Waiting for new two-wheelers to be launched in India? Well, there is good news. And this is for your safety. As per the government directive, all new two-wheelers, be it a scooter or a motorcycle will now have to come equipped with either ABS or minimum CBS as standard. ABS stands for Anti-lock Braking System while CBS stands for Combi Brake System.
The government noticed that there were thousands of deaths on two-wheelers in India. ABS & CBS systems could help prevent a few such accidents and make the streets safer for users. All bikes sold in India from 1st April 2018 need to be equipped with these safety features. However, existing models currently on sale have been given a timeline to have this included by or before April 2019.
All motorcycles or scooters with an engine capacity under 125cc will need to have CBS as a mandatory feature. All two-wheelers with an engine capacity with 125cc or above will need to have ABS, some might even have both just because the brand wants to offer it.
When a vehicle undergoes the passing process at the RTO, all such features will be checked, not physical testing but the specification sheets listing all equipment on the motorcycle will need to have this endorsed. So yes, two-wheeler manufacturers will have to comply with these rules.
Prices of the existing two-wheelers is expected to be bumped up by a fair margin. For a dual-channel ABS system, expect a minimum of INR 10,000 increment on existing models for the domestic products. Some big bikes could see a more significant price correction. Nevertheless, whatever the price bump, this is for safety, and we support this.