance tyres and ABS, making it a tempting deal.

Coming to the price quotient, the Benelli Tornado 302 will get a price tag of around Rs 3.5 lakh.

Likely to be launched in January, it will challenge offerings like the Yamaha YZF-R3, KTM RC 390 and the Kawasaki Ninja 300.

BMW G 310 R

BMW has confirmed in reply to an Indian enthusiast's tweet that it will launch the G 310 R in India in spring 2017.

Already unveiled in the country at the 2016 Auto Expo, the bike looks quite promising with respect to its premium features, such as inverted forks, adjustable monoshock, meaty tyres, disc brakes, ABS, powerful engine (described with the TVS Akula 310) and most importantly, the BMW badging.

The company has already announced the price of the bike in some other markets including the US and the UK, and our analysis says the bike will be priced around Rs 1.85 lakh in India, more affordable than its biggest rival, the KTM 390 Duke.

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