Bike

Subterms

    More stories

    • 138 Shares99 Views

      in Bike

      Yamaha R3 And MT-03 Launch Date Confirmed – T-minus 25 Days

      by

      Image for referenceYamaha R3, MT-03 will be available across 100 cities and sold exclusively through select Blue Square dealershipsAfter a long period of selling a 150cc motorcycle as its flagship, Yamaha is launching YFZ-R3 and MT-03 in India. More middle-weights may launch too, in the form of YZF-R7, MT-07 and Yamaha’s Tripple, MT-09. Yamaha has revealed the launch dates for R3 and MT-03. The bikes are scheduled to debut in India on December 15. Deliveries will commence soon after.Yamaha R3, MT-03 India launchThe multi-cylinder 300cc to 500cc motorcycle segment has been registering strong growth in recent years. With significant future potential, it’s natural for Yamaha to throw its hat into the ring. While MT-03 will be an entirely new product for India, R3 will be a relaunch. As may be recalled, fully faired Yamaha YZF-R3 was available in India in BS4 era. The Indian motorcycle market has evolved since then, in a way that presents significant opportunities for R3 and MT-03.To ensure a premium customer experience, Yamaha R3 and MT-03 will be sold exclusively via select Blue Square dealerships as disclosed before. Deliveries will commence in the same month, following the launch on December 15. Deliveries will be made in more than 100 cities across the country.Yamaha R3, MT-03 specs, performanceBoth R3 and MT-03 share the same 321 cc, liquid cooled, parallel twin-cylinder, DOHC engine. It generates 42 PS of max power and 29.5 Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 6-speed constant mesh transmission. Performance is further improved, as Yamaha R3 and MT-03 utilize a lightweight chassis.Yamaha R3 expected coloursBoth bikes have a diamond frame and will be getting USD forks at front and a mono-shock unit at the rear. Braking setup will have disc brakes at both ends, with dual-channel ABS as standard. R3 and MT-03 will have a multi-function digital instrument console. Users can access a range of information such as fuel capacity, gear position, clock, oil change indicator, water temp gauge, real-time and average fuel economy and trip meter.The screen has a simple UI that ensures easy readability and comprehension. The console has Bluetooth connectivity, which can be used to access more features and functions via Yamaha’s smartphone app. No navigation, though.CBU route means premium pricingIn the initial phase, Yamaha will be importing R3 and MT-03 as CBUs. Due to import duty, these bikes won’t have the cost advantage that Yamaha’s mainstream bikes have. It is possible that the CKD route can be considered at a later date based on demand. Pricing for R3 and MT-03 could be more than the respective offerings from KTM and Royal Enfield 650s.2023 Yamaha R3 New ColourPrimary rival for R3 is the upcoming locally manufactured Aprilia RS 457 and KTM RC 390 to some extent. While MT-03 doesn’t have direct comparable rivals, but will take on new KTM 390 Duke. Even though premium Yamaha products are generally not considered VFM, they should give Kawasaki offerings like Ninja 400, a run for their money. For context, Ninja 400 starts at Rs 5.24 lakh (ex-sh). More

    • 138 Shares99 Views

      in Bike

      Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 Spied Testing – Componentry From New 250 Duke

