Upcoming motorcycles from TVS in 2021: 125cc Fiero commuter and Zepplin R cruiser

Aditya Chatterjee Published: November 09, 2020, 11:55 AM IST

TVS Motor Company, the Indian two-wheeler major, has been in news for its 4 million sales of the Apache series globally along with its latest addition in the portfolio, the 2020 Apache RTR 200, which gets segment-first ride modes, adjustable front-rear suspension from Showa and three-way adjustable brake and clutch levers, all of which are said to upper the performance aspect of the Apache RTR 200.

2020 TVS Apache with race modes, adjustable suspension from Showa and adjustable brake and clutch levers

In addition, TVS is also readying two motorcycles that will be placed in the commuter and the premium segment. One of them is the Fiero 125 whereas the other is the Zepplin cruiser. Importantly the names of both these motorcycles have been officially registered.

TVS Fiero 125cc commuter

The TVS Fiero was one of the important models for TVS as it was conceived to rival the Hero Honda CBZ back then, a motorcycle that was an instant hit among the young enthusiasts who wanted performance from a 150cc machine. The TVS Fiero did receive a positive response in the initial phase but could not sustain its popularity over the rivals.

This motorcycle that was developed specifically for the Indian market was discontinued with the separation of TVS and Suzuki. TVS Motor Company has now registered the Fiero model name which is said to return in a 125cc avatar. While there are no additional details on this upcoming motorcycle, it is clear that TVS is eyeing the market space that is presently occupied by Honda Shine SP 125, Hero Glamour 125 and the Bajaj Pulsar 125. We expect the TVS Fiero 125 to make a debut sometime early next year.

TVS Zepplin and Zepplin R cruiser

At the 2018 Auto Expo, TVS unveiled the Zepplin power cruiser concept. From the looks of it, the Zeppelin sports a similar power cruiser styling as seen on the Bajaj Dominar 400 and Dominar 250. The concept came with vertical LED headlamp, 41mm USD and a flat tracker styled handlebar. The instrumentation had combined both digital as well as analog display showcasing the necessary trip and other details.

The features list on the TVS Zeppelin cruiser concept included Bluetooth connectivity, HD Camera and also online connectivity. The Zepplin concept was powered by an all-new 220cc single-cylinder motor. TVS had confirmed to OVERDRIVE that the motor was a running prototype and not a mock unit that has been made for the concept version. Additionally, the cruiser concept will come equipped with a smart hybrid tech along with a 1.2kW assist motor with a 48V Li-ION battery that offers 20 per cent additional torque when needed. We believe that concept that was shown was that of the Zepplin R while the base Zepplin could do with the conventional powertrain sans the hybrid tech. We believe the TVS Zepplin could appear later next year.