The Auto Expo 2014 has just begun, but we bikers are already on cloud nine with orgasmic pleasure. There has been a host of awesome launches in a very short space of time. Here are 11 bikes that you should look out for in the future:

1. Harley Davidson Street 750 – 4.1 lacs

This has to be like a dream come true for all the hog lovers out there. The cheapest Harley before this used to be the Iron 883, which at around 7.5lacs wasn’t really that cheap after all. The Harley Davidson Street 750 has been launched at an attractive tag of 4.1lacs ex-showroom Delhi. 

The bike looks every bit a Harley as the big ones out there, so it should add great numbers to an already substantial hog family. It will not be fastest bike out there, with 50 horses pulling at 218kgs of weight, but then Harleys have rarely been known for speed. This should be a wonderful tourer’s delight in all probability.

2. Honda CBR650F – to be launched

This is a big news for 2 reasons – first, the CBR650F will be the cheapest 4 cylinder bike in India, when it is launched. Second, it will be manufactured in India and exported overseas, so prices for us should be quite low, when they are announced.

I really love the way this bike looks, not an outright super sport, but not a naked street bike either. The 650cc inline-four engine puts out 86 horses, so speeds over 210kmph should be a piece of cake. The riding position looks fairly comfortable, so the CBR650F could become one of the best touring bikes available out here. In any case, tough competition to the Ninja 650 and Hyosung GT650R is coming, and I love competition.

3. Honda CBR500R – to be launched

Here’s another offering from Honda that could be a potential game changer – a half liter, fully-faired, CBR600RR lookalike that is priced at a bargain. The bike looks fairly substantial as far as size is concerned, but not that sleek or compelling as far as design goes.

The CBR500R sports a 471cc parallel-twin engine, that can unleash 47 horses of gallop at a little twist of the throttle. It weighs in a bit hefty at 193kgs, so top speed will be a bit limited. Another good news would be the C-ABS tech that will be given as an option – a must have feature when you are riding something this quick.

4. Bajaj Pulsar 400SS – to be launched

This came as a complete surprise at the Auto Expo! Everyone was expecting a 200SS, but what they got was a huge machine with chiseled alien looks and more oomph than they could have imagined in their wildest dreams. The Pulsar 400SS sports the same engine as a Duke 390, but gives full fairing and dual projector headlights, which will be a big boon for those long, quick rides.

The bike looks almost production ready, although it looks too good to be true. Hope to see it scorching our roads soon!

5. Bajaj Pulsar 400CS – to be launched

This was an even bigger surprise at the Auto Expo! The Pulsar 400CS looks like Bajaj’s take on the upcoming “power cruiser” segment, which boasts of heavy weights like the Ducati Diavel. A lot of discussion is going on about what the Pulsar 400CS should really be classified as – a streetfighter, a power cruiser, or a dragster. Whatever they might call it, it is one awesome machine.

The bike doesn’t look like it is just a 400SS without the fairing. The rake angle is quite forward biased, the whole look is amazingly muscular, the instrument console is out of this world and the whole package just clicks. This is one bike I will be eagerly looking forward to in 2014.

6. TVS Draken X21 – concept

TVS has been a shitty 2 wheeler manufacturer since quite a long time. All they ever did was make the Apache uglier over the years, in the name of “improvement”. Now things look like they might change for the better, after their collaboration with BMW started.

The TVS Draken X21 is a naked street bike, sporting a short stroke 250cc engine. The all white body and all aluminium frame definitely make it stand out at the Auto Expo, although the positioning of the underbelly exhaust looks really weird to me. I really don’t expect this bike to make it to production, but I am still happy that TVS is trying, even a bit.

7. Hero Hastur – concept

This bike is just nothing short of AMAZING! Hero – the manufacturer guilty and convicted of destroying the legendary Karizma over the years, has now gone totally bonkers. The Hero Hastur is a 620cc machine that is pure revolution, if nothing more.

The bike sports a 620cc paralle-twin engine, that should produce about 70 horses if the engineers have done their math right. The bike looks like it is meant for pure riding pleasure, the pillion has been completely left to rot. The super short length, the protruding rear tire, and the ghost-rider like projectors make it look weirdly alive.

I am really hoping against hope that the Hero Hastur makes it to production after this stunning debut at the Auto Expo. I don’t care if it is made 100% by Eric Buell Racing’s engineers, all I want is a bike with an Indian manufacturer, and over 600c. That will be a proud moment for us.

8. Hyosung GD250N – displayed only

The Hyosung GD250N, along with the RT125D, are two bikes by Hyosung that were displayed at the Auto Expo to gauge public response, based on which they will be launched, or not. The GD250N looks really meaty, with a 250cc single cylinder mill producing 28 horses, which should make it pretty quick.

We need more bikes in the 250cc segment, desperately. The Indian mindset needs to go above the 100cc commuter bikes, but we can’t really expect to straightaway embrace the liter class monsters out there. The maturity has to come slowly, and the Hyosung GD250N is a step in the right direction. The Hyosung GT250R is already on sale in India, so a naked version makes a lot of sense to me.

9. Hero HX250R – to be launched

This is one amazing machine, even more so than the Hero Hastur. The bike looks totally unlike anything Hero have ever made, so Eric Buell Racing is having the most positive impact, as far as I can see.

Apart from the underseat exhaust, which reminds me of a dog’s asshole, the rest of the bike is pure awesomeness. The huge wind screen, nicely crafted body and overall well proportioned looks make it my favorite of the bunch at this Auto Expo. The Hero HX250R won’t lag in the performance department either, thanks to inputs from the racing pedigree of EBR, which will help the 250cc engine push with the power of 31 horses. Add to that an amazing weight of just 139kgs, and you will be accelerating like a rocket! I have really high hopes with this bike, so don’t disappoint me Hero.

10. Hyosung Aquila 250 – 2.69 lacs

Another lovely entry into the 250cc segment at Auto Expo 2014, the Aquila 250 should make those long distance rides a whole lotta fun. With a V-twin engine, 26hp and proper cruiser styling, the Aquila 250 will be an eye-grabber for sure.

There were big speculations about the price this bike will be launched at, with estimates going from 2.2 lacs to 3.2 lacs. I personally didn’t think this bike should have been priced anywhere above 2.5, if Hyosung wanted it to be a mainstream success, something that is missing from every other bike in their portfolio. This machine can really help Hyosung get their name known across the market, but looks like they have missed again in the pricing department.

At 2.69 lacs ex-showroom Delhi, the bike will easily cross 3 lacs on road in Mumbai. Not the best news for Cruiser lovers out there.

11. Yamaha R25 – concept

This is the last one on the list, and that is because we won’t be seeing this on the roads for at least 1.5 more years. As humongous as it looks, with its huge muscular front and immaculately crafted rear, the R25 will be very late to the party.

The bike is expected to have a twin cylinder heart, and should make upwards of 35 horses, thanks to Yamaha’s MotoGP successes over the years. The styling is reminiscent of the big daddy M1, and gives it a very unique character.

But all the good things aside, the R25 will take a while to launch. I don’t know why Yamaha is taking this long, but they are making a huge mistake.

So there it is! A curation of the best bikes presented till now at the Auto Expo. All of these machines are awesome in their own right, let’s see how many we actually get to ride in the next year!

Images courtesy of Motorbeam.com, Motoroids.com and BikeAdvice.in