      by

      New Husqvarna Vitpilen 250The new 249cc single-cylinder engine on Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 can generate similar numbers like 31 PS and 25 Nm as its KTM counterpart 250 DukeBajaj Auto, leading Indian 2W and 3W manufacturer is currently making premium single-cylinder motorcycles for three major legacy brands. While KTM and Triumph have seen much success, Swedish Husqvarna, not so much. There seems to be an attempt to reincarnate the brand in India by bringing it in line with new KTM 250 Duke.Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 Spied TestingNew KTM 250 Duke borrows all the good bits from new 390 Duke, except for its engine. We’re talking about all the new and improved hardware and componentry that new 390 Duke packs that make it such a blast to ride. The same componentry is now being passed on to upcoming Husqvarna Vitpilen 250.For starters, Husqvarna is keeping the whole Swedish minimalist design ethos alive with upcoming Vitpilen 250. Which is a good thing for all the folks that are turned off by KTM’s wild designs. The muscular fuel tank has neat clean lines radiating neo-retro appeal along with all the body panels.Main frame seems to be shared with KTM counterparts, while subframe is all new. Rear seat is flatter and seems to have more room for a pillion along with a prominent old-school grab rail. Tail section is new and now houses tail lights, turn indicators and a number plate that is in rear mudguard with current model.New Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 profileAlloy wheels are new and so are the braking components. Banana-shaped swingarm, single-sided mono-shock rear suspension setup is identical to that of 250 Duke. Front suspension setup is handled by USD telescopic forks as before and front brake setup seems to be slightly different when compared to 250 Duke.The new powertrain from 2024 KTM 250 DukeHeadlights seem to be new and there may be a new circular instrument cluster too. Husqvarna Svartpilen will get the same updates too along with a tank rack, taller handlebar, upright ergonomics, black pattern tyres and maybe even wire-spoke wheels. We hope there is Bluetooth connectivity for navigation, USB-C cable and other features too.Where powertrain is concerned, this new unit looks identical to KTM 250 Duke. Even the exhaust routing and underbelly end can are identical. Upcoming Husqvarna Vitpilen 250 and Svartpilen 250 will be powered by the same 249cc single-cylinder DOHC 4V engine from 250 Duke. In KTM 250cc bikes, this engine generates 31 PS of peak power and 25 Nm of peak torque.New KTM Duke 250 LaunchSame figures could pass on to Husqies or get a new engine tune altogether. 6-speed gearbox, with a quick-shifter, ride-by-wire, larger air box, Dual-channel ABS and other attributes are likely to be on offer too. We hope the pricing is under Rs. 2 lakh (ex-sh). But that is less likely to be true, considering new KTM 250 Duke costs Rs. 2.39 lakh (ex-sh).Source More

    • 138 Shares179 Views

      in Bike

      Royal Enfield Sales Breakup October 2023 – Exports Fell YoY, MoM

      by

      Royal Enfield Classic and Hunter in the 350 cc range commanded the domestic sales list with both YoY and MoM growthRoyal Enfield has been doing well in terms of sales with a total (domestic + exports) at 84,435 units in September 2023. This was against 82,235 units sold in October 2022 while on a MoM basis sales improved over a total of 78,580 units sold in September 2023.Royal Enfield Domestic Sales October 2023The company is gearing up to introduce its first bike in the 450cc range. The new Himalayan 450 will be launched sometime later this month. It will be at the 2023 MotoVerse in Goa being held on November 24 that the new Himalayan will be revealed while it could be priced around Rs. 2.70 lakh (ex-showroom).With the company’s domestic list commanded by its 350cc models, it was a total of 80,958 