Honda Bikes

Honda Forza series of maxi-scooters consists of 125 cc models and 350 cc models in select markets currentlyHonda Forza 150cc ScooterHonda India has been driving sales really well. Currently, it is the second-highest selling two-wheeler brand in India as seen in our retail sales chart for the month of June 2022. Honda sold 2,85,691 units in June 2022 as opposed to 1,96,785 units in June 2021 with 45.18% YoY growth. The Japanese brand currently has 25.53% market share as of June 2022.When it comes to scooters, Honda is absolutely crushing it by selling 1,84,305 units of Activa series of scooters and 26,450 units of Dio as seen in top 10 scooter post. But Honda seems to be gearing up towards launching a brand new scooter in India. As indicated by teasers, it will be revealed on August 8th of 2022.Honda Forza Scooter India LaunchWe say it is a scooter and not a motorcycle because the teaser boldly says that the “Formidable” is coming. Looking at the word “Formidable” and the stress on the letter F can’t help us but remember a sporty maxi-styled scooter sold by Honda in select markets named Forza. No, we’re not talking about popular racing games under the Forza banner. Forza name is also registered by Honda in India.Right now, Honda has the ever-popular Activa series, Dio and Grazia. All of these products are conventional scooters and are powered by either a 110 cc engine or a 125 cc engine. But there is a new breed of scooters that is gaining popularity in India.Teaser shared by Honda India had focus on letter F – Is it the new Forza 150cc scooter?If you guessed electric scooters, you’re right. But within the context of this post, we are talking about maxi-scooters. Currently, we have the Yamaha Aerox 155 and Aprilia SXR 160 at the pricier end. But it is the Aerox 155 by Yamaha that takes the cake with its R15-derived engine with VVA technology. Aerox 155 makes 14.79 bhp of power and 13.9 Nm of torque. This is the current undisputed king of maxi-styled and sporty scooters. Looking at Aerox 155’s success, Yamaha is planning to bring the NMax 155 to India too. There is another Japanese manufacturer that saw the success of the Aerox 155.Honda Forza name trademarked in IndiaHonda Forza RivalsForza 150 will be a maxi-styled scooter with oodles of comfort and wind protection. But design is just half of the equation. Honda has to also match the performance of Aerox 155 which is the benchmark in this segment. Honda might equip Forza 150 with a 153cc engine that does duty on scooters like PCX 150 making 13.4 bhp and 14 Nm or the 149cc engine that does duty on ADV 150 making 14.5 bhp and 13.8 Nm.Even though 150cc is the sweet spot for Honda, we can also get Forza 125 or Forza 350 which are sold in Europe and a few other markets. Forza 125 is more feasible than Forza 350. If this is the case, Honda will equip the new maxi-styled scooter with a 124cc mill that does duties in Activa 125 and Grazia. It makes 8.14 bhp and 10.3 Nm and will compete with the only other maxi-styled 125cc scooter in India, Aprilia SXR 125.New Honda Forza ScooterHonda Motorcycle and Scooter India has not yet revealed anything about this upcoming launch. But we strongly believe it to be a Forza 150 or a Forza 125. When launched, the former would compete with Yamaha Aerox 155 and Aprilia SXR 160 while the latter would compete with Aprilia SXR 125. If it is indeed the Forza scooter that is launched in India on 8th Aug, it will become the first Honda scooter to go on sale via their premium Big Wing network. More

Honda two wheeler YoY domestic sales in June 2022 reported at growth, MoM sales too in the greenImage for reference.In June 2022, Honda domestic sales were reported at 3,55,560 units, up from 2,12,453 units YoY. Volume gain stood at 1,43,107 units at 67.36 percent growth. Honda’s domestic business is so large it accounts for over 90 percent of total business volume. Exports last month rose to 28,322 units from 20,044 units.Volume gain stood at 8,278 units at 41.30 percent growth. Total sales were up at 3,83,882 units from 2,32,497 units. Volume gain stood at 1,51,385 units at 65.11 percent growth. The YoY period up for comparison though isn’t without incident. A year earlier, businesses functioned at limited capacity in accordance with local rulings in a bid to curb the spread of Covid-19.Sales growth in Q2 2022MoM domestic sales are up from 3,20,844 units at volume gain of just under 35k units. Sales growth stood at 10.82 percent. Exports fell from 32,344 units at volume loss of 4k units. Sales decline is reported at 12.44 percent. Total sales were up from 3,53,188 units at 30,694 units volume gain. Growth stood at 8.69 percent.In Q1 2022, Honda 2W sales