Indian Motorcycle of the Year: What to look out for
The Indian Motorcycle Of The Year (IMOTY) is back and this time around, the bikes seem to want to go the retro (or neo-retro) way. How else would you explain not one or two, but five of the ten entrants (Benelli Imperiale, Honda CB300R, Triumph Street Scrambler and Speed Twin, and Jawa 42) being either a retro or retro-modern bike?
Styling conjectures apart, this year sees an eclectic bunch of Indian and European manufacturers, which has got the jury (which our editor is a part of) into quite a tizzy. The contenders for IMOTY 2020 are:
1. KTM 125 Duke
2. Yamaha MT-15
5. Suzuki Gixxer SF 250
6. Honda CB300R
7. Jawa Forty Two
Started in 2008 and sponsored by JK Tyre since its inception, the IMOTY, has been the gold standard for adjudging motorcycles, and has become both the talking point as well as a badge of honour for many a manufacturer. Additionally, for all the bikers in the know, quite a few motorcycles that you may have either lusted over (or owned) may have, quite possibly been an IMOTY winner. We’re not joking; along with being absolutely smashing motorcycles, the Yamaha YZF-R15, Kawasaki Ninja 250R, Honda CBR 250R, KTM 200 Duke (the pride and joy of our principal correspondent Abhishek) and the KTM 390 Duke (owned by yours truly), have all won the IMOTY, in 2009, ’10, ’12, ’13 and ’18 respectively.
For 2019, the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 was awarded the title. So watch this space on December 18, when the winner for 2020 will be declared.