units sold last month, up 5.79 percent from 76,528 units sold in October 2022. This was a volume growth of 4,430 units. MoM sales also saw a 9.02 percent growth from 74,261 units sold in September 2023 relating to volume growth of 6,697 units.RE Classic 350 was the best-selling model in company’s lineup in domestic markets with a 0.33 percent YoY growth to 31,897 units, up from 31,791 units sold in October 2022. It was an even higher MoM growth by 22.67 percent when compared to 26,003 units sold in September 2023.Royal Enfield Sales October 2023 Breakup – DomesticThe Classic 350 currently commands a 39.40 percent share in Royal Enfield’s domestic markets. RE Hunter 350 was up next with 17,732 units sold last month, up 14.81 percent over 15,445 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales grew by 20.25 percent from 14,746 units sold in September 2023 to currently hold a 21.90 percent shareAlso in the 350cc segment were the Bullet and Meteor. Bullet 350 domestic sales grew significantly by 63.12 percent to 14,281 units, up from 8,755 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales on the other hand fell by 18.45 percent from 17,512 units sold in September 2023. The new gen Bullet 350 was launched in September 2023, bringing with it added features, a fine-tuned engine and better suspension.Bullet 350 sales drop 18.45% MoMBookings have opened and sales could see an increase in the months ahead. Meteor 350cc sales, on the other hand, fell by 2.05 percent YoY to 10,141 units in October 2023 from 10,353 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales however, grew by 17.12 percent from 8,659 units sold in September 2023.The RE Himalayan has seen lower sales over past two months. It fell to 2,944 units in October 203 down 21.51 percent from 3,751 units sold in October 2022 while it dipped MoM by 8.51 percent from 3,218 units sold in September 2023.India’s highest-selling 500cc+ motorcycle, Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 sold 2,202 units sold last month, a 7.99 percent growth over 2,039 units sold in September 2023. Sales dipped YoY for both the 650 Twins and Electric 350 to 1,746 units and 15 units respectively though MoM sales of the 650 Twins went up by 36.41 percent from 1,280 units sold in September 2023.More recently the company has updated the Super Meteor which is India’s best-selling bike in the 500cc segment. Royal Enfield has introduced the wingman telematics suite on the Super Meteor 650 bringing with it a host of connected tech features which are accessible via Royal Enfield App.Royal Enfield Classic 350 tops Export List in October 2023With a total of 3,477 units in October 2023, Royal Enfield has reported both a YoY and MoM decline in exports. It was a 39.07 percent YoY decline from 5,707 units exported in October 2022 while MoM exports dipped by 19.50 percent from 4,319 units shipped in September 2023. Every model in the company portfolio posted a YoY decline while on a MoM basis, it was only the Super Meteor and Hunter 350 that saw more positive results.Royal Enfield Sales October 2023 Breakup – ExportsTopping the export list was Classic 350 which saw an 11.75 percent de-growth to 1,059 units in October 2023 from 1,200 units exported in October 2022. MoM exports also fell by 14.46 percent from 1,238 units shipped in September 2023. Super Meteor exports stood at 1,022 units lasts month, a 15.48 percent MoM growth over 885 units exported in October 2022. The Super Meteor currently commands a 29.39 percent share on the export list.It was a 48.06 percent YoY decline in exports for the Hunter 350 which fell to 670 units last month from 1,290 units exported in October 2022. MoM exports however, saw a marginal improvement of 1.21 percent from 662 units shipped in September 2023. De-growth in exports was also reported for the 650 Twins (392 units), Meteor (209 units), Bullet 350 (71 units) and Himalayan (54 units). More