stood at 9,10,422 units, down by a quarter from 12,23,331 units. In Q2 2022, sales stood at 9,95,136 units, up from 4,91,316 units. The comparable quarter in 2021 was a period of constraint owing to Covid-19 regulations. Top selling models from Honda include Activa, CB Shine, Dio, Grazia, CB350, Unicorn, Hornet, etc.Honda Two Wheeler Sales June 2022Activa scooter lead uncontestedThere’s rather little that perturbs Honda two wheelers’ monthly sales. On the domestic front. Bajaj and TVS are the only two manufacturers that could vie for 2nd spot, but the sales gap isn’t an easy one to transcend. The same is true for Honda in comparison to Hero’s top of the table clout. The situation ensures Honda 2Ws continue to sit comfortably at 2nd spot, month after month. In truth, it’s been years now.In fact, Honda’s two wheeler business model is unique. While others in the top order rely on a motorcycle as a bestseller, Honda’s bestseller is a scooter. In this regard, Activa hasn’t only stood the test of time but has gone from strength to strength. This unique proposition ensures that scooter buyers continue to flock to Honda in droves. Add to this its bestselling motorcycle, CB Shine. Sales volume for which is over a lakh each month. The only other manufacturer that follows the same pattern is Suzuki with its Access.Growth expectation for FY23Atsushi Ogata, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “The growth expectations with which we set out in the beginning of FY ’23 is gradually turning into a reality. Timely arrival of monsoons has impacted the economic indicators favourably. We expect the coming months to sustain this upward trend as more customers look for two-wheeler mobility options.”With H1 results being a mixed bag, the industry is now focused on a favourable outcome for the monsoon season. This will be quickly followed up by the onset of a rather long festive season. More

Honda ADV 160 is priced at a premium because it gets premium components and potent powertrain2022 Honda ADV 160 ScooterHonda ADV 160 is an adventure-style scooter that was teased by Honda time and time again. It also promises a stable ride and decent performance. Owing to its tyres and other components, it also promises maximum traction on any road surface. It is a spiritual successor of the popular ADV 150 which debuted at Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) in 2019. Honda ADV 160 has debuted in Indonesia first and is expected to launch in other global markets too.For starters, ADV 160 is not marketed as a maxi scooter. Honda has the Vario 160 for that purpose. ADV 160 is marketed as an adventure scooter that gets block pattern tyres. It is also not a step-through scooter. It means, it gets a central spine hindering practicality.2022 Honda ADV 160 – SpecsADV 160 gets an updated and superior 157cc single-cylinder 4V engine with eSP+ technology. This engine also does duties on PCX 160 and Vario 160 scooters in Honda’s lineup. This engine makes around 16 bhp of power at 8500 RPM and 14.7 Nm of torque at 6500 RPM. It is a vast improvement over the 150cc engine that powered the ADV 150 that the scooter replaces.The adventure-style scooter by Honda gets a 240 mm petal disc at front and a 220 mm petal disc at the rear. Honda is offering an option between a CBS (Combi Brake System) variant and an ABS variant. The suspension duties are handled by telescopic units at front and twin gas-charged sub-tank shock absorbers at the rear by Showa.[embedded content][embedded content]To stay true to the ‘adventure’ name, Honda ADV 160 gets dual-purpose AT tyres. At front, ADV 160 gets a 14” alloy wheel wrapped with 110 section and 80 profile tyre. At the rear, it gets a 13” alloy wheel wrapped with 130 section and 70 profile tyre. Honda also boasts of Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) system that cuts off the engine torque when a loss of traction is detected at the wheels. This prevents wheel slippage and helps in keeping proper traction at both wheels at all times. Is it just me or HSTC system just sound like a Traction Control system?Honda ADV 160 – FeaturesADV 160 gets features like twin-pod LED headlights with stylish LED DRLs that mimic the shade of eyeliner. It gets a big fascia and road presence too. If you thought a maxi-styled scooter is big, wait till you see this. It gets a fully digital instrument cluster with blue backlighting but it misses out on turn-by-turn navigation feature.Other features include a large seat promising comfort for both rider and pillion, large under-seat storage, and slightly up-swept exhaust radiating adventure-tourer motorcycle vibes. To aid the comfort of rider, it also gets a 75mm adjustable large windscreen at the front that can prove helpful in deflecting wind over the rider’s shoulders.2022 Honda ADV 160 ScooterLaunch & PricingHonda ADV 160 prices start from IDR 36 million (approx Rs. 1.90 lakh, on-road) for the CBS variant and IDR 39.25 million (Approx Rs. 2.07 lakh, on-road) for ABS model. It is launched in Indonesia for now and has been teased in Japan as well. For the price, Honda ADV 160 offers a larger scooter with traction control and a peppy and reasonably powerful engine. Honda is also rumoured to launch a 350cc ADV scooter too. HMIL hasn’t confirmed anything regarding India launch though. More

