Honda Bikes

In September, Honda 2W sales stood a little shy of Hero MotoCorp’s and takes the spot of second highest-selling 2W company in IndiaImage for representation purposeHonda Motorcycle & Scooter India PVT LTD was on the verge of overtaking Hero MotoCorp last month. But in September 2022, the gap widens more and Hero pulls ahead by a small margin. With Hero taking the lead, Honda takes the spot of second highest-selling 2W manufacturer in India.Honda sold 4,88,924 units in the country and gained 25,241 units in volume growth. The Japanese brand registered a 5.44% YoY growth. In contrast, Honda sold 4,63,683 units in September 2021. Honda 2W domestic sales account for 94.29% of the company’s total sales. With 4,23,216 units sold in August 2022, Honda saw a MoM growth of 15.23%.Honda 2W Sales September 2022Even though the company registers a small YoY growth in the domestic market, exports thrive a lot better. With 29,635 units shipped in September 2022, the company registered 62.61% YoY growth. Volume gain stood at 11,410 units with just 18,225 units shipped in September 2021. Honda’s exports account for 5.71% of the company’s total sales.While Honda shows a strong growth YoY in exports, the company registered a 24.61% drop in sales MoM. This is because of the 39,307 units that Honda shipped in August 2022. The company’s exports accounted for 8.5% last month which is reduced to 5.71% in September 2022.Honda 2W Sales September 2022Commenting on company’s positive momentum in the run-up to festivities, Mr. Atsushi Ogata, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India said, “The auto-industry registered a strong demand force in the 2nd quarter as this momentum continues to rise with the on-going festival celebration.All our dealerships are witnessing a visible rise in physical walk-ins as well as customer inquiries. With an exciting range of model line-ups across segments to choose from, we are all set to delight our customers this festive season.”In total, Honda 2W pushed out 5,18,559 units and registered 7.61% YoY growth with a volume gain of 36,651 units and 12.12% MoM growth with a volume gain standing at 56,036 units. In contrast, Honda sold 4,81,908 units in September 2021 and sold 4,62,523 units in August 2022. With popular products like Activa scooter series, Unicorn, CB Shine commuter, Dio and more, Honda is likely to push more sales in the festive season. On the premium end, Honda CB350 is also doing well in sales.YTD SalesHonda 2W sales September 2022 YTD stood at 13,14,841 units in Q3 2022. With these sales figures, Honda has gained 9.09% YoY when compared to 12,05,296 units pushed out in Q3 2021 with a volume gain standing at 1,09,545 units. When compared to Q2 of 2022, Honda registered a solid growth of 32.13% QoQ when compared to just 9,95,136 units pushed out in Q2 2022. Volume gain stood at 3,19,705 units in Q3 2022 over Q2 of 2022. More

Honda XRE 300 gets a 291.6 cc single-cylinder motor that is capable of generating 26 hp of peak power and 27 Nm of peak torque2022 Honda XRE 300Honda seems to be shying away from launching proper enthusiast vehicles in India. Instead of CRF190L, we got CB200X to compete with Hero XPulse 200 4V. Not just that, we never got one motorcycle of Honda’s XRE series as well. That doesn’t mean that Honda will never launch one.Recently, a Honda XRE 300 ADV has been spied on in India beside BMW G 310 GS and KTM 390 Adventure. This is not the first time XRE 300 is making an appearance. We have seen XRE 300 getting patented in India in 2017. In 2021, XRE 300 was updated for markets like Brazil to compete against Royal Enfield Himalayan and Yamaha XTZ 250. Looking at the ADV on Indian soil again, one can not help but wonder, will it launch? We don’t know the answer to that just yet. But we can tell you why it would be a good product in HMSI’s arsenal.Honda XRE 300 ADV Spied in IndiaXRE 300 ADV borrows a lot of design cues from Honda’s flagship ADV Africa Twin. Right from its fairing and the colour schemes, XRE 300 is reminiscent of Africa Twin. Unlike other premium ADVs which get trail riding capabilities at best, XRE 300 is a proper off-roader. To make it a worthy off-roader, Honda has given it a lot of kit.Primary among these are, long-travel front telescopic suspension, rear mono-shock, 21” spoked wheel at front, 18” spoked wheel at the rear, high mounted exhaust, a front beak, abundant ground clearance and many more. The seating position is tall and the handlebar is placed at an optimum to offer relaxed ergonomics even when standing.Honda 300cc ADV Spied In IndiaHonda XRE 300 ADV gets a slightly inclined fully digital instrument cluster. This angle makes it fall in rider’s peripheral vision at all times. Something similar has been seen on upcoming Royal Enfield Himalayan 450 as well. Seat looks adequately comfortable for both rider and pillion. There is a rack to mount the top box behind the seat.Specs & LaunchPowering the Honda XRE 300 is a 291.6 cc single-cylinder, DOHC, air-cooled motor that is capable of generating 26 hp of peak power and 27 Nm of peak torque. This engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. It gets disc brakes at both ends along with Dual-channel ABS as standard. When viewed head-on, it comes off as handsome. Especially when compared to the Royal Enfield Himalayan.The silver finish on the engine case and telescopic suspension give out retro vibes. It gets the same set of tyres as found on Xpulse 200 which are 90/90-21 at front and 120/80-18 at the back. Honda XRE 300 ADV is also capable of running on Ethanol fuel. Dubbed as FlexOne tech, XRE 300 is flex-fuel ready.2022 Honda XRE 300HMSI has not revealed