    • 175 Shares199 Views

      in Bike

      2W Retail Sales Oct 2023 – Hero, Honda, TVS, Bajaj, Yamaha, Ola, Ather, Jawa

      by

      Jawa 42 Bobber Black Mirror profile2W sales saw a YoY de-growth of 12.60 percent while MoM sales grew by 14.91 percent in October 2023Two wheeler retail sales, as announced by Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), for the month of October 2023, saw sales dip by 12.60 percent. It was however, a MoM growth of 14.91 percent when compared to sales in September 2023. Festivities during the month of October 2023 failed to stir up sales in the two wheeler segment, retail sales of which dipped 12.60 percent YoY in the said month. Sales fell to 15,07,756 units in October 2023, down from 17,25,043 units sold in October 2022. This was a volume de-growth of 2,17,287 units.2W Retail Sales Oct 2023 – Hero, Honda, TVS post YoY degrowthThe segment made up on a MoM basis with a 14.91 percent growth from 13,12,101 units sold in September 2023. During the 10 day Navratri period there were 5,40,325 units sold, up 21.75 percent when compared to 4,43,796 units sold during the same 10 day period of 2022. While Hero MotoCorp once again led the segment, the company reported a YoY de-growth in October 2023. Sales dipped to 4,17,750 units, down from 5,67,122 units sold in October 2022. It was a MoM growth of over 3,15,781 units sold in September 2023.At No. 2 was Honda that has also seen sales dip YoY in October 2023 down to 4,02,138 units when compared to 4,46,897 units sold in October 2022. Market share however, increased to 26.67 percent from 25.91 percent YoY. MoM sales improved over 3,48,899 units sold in September 2023. In 3rd spot was TVS Motors also reporting a YoY de-growth in October 2023 down to 2,51,435 units when compared to 2,65,894 units sold in October 2022. Market share improved to 16.68 percent from 15.41 percent YoY. TVS iQube has seen increased demand while the XL100 moped has also been a hot favorite while in the premium space, TVS X and Apache RTR 310 launched recently also gained some traction.Bajaj Auto sales improved YoY to 1,78,717 units in October 2023 up from 1,72,106 units sold in October 2022. YoY sales growth was also reported by Suzuki Motorcycle India, which grew to 79,782 units in the past month, up from 67,555 units sold in October 2022. Market share improved to 5.29 percent from 3.92 percent YoY.2W Retail Sales Oct 2023Sales de-growth was reported by Royal Enfield, which fell to 68,151 units in October 2023, down from 73,763 units in October 2022. It was also a MoM growth from 63,084 units sold in September 2023. Royal Enfield has recently revealed details of the Himalayan 452 slated to launch soon. Once launched, it will compete against the Triumph Scrambler 400X, KTM 390 Adventure, 390 Enduro and Hero Xpulse 440. It was Yamaha Motors that saw sales increase significantly to 55,289 units in October 2023 from 50,201 units sold in October 2022 taking up market share to 3.67 percent from 2.91 percent YoY.Ola and Ather Energy Post YoY Growth in October 2023In the electric two wheeler segment, Ola Electric maintained its dominance and also posted a healthy YoY growth in sales. Retail sales stood at 23,783 units in the past month, up from 16,357 units sold in October 2022. This took market share up to 1.58 percent from 0.95 percent YoY. It was also a MoM growth from 18,647 units sold in September 2023.Ather Energy, another leading electric two wheeler major in India, has seen sales grow to 8,346 units in October 2023 up from 7,358 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales growth was also significant from 7,123 units sold in September 2023. Greaves Electric, formerly known as Ampere Electric Vehicles, sales jumped to 4,169 units in October 2023 from just 39 units sold in October 2022 and was a further MoM increase over 3,605 units sold in September 2023.Lower down the sales list, each of the two wheeler makers have reported sales de-growth. Piaggio sales dipped to 3,284 units in October 2023 from 3,881 units sold in October 2022. Classic Legends (Jawa / Yezdi) also saw retail sales fall to 2,689 units from 3,769 units on a YoY basis while Okinawa sales fell significantly down to 1,474 units in the past month from 14,953 units sold in October 2022. There were others in this segment that also included electric two wheeler manufacturers that contributed 10,749 units to total retail sales. This was down from 35,148 units sold in the same month last year. More