Honda Benly e is to be targeted at B2B segment where pickup and deliveries are primary objectivesHonda Benly e Electric ScooterHonda had revealed their roadmap a couple of months ago hinting to the Indian automotive community that it would focus on flex-fuel-powered motorcycles before outright chasing EVs. So, when we were hit by a new spy shot of a Benly e electric scooter with a green number plate with white font, it was head-scratching, to say the least. The green number plate means that the vehicle in question is sold as a finished product and is not a test mule. Because test mules always get red plates irrespective of the powertrain. Last year, we had seen Honda’s Benly e electric scooter under testing with a red number plate.The white font in that green number plate fuels further confusion too. Because Honda Benly e electric scooter is basically an electric goods carrier targeted at B2B segments. This means it is pitted as a commercial vehicle. But commercial EVs should get a yellow font on the green number plate and not white, signifying that it is a passenger EV. Did you scratch your head too? Fret not, we might know what’s going on.Honda Benly e – What is it?Benly e electric scooter by Honda debuted at 46th Tokyo Motor Show back in 2019. This electric scooter is targeted toward pickup and delivery companies and logistic companies. Keeping this in mind, they have a twin battery architecture, where each battery is sized at 0.99kWh capacity.Both these batteries are swappable too allowing them to swap out drained batteries with fully charged ones in a minute. This negates the waiting period for EVs and in pickup and delivery business, time is as precious as gold and getting their fully drained EV up and running with 100% battery in a minute, is priceless.Honda Benly e Electric ScooterBenly e is offered in 4 trims globally namely, Benly e I, Benly e I Pro, Benly e II and Benly e II Pro. Both I series trims get a 3.8 bhp and 13Nm motor capable of 87 km on a single charge with 30 kmph top speed. They can also traverse a 12-degree incline with 30 kg load. The II series trims get a stronger 5.7 bhp and 15 Nm motor capable of 43 km of range from a single charge with at 60 kmph top speed. They can traverse the same incline with 60 kg of load and also get reverse functionality too.Honda Benly e Electric Scooter With Green No PlateNow coming to the question you must be waiting for. Why is it here and how is it a passenger EV? Honda Benly e is powered by Honda’s MPP batteries. Honda has initiated a new vertical named Honda Power Pack Energy India. This vertical’s task is to locally manufacture swappable batteries to power two and three-wheeled vehicles in India. Honda has conducted an elaborate pilot study in 2021 at Thane, Maharashtra. This study clocked 2,00,000 km and 7,000 battery swaps.Starting from Bengaluru, Honda has partnered up with HPCL and Bengaluru Metro to establish swapping stations. When started, these swapping stations will be equipped to provide battery pack swaps for electric two and three-wheeled vehicles. The first swapping station was expected to start operating in May of 2022.Honda Benly e Electric scooter spied, is owned by Honda Motorcycle And Scooter IndiaData reveals that the scooter in question is registered to Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India and hence the white font in the green number plate. The Jayanagar RTO KA 05 number plate checks out too as HPPEI is based in Bengaluru. It is likely that HPPEI is conducting a trial run of some sort with their new battery swapping technology. Since the batteries or the mechanism might be under testing and not the actual scooter, might be a reason why it doesn’t have a red number plate.Source More

