It was only recently that Kinetic-owned Motoroyale acquired the Hyosung brand in India. And now, the brand is planning to launch FB Mondial in our market around mid-September. Motoroyale plans to kickstart FB Mondial’s India innings with the launch of a scrambler-style, single-cylinder motorcycle - the HPS 300. But before we get to know the motorcycle, let’s take a look at what FB Mondial is all about.
FB Mondial is a lesser known Italian motorcycle manufacturer, which was brought back to life once again in 2014. It was founded in 1929 by the Boselli brothers. The initials FB stand for ‘Fratelli Boselli’, where Boselli means brothers. Between 1949 and 1957, FB Mondial won the legendary Isle of Man TT thrice, and also registered five more manufacturer and rider victories.
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However, in 1957, FB Mondial quit racing, which proved to be a major setback to its popularity and in turn its sales. Later, due to financial constraints FB finally pulled down its shutter in 1979.
The brand was then resurrected by Italian businessman Roberto Ziletti in 1999, post which the Mondial Piega 1000 superbike was launched. But then again, due to monetary issues, the brand met the same fate, before being resurrected, for the third time, by Pier Luigi Boselli and Cesare Galli in 2014. This time around, the owners are focusing more on the development of low-displacement motorcycles.
The first motorcycle to be rolled out of the plant was the HPS 125. The company also unveiled a larger displacement HPS 300, which is all set to arrive on Indian shores, courtesy Kinetic.
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The HPS 300’s styling is a sweet blend of cafe racer and scrambler looks. It’s powered by a Piaggio-sourced 249cc, liquid-cooled motor. The single-cylinder, fuel-injected engine produces 25.3PS of power and 22Nm of peak torque, mated to a 6-speed gearbox.
Suspension duties are taken care of by a 41mm USD fork at the front and dual shock absorbers at the rear. Braking is handled by a 280mm single disc up front and a 220mm rear disc brake, with ABS as standard.
Staying true to the Scrambler design, the FB Mondial HPS 300 gets spoke wheels shod with a 110/90-18 tyre up front and a 130/70-17 rear tyre. The rider seat height stands at 785mm, while the motorcycle tips the scale at 135kg (dry).
Since the HPS 300 will make it to India via the CKD route, expect it to be priced in the Rs 3 lakh range. At this price point, it will compete against the BMW G 310 R, KTM 390 Duke and the soon-to-be launched Cleveland Misfit.
Apart from the HPS 300, the Italian brand is also planning to bring in a streetfighter, cafe racer and supersport models with larger displacement engines to Indian shores, but that's still a few years away.
Source: zigwheels.com