    • 125 Shares189 Views

      in Bike

      Royal Enfield Wingman Telematics Suite Launched With Super Meteor 650

      by

      Royal Enfield Wingman TelematicsThe wingman telematics suite with Super Meteor 650 unlocks a slew of connected tech features accessed via Royal Enfield AppSuper Meteor 650 made its official debut at 2022 EICMA Show. One year since, Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 has climbed up the ranks and is currently India’s best-selling 500cc+ motorcycle. The company is now offering Wingman telematics suite with Super Meteor 650 as standard fitment from November 16th for an additional cost. This can be retrofitted by existing owners too.Royal Enfield Wingman Telematics Suite with Super Meteor 650Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 is a proper cruiser bike competing with Benelli 502C and Kawasaki Vulcan S along with its stablemate Interceptor 650. The additional cost for Wingman-equipped Super Meteor 650 from November 16th is Rs. 6,500 (ex-sh). This includes a dongle, data plan and RSA for a subscription of 5 years.After 5 year duration, data plan can be recharged at a nominal fee (price not specified). Existing owners can retrofit this via authorised dealerships by placing an order. Price is Rs. 6,500 (excluding GST and fitment charges). With factory-fitted Wingman-equipped vehicles, this additional hardware is included in bike’s standard warranty too.What are the features of Wingman?Wingman unlocks a slew of connected tech accessible by the rider via Royal Enfield app. These functions can be accessed on both Android and IOS devices. Speaking of functions, there are five primary functions – Live Tracking, Last Parked Location, Trip Summary, Vehicle Alerts and Proactive Support by GRID Team.Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650ccThe dedicated GRID Team will be operational between 9AM to 6PM and this team will address any unfortunate situations that cause the vehicle to be immovable. RSA is part of this Wingman package and GRID Team will arrange roadside assistance that is live 24X7. From Royal Enfield App, owners can view trip history from past three months with data like average speed, sudden acceleration and braking, over-speeding, trip route and more.Vehicle alerts include real-time fuel level and battery charge status. GPS Accuracy tolerance for tracking the motorcycle is between 20m to 200m. As of now, Royal Enfield Wingman suite is exclusively designed for Super Meteor 650 and more vehicles will follow soon.Specs and powertrainRE Super Meteor 650 is being presented in three variants – Astral, Interstellar and Celestial. Colour options are distinct to each variant. The base variant receives colour schemes of Astral Black, Astral Blue and Astral Green while the mid variant is in Interstellar Grey and Interstellar Green. Top-of-the-line Celestial trim comes in two colours – Celestial Red and Celestial Blue.Royal Enfield Super Meteor 650 ProfileTripper navigation is integrated into a twin-pod instrument console that works with Google Maps and shows turn-by-turn directions also offers Bluetooth connectivity and a USB charging port. This new cruiser bike weighs 241 kgs. It rides on alloy wheels measuring 19 inch front and 16 in rear and is fitted with tubeless tyres measuring 100/90-19 tyre at front and 150/80-B16 tyres at the rear.Engine, Suspension and BrakingBorrowing its engine lineup from the RE 650 Twins, the Meteor 650 gets its power via a 648 cc, twin-cylinder engine offering 47 hp power at 7,250 rpm and 52.3 Nm torque at 5,650 rpm. The engine gets mated to a 6-speed constant mesh gearbox. Noise emission rating is at 76.3 dB(A).It also receives 43 mm Showa USD fork and twin shocks with pre-load adjustability while braking is via 320 mm front and 300 mm rear discs. Dual-channel ABS has been offered as standard. Royal Enfield is offering exclusive accessory kits called Solo Tourer and Grand Tourer which could not only enhance the riding experience of Meteor 650 but will also offer better functionalities. More

    • 138 Shares99 Views

      in Bike

      Top 10 Motorcycle Sales October 2023 – Splendor, Pulsar, Classic 350

      by

      Bajaj Pulsar N rangeMotorcycle sales improved 28.21% YoY in October 2023 to cross the 10 lakh unit markThe festive period in October 2023 has hugely benefited the two wheeler segment which saw motorcycle sales grow both on a YoY and MoM basis. Having listed out both top 10 two wheelers and top 10 scooters sold during the past month, we now have a look at motorcycle sales, comparing them both year-on-year (YoY) and month-on-month (MoM).Hero Splendor, Honda Shine, Bajaj Pulsar – Top 10 Bestselling MotorcyclesTotal motorcycle sales improved by 28.21 percent YoY to 10,25,250 units, up from 7,99,656 units sold in October 2022. This was a volume growth of 2,25,594 units. MoM sales also saw a 12.98 percent growth from 9,07,433 units sold in September 2023. Out of a total of 10,25,250 units, Hero MotoCorp witnessed total sales of 5,06,985 units during the past month with four of its model lineup contributing to around 50% of market share in this list.Hero Splendor topped the list of best-selling motorcycles last month with 3,11,031 units sold. This was an 18.84 percent YoY growth from 2,61,721 units sold in October 2022 while sales dipped 2.71 percent over 3,19,692 units sold in September 2023. Hero Splendor commands a 30.34 percent share on this list, down from 35.23 percent held in September 2023.Honda Shine was at No. 2 with 1,63,587 units sold, up 24.96 percent from 1,30,916 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales also grew by 1.26 percent from 1,61,544 units sold in September 2023. Volume growth for Shine was 32,671 units YoY and 2,043 units MoM.Top 10 Motorcycle Sales October 2023Bajaj Pulsar was the third best-selling motorcycle last month with 1,61,572 units sold, up 41.89 percent when compared to 1,13,870 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales grew by 34.50 percent from 1,20,126 units sold in September 2023, taking up market share to 15.76 percent from 13.24 percent MoM. Bajaj Auto is actively testing a new 150cc commuter bike which could be a new CT150X.Hero HF Deluxe followed with a 50.77 percent YoY and 39.95 percent MoM growth to 1,17,719 units sold in October 2023. There had been 78,076 units and 84,118 units sold in October 2022 and September 2023 respectively.Motorcycles with sub-1 lakh units soldBajaj Platina sales grew by 28.87 percent to 74,539 units in October 2023, up from 57,842 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales also improved by 53.33 percent from 48,615 units sold in September 2023. It was followed by the TVS Raider with 47,483 units sold last month, up nearly two fold by 96.59 percent over 24,153 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales however, fell by 2.60 percent over 48,753 units sold in September 2023.The top 10 motorcycle sales list also included Hero Passion (40,759 units), TVS Apache (39,187 units), Hero Glamour (37,476 units) and RE Classic 350 (31,897 units) all of which posted YoY and MoM growth except for the Apache, sales of which fell by 4.39 percent MoM. More