ADV 160 will be the fourth scooter in the 160cc range of Honda after PCX 160, Vario 160 and Air Blade 160Image of ADV 350 for reference.While adventure tourers are the current hot flavour in the global motorcycle industry, there is hardly any option for an adventure scooter, mainly because scooters aren’t usually built for the purpose of adventure. However, Honda has teased the upcoming ADV 160 adventure-style scooter on its social media handles in Japan and Indonesia.It will essentially be a Maxi-style scooter which is expected to borrow some styling attributes of a typical adventure bike. The new ADV 160 will be replacing the outgoing ADV 150 from Honda’s global portfolio. The upcoming power scooter is expected to feature some crucial mechanical as well as cosmetic updates.Honda ADV 160 Teased- Exterior HighlightsThe teaser released on Honda’s social media handles lets out a few details regarding the scooter’s design. ADV 160 sports a heavily-faired front end which is typical of a contemporary Maxi scooter. A vertically-stacked angular LED headlamp is nestled within a muscular front apron which lends the scooter a sharp appearance. It also features a very tall windscreen mounted on top of the front apron.Overall, front end of the scooter is reminiscent of more powerful siblings of ADV 160 including ADV 250 and ADV 350. Silhouette of the scooter looks sporty in the teaser. Like typical maxi scooters, ADV 150 gets a transmission tunnel running through the footboard thus offering a motorcycle-like riding experience. The teaser also reveals a single-piece saddle with a stepped-up seat for the pillion.Honda ADV 160 TeasedThe long tail section will be accompanied by a chunky grab rail. Other visual highlights include an upswept exhaust canister and spoke alloy wheels. Overall, styling doesn’t stray too far from the existing ADV 150. Below is the new teaser video of upcoming Honda 160cc ADV scooter.[embedded content][embedded content]Updated PowertrainA more significant update has been at its heart where the cubic capacity of its engine has been increased from 149cc to 157cc. The new ADV 160 will be powered by a 157cc single-cylinder, four-valve, liquid-cooled engine that propels other Honda scooters such as PCX 160 and the recently launched Vario 160. This unit generates 15.5 bhp at 8,500rpm and 15 Nm of peak torque at 6,500rpm.Media reports also suggest that ADV 160 will be offered with Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) system which in simple words is Traction Control. In comparison, the 149cc motor in ADV 150 churned out 13 bhp and 13.4 Nm of peak torque. Another teaser reveals that the upcoming Maxi scooter will be equipped with an esp+ technology.Honda ADV 160 TeasedHonda ADV 160 will officially make its debut later this year, although there is uncertainty regarding its launch in India as of now. It is the fourth scooter in the 160cc lineup of Honda after PCX 160, Vario 160 and Air Blade 160. If launched in India, ADV 160 will rival the likes of Yamaha Aerox 155 and Aprilia SXR 160. More

In Japan, Honda retails CB350  at JPY 5,94,000 (equivalent to INR 3.4 lakh, excluding taxes) – Where they are called GB3502022 Honda CB350 Modified Cafe Racer KitHonda Two-wheelers India marked a comeback into the retro segment by launching a true modern classic motorcycle in the form of H’Ness CB350 in September 2020. A few months later, the Japanese bikemaker introduced a sportier-looking derivative named CB350 RS in India which has also been received well by consumers.H’Ness CB350 and CB350 RS even made it to the Japanese market where they are being retailed as GB350 and GB350S. A custom-built cafe racer based on the Japanese-spec GB350 was recently unveiled at its home market. This motorcycle was showcased at the Nagoya Motorcycle Show.Honda CB350 Cafe Racer – Cosmetic UpdatesIt has been built by a Japan-based custom workshop called Active which is known for producing aftermarket accessories and modification kits for a wide range of models. The latest mod kit changes styling of the retro roadster to that of a full-blown cafe racer with aesthetics and hardware to go with it.For starters, Active has wrapped the bike in a custom dual-tone paint scheme that constitutes gloss black and grey shades. The custom bike also benefits from an aftermarket front fender with carbon fibre finish, a rear fender eliminator and a rear seat cowl which enhances its sporty appeal. It flaunts a shiny custom-built fuel tank sourced from JAMTEC which is 4 kilos lighter than the stock unit.2022 Honda CB350 Modified Cafe Racer KitErgonomics & Hardware UpdatesOverall design and shiny appearance are complemented by blacked-out forged aluminium wheels with six spokes. Along with its design, the aftermarket workshop has also tweaked the ergonomics of the motorcycle. The custom-built bike gets a sportbike-inspired triple tree and a clip-on handlebar with foldable levers that make for a sportier riding stance.To complement the low-set clip-ons, Active has added a pair of aftermarket rear-set footpegs