The Rebel 300 derivative will be launched on the follow-up to the recently launched Hornet 2.0 by Honda
We all know by now that Honda Motorcycles and Scooter India (HMSI) will be launching an all new cruiser motorcycle in India on 30th Sep. While Honda is still very tight-lipped about the exact configuration of the bike, they have now revealed the first official tease video, which hints at the name of the new motorcycle.
This new Honda cruiser motorcycle for India is expected to be christened as Highness. As we have already mentioned in our previous report that in all probability the Honda Highness could be a direct rival the upcoming Royal Enfield Meteor 350.
Honda has patented the Rebel design in India back in 2017. However, whether the new Honda Highness cruiser motorcycle will be based on the existing Rebel 300 architecture or a completely new platform is yet to be known. Although one thing is for sure that it will be designed keeping in mind the Indian consumers. Below is the latest teaser of Honda Highness.
[embedded content]
Design & Features
If we were to guess that Highness will draw its inspiration primarily from Rebel 300, then it is expected to carry forward the same retro-style design. It is expected to carry minimalistic bodywork with a low slung body and sport usual round headlamps. The retro classic look will be accentuated by the round LED turn indicators and rectangular LED taillight and short front and rear bobbed fenders. However, the most noticeable highlight is the water-drop shaped fuel tank.
In terms of features, it is expected to get an all-LED lighting setup and a fully-digital instrument cluster which will display crucial information like gear change indication and fuel-consumption. The cruiser employs a 41mm telescopic fork at front and twin shock absorber at rear. It is expected to be equipped with disc brakes on both ends and will also provide ABS with a single-channel variant as well as a dual-channel variant.
Powertrain Details
Coming to its mechanicals, the Rebel 300 is powered by a 286cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled DOHC engine that can generate up to 30.4 PS of power at 8000 rpm and 27.4 Nm of peak torque at 6500 rpm. This unit is expected to be linked to a six-speed gearbox. There shall also be a slipper clutch to assist the transmission. It is expected to come with small 16-inch tyres which will be wrapped around by 130-section tyres.
Estimated Price
Honda is planning to retail the upcoming Highness through its premium dealership wing- Honda Big Wing. The brand has in the past announced its plan to expand the premium dealership network to 75 cities across the country. The Rebel is likely to be priced around Rs 2.5 – 3 lakh (ex-showroom), which is a premium of about Rs 1 lakh over Royal Enfield rival motorcycle. The makers might also launch the Rebel 500 based cruiser bike in India at a later stage.
Source: Bike - rushlane.com