    • 150 Shares199 Views

      in Bike

      Top 10 Scooter Sales October 2023 – Activa Scores 42% Market Share

      by

      Ather electric scooter rangeHonda Activa continued to rule the scooter segment even as it posted a MoM decline in salesScooter and motorcycle manufacturers, many of whom have launched new products in the past three months, have seen total sales (scooters + motorcycles) at 15,52,970 units in October 2023, relating to both YoY and MoM growth. Here we look particularly at scooter sales, which have also seen outstanding growth in the past month.Honda Activa at No. 1 with 42 percent market shareIn October 2023, scooter sales grew by 15.86 percent on a year-on-year (YOY) basis to 5,27,720 units, up from 4,55,499 units sold in October 2022. This was a volume growth of 72,221 units. Month-on-month (MoM) sales saw an improvement of 1.70 percent from 5,18,912 units sold in September 2023.Once again it was the Honda Activa scooter that saw the highest sales in October 2023. Sales stood at 2,18,856 units, up 3.91 percent YoY from 2,10,623 units sold in October 2022 to command a 41.47 percent market share. MoM sales however dipped by 6.89 percent from 2,35,056 units sold in September 2023.No other scooter on this list was able to cross the 1 lakh unit mark in terms of sales. TVS Jupiter was at No. 2 with 91,824 units sold last month, up 19.19 percent from 77,042 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales also grew by 10.46 percent from 83,130 units sold in September 2023.Top 10 scooter sales October 2023Jupiter currently commands a 17.40 percent market share, up from 16.02 percent MoM. In October 2023, the company expanded the Jupiter range to include the 125 SmartXonnect. TVS Jupiter 125 is now offered in Drum Alloy, Disc and SmartXonnect variants and are priced between Rs 86,405 and Rs 96,855 (ex-showroom).Suzuki saw 0.23% MoM declineNext in line for scooter sales was the Suzuki Access with 56,909 units sold last month, up 15.69 percent from 49,192 units sold in October 2022. It was, however, a marginal MoM decline of 0.23 percent from 57,041 units sold in September 2023. TVS also had the Ntorq on this list with an 11.04 percent YoY growth to 34,476 units, up from 31,049 units sold in October 2022 while MoM sales grew by 7.39 percent from 32,103 units sold in September 2023.YoY and MoM growth was also seen for the Honda Dio scooter, sales of which went up to 32,385 units last month, up 34.19 percent from 24,134 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales went up even further by 35.06 percent (highest on this list) from 23,979 units sold in September 2023.Ola leads the way in Electric scooter segmentOla S1 (retail) sales improved by 45.40 percent YoY and 27.54 percent MoM to 23,783 units in October 2023. There had been 16,357 units and 18,647 units sold in October 2022 and September 2023 respectively.Another popular electric scooter is the TVS iQube. Its sales saw triple digit growth in October 2023 to 20,121 units, up 148.32 percent from 8,103 units sold in October 2022. MoM sales, however, dipped marginally by 0.76 percent from 20,276 units sold in September 2023. A new electric scooter has been recently spied on test in Bengaluru which, though under heavy camouflage, bears a strong resemblance to the TVS iQube, though it could also be an Ather model.Suzuki Burgman was at No. 8 on this lists of top 10 scooter sales in October 2023 with 18,071 units sold, up 43.19 percent YoY over 12,557 units sold in October 2022. It was also a MoM improvement of 3.23 percent as compared to 17,506 units sold in September 2023. Trailing the list was Hero Destini (17,425 units) and RayZR (13,870 units), both of which have seen YoY growth while sales of RayZR dipped on a MoM basis. More