that not only offer an aggressive riding posture but also allows better lean angles for cornering at high speeds without scraping the pegs. For further assistance, Active has upgraded the rear suspension with Hyper Pro shock absorbers that are lower than stock units and should help riders attack corners more confidently.Although no changes have been made to the frame, the workshop has added a performance damper for stiffness. The front suspension unit with telescopic forks and gaiters remains stock. While the part analog and part digital instrument console from the stock bike has been retained, the custom-built bike gets an additional small cluster on its side.2022 Honda CB350 Modified Cafe Racer KitNew Throttle KitNo modifications have been made to the engine although a new throttle kit has been installed to adjust throttle response that should make the bike a bit more responsive to throttle inputs. H’Ness CB350 is powered by a 348cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that makes 20.5 bhp at 5,500rpm and a peak torque of 30 Nm at 3,000rpm. This unit is paired with a 5-speed gearbox.SOURCE More

Honda is expected to take design inspirations from older CL series motorcycles in its past lineupHonda Scrambler – Render by Young MachineWe have said this before and we’ll say it again, the Indian motorcycle market doesn’t get enough good motorcycles that other markets get. Especially Japan. I don’t know what to say, but JDM (Japanese Domestic Market) always gets the good stuff. One such addition is the new CL300.Honda has a CB series for naked street motorcycles. They have a CBR series for faired track machines. And also CL series motorcycles that are scrambler motorcycles with retro appeal. In most cases, Honda makes CL series motorcycles that are based on street naked CB series of motorcycles. But the new CL300 is based on the Rebel series cruiser motorcycle.Honda 300cc ScramblerWe had heard about a possible Honda CL500 Scrambler was cooking in Honda’s labs. It was specifically rumored for JDM. To further fuel speculations, Honda trademarked the name CL500. Fast-forwarding to 2022, it hasn’t been materialized yet.CL500 was supposed to be a scrambler variant of the Rebel 500 cruiser. Design patents of CL500 further strengthened this speculation. There were also rumours of a CL250 that was supposed to take inspiration from 1960s CL250 with a twin-cylinder quarter-liter engine. But the modern CL250 was rumoured to be based on the new Rebel 300 cruiser.Honda Scrambler – Render based on leaked patentBut now, Honda has filed a trademark in the name of CL300 rendering CL250 rumours as false. CL300 will be a scrambler version of Honda’s popular cruiser Rebel 300 and is also likely to get the same chassis with slightly revised subframe. Engine and transmission are expected to be the same too. Honda has trademarked the name CL500 alongside CL300 in Thailand, New Zealand and Australia. This could mean that both scrambler motorcycles can be launched at once.Both CL300 and CL500 will share chassis and other hardware from Rebel 300 and Rebel 500 respectively. They might get taller seats with other bits to fit into the scrambler styling. Both CL300 and CL500 are expected to get conventional telescopic front suspension like their Rebel counterparts. Unlike the spoked wheels on the older CL series bikes, the newer CL300 and CL500 are likely to get alloy wheels like Rebel cruisers.Specs & LaunchHonda Rebel motorcycles are modern single-seat cruisers that strike the perfect balance between retro and modern cruisers. CL300 will get Rebel 300’s 286cc liquid-cooled, single-cylinder engine. It gets a 6-speed gearbox, 41mm front telescopic forks and dual shocks at the rear. CL300 gets 16” wheels wrapped with 130/90 rubber at front and 150/80 rubber at the rear. It weighs 168 kg and has a relatively small 11-litre fuel tank.Honda Scrambler – Patent leaksCL500, however, is based on Rebel 500 which gets a larger 471cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine mated to a 6-speed gearbox. It gets the same suspension, brakes and tyres as the smaller Rebel 300. It gets the same fuel tank too, but due to the larger engine, it weighs a respectable 185 kg.Honda hasn’t yet revealed the timeline for the new CL300 and CL500 launch. But both of them are expected to be JDM-specific at launch. They are trademarked in Thailand and Australia and might eventually get launched there too. Both Rebel 300 and Rebel 500 were rumoured to make it to India. But that has not happened yet. Honda is likely to trademark the CL300 and CL500 in India. If launched, it could be a rival to the likes of Yezdi Scrambler and upcoming Royal Enfield Hunter 350.Source More