It might be a famous French name , but Peugeot Motorcycles has changed hands twice in the last decade . In 2014 India ' s Mahindra and Mahindra took a controlling 51 % stake before snapping up the remaining 49 % in 2019 , and in November 2022 a
PM-01
German holding company , Mutares , took on 50 % of the equity and a controlling 80 % stake in Peugeot Motorcycles . Mahindra ' s judgement may have been that its 2016 acquisition of the BSA intellectual property gives it a more viable future-facing brand platform in motorcycle industry legacy terms . However , the Peugeot HQ remains in France , and for 2023 the company is heading off in two new directions with the introduction of its first ' adventure ' scooter , the XP400 , and the first motorcycle of the modern era to wear the Peugeot badge , the PM-01 . Launched at EICMA , there are two versions of the PM-01 , a 292 cc ' 300 ' and a 124 cc ' 125 ', but both share identical styling . The larger model is good for 29 hp at 9,000 rpm and 23 Nm of torque at 7,000 rpm , while the smaller , learner-legal machine for 14 hp at 9,500 rpm and 11 Nm at 7,500 rpm . The larger engine of the PM-01 300 pushes its weight up by 10 kg to 162 kg , while the 125 comes in at 152 kg , and both share the same 41 mm USD forks and monoshock rear suspension . There ' s no word on price or availability yet . The XP400 is Peugeot ' s first attempt at making a rugged , adventure-style scooter and comes in either wire-wheeled ' GT ' or alloy-wheeled ' Allure ' form , both using a 17-inch front and 15-inch rear - far larger than the average scooter wheel . Weighing in at 241 kg , the bikes are more suited to the urban jungle than real off-roading , though . The PM-01 and XP400 models all feature five-inch colour TFT instruments , LED lighting and ABS .
XP400
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield is enjoying a golden era , with enviable sales from a growing range of UK-engineered bikes ( and , in the case of the 650s , Wisconsin based S & S Cycle-tuned ) that play heavily on the company ' s past . The twin-cylinder 650 cc Continental GT and Interceptor models have played a key role in Enfield ' s growth and for 2023 they ' re joined by a third model based on the same engine , the Super Meteor 650 . Previewed a year ago with the SG650 bobber concept ( a bobber version of the Super Meteor , likely to be called Shotgun , is expected in the future ), the Super Meteor gets a new chassis , developed in the UK by Harris Performance , wrapped around that A2 licence-friendly , 35 kW ( 47 hp ) SOHC twin . Royal Enfield design boss , Mark Wells , said : " Our goal was to create a motorcycle that captures the very essence of British cruisers . The design language is influenced by styles of the 1950s , including our own motorcycles , but with a contemporary twist . The Super Meteor 650 is a carefree motorcycle for riding until you decide it ' s time to stop , for crossing immense , immersive landscapes , for heading towards the horizon ' s vanishing point ." As expected from Royal Enfield , the Super Meteor is likely to come in at a bargain price . That means there ' s simple suspension - 43 mm USD forks at the front , twin shocks at the rear - and hefty construction leading to a 241 kg kerb weight . Like other models
Suzuki
After nearly a decade of teases and rumours , Suzuki has finally released the first two models based on its new parallel twin engine - a 776 cc , DOHC design that ' s set to become the basis of a whole range of new models going into the future . While it was first seen with a turbo attached as the XE7 concept engine back in 2015 , itself a descendant of the Recursion turbo bike project that was revealed in 2013 , the new twin is , initially at least , normally aspirated . Appearing first in the GSX- 8S roadster and V-Strom 800DE adventure models , it makes 61k W ( 82 hp ) in the former and 62 kW ( 83 hp ) in the latter thanks to different exhaust systems , but is otherwise identical for both models . Normally , the launch of the GSX-8S and V-Strom 800DE would be a triumphant moment for Suzuki ; both bikes strike at the heart of important market segments and have impressive on-paper specifications . But in the event , their launches coincided with the unveiling of Honda ' s CB750 Hornet and XL750 Transalp - direct rivals for the two Suzukis , both offering more power and less weight and expected to cost less when they reach dealers . On numbers alone the Suzukis might trail the Honda rivals , but that ' s not the whole story . Suzuki has opted to offer high standard specification , including fully adjustable suspension on the V-Strom 800DE and standard quickshifters on both models , and - while it ' s subjective - the Suzukis are more arresting and attractive to look at than the Honda twins . Unlike the Hondas , the Suzuki GSX-8S and V-Strom
By Ben Purvis and Robin Bradley
in the range , there ' s a touch of high-tech in the standard-fit Tripper navigation system , which links to smartphones to give turn-by-turn directions , but the real appeal here is the back-to-basics simplicity , famous brand name and authentic retro appearance . Two models are coming to the market . First is the entry-level bike , with a basic pillion pad and no wind protection , and alongside it comes the Tourer , with a full-length seat and a screen as standard . Options , including luggage , will allow buyers to tailor the bikes to their own preferences , though .
GSX-8S
800DE each have their own distinct frame designs . Both are steel tube chassis allied to aluminium swingarms , but their dimensions and geometries are tailored to the bikes ' purposes . On the GSX-8S , there are KYB USD forks , nonadjustable , at the front , and a preload-adjustable KYB shock at the rear , plus Nissin radial brakes . The styling gives a clear family link to the GSX-S1000 ,
V-Strom 800DE
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26 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - DECEMBER 2022 / JANUARY 2023 www . idnmag . com