    • 138 Shares199 Views

      in Bike

      Honda CB350 Launched – Company’s Biggest Dig At Classic 350 Yet!

      by

      New Honda CB350 launched to rival Classic 350The new Honda CB350 is a textbook retro classic motorcycle with timeless design traits that should achieve some disruption in Classic 350’s salesClassic motorcycles are currently all the rage in 300 to 500cc segment. This segment operates in the price bracket of Rs. 1.5 lakh to Rs. 2.5 lakh (ex-sh). Royal Enfield currently aces this segment with over 85% market share. Honda has sharpened the blades of its CB350 platform to rival Royal Enfield’s dominance in this segment. Say namaste to Honda CB350.Honda CB350 LaunchedIf you are wondering where the prefixes or suffixes went, there aren’t any. This is Honda CB350, and that’s it. No H’ness or RS. Just the CB350. Not confusing at all. The company is offering Honda CB350 in two trim levels – DLX and DLX Pro, priced at Rs. 1,99,900 and Rs. 2,17,800 respectively. New Honda CB350 is sold via Big Wing dealerships only.For context, Royal Enfield Classic 350 prices range between Rs. 1,93,080 and Rs. 2,24,755. Up until now, Honda rivaled RE’s slew of 350cc motorcycles with CB350 H’ness and CB350 RS. But couldn’t directly take on them because Royal Enfield was still heavy on timeless Classic-ness.Honda has figured this out, this time around, and is launching its biggest strike on Classic 350 with new CB350. We should say, this is by far the best-looking Royal Enfield rival and is highly likely to draw more customers away from Classic 350. Honda has achieved this feat by offering similar classic timeless design traits that were drawing buyers towards Classic 350.New Honda CB350 retro classic timeless designThe new timeless design is in the form of a new fuel tank, new side body panels, tank grips, new classic split seats with contrasting piping, classic grab rail, retro-looking mudguards at both ends that are larger than on H’ness or RS, shrouded RSU telescopic front forks, and a new retro exhaust. If you can’t bear Classic 350 sales, it looks like one does the trick.More features than a Royal Enfield Classic 350With retro classics, colours can either break or make the product. New classic CB350 gets a total of five colours – Precious Red Metallic, Pearl Igneous Black, Matte Crust Metallic, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Matte Dune Brown. Despite Honda going back in time where design is concerned, CB350 is still ahead where features are concerned.Top-spec DLX Pro comes equipped with all the bells and whistles including Honda Smartphone Voice Control System (HSVCS) with Bluetooth support, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC, which is basically Traction Control), Dual-channel ABS, 18-inch wheels, LED lighting, semi-digital instrumentation, double layer exhaust pipe preventing discolouration are notable features.New Honda CB350 new design detailsPower is derived from a 348.36cc single-cylinder engine that generates 20.8 bhp of peak power at 5500 RPM and 29.4 Nm of peak torque at 3000 RPM. There is a 5-speed gearbox along with a slip and assist clutch on offer too. The bold and low-pitched thumping sound should evoke a lot of nostalgia as well.Words from the manufacturerIntroducing Honda’s latest premium BigWing motorcycle, Mr. Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “We are absolutely thrilled to expand our mid-size 350cc motorcycle line-up with the launch of All-New CB350. It proudly takes forward the rich legacy of Honda’s CB DNA and will provide the joy of riding to our customers. We are confident that the launch of this retro classic motorcycle will excite new buyers to join the ever-growing CB family.”New Honda CB350 new exhaustCommenting on the debut of All-New CB350, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “The introduction of All-New CB350 marks yet another significant milestone for our flourishing premium motorcycle business vertical. Ever since their launch, Honda’s middle-weight 350cc motorcycles have delighted customers across various markets. Together with our widespread network of premium BigWing dealerships, we are confident that the new CB350 will offer an exhilarating experience to buyers. Bookings are now open and deliveries will begin soon.”New Honda CB350 DLX More