The FB Mondial HPS 300 modern retro motorcycle will
launch in India this month. FB Mondial is an Italian
motorcycle manufacturer that is brought in India by Kinetic Group-owned
MotoRoyale. The FB Mondial HPS 300 was first showcased at the EICMA 2017
motorcycle show in Milan, Italy. The motorcycle will be imported as CKD and
assembled at Motoroyale’s Ahmednagar facility.
The FB Mondial HPS 300 is based on the HPS 125, and
the design is a combination of a scrambler and a cafe racer. According to the
company, HPS stands for ‘Hipster’, and it is clearly evident from the design
language of the motorcycle. The HPS 125 was spied for the first time in August
2017 in Pune.
Powering the FB Mondial HPS 300 is a Piaggio-sourced
249 cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled motor. The fuel-injected engine is
capable of churning out 25 PS of maximum power at 9,000 rpm while generating a
peak torque of 22 Nm at 7,000rpm, mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The motorcycle
comes with a saddle height of 785 mm, while the bike tips the weighing scales
with a dry weight of 135 kg.
Suspension hardware on the FB Mondial HPS 300
comprises of 41mm inverted forks and twin gas-charged shock absorbers at the
back with 120 mm of wheel travel. Braking power comes from a 280 mm single disc
at the front with a 4-piston radial calliper, and a 220 mm rear disc with
single-piston floating calliper, ABS will be standard.
The motorcycle comes shod with 18- and 17-inch
wire-spoke wheels at the front and back, which wraps with 110/90 R18 and 130/70
R17 tyres at the front and rear. The FB Mondial HPS 300 could come with a price
tag of around INR 3 lakh (ex-showroom), while it will rival the upcoming
Cleveland Misfit and Husqvarna Svartpilen 401.
Considering the price segment, the bike will also
compete with the KTM 390 Duke and the BMW G 310 R. Sure, the motorcycle comes
at a premium owing to its foreign origin, but the exclusivity it offers is
matched by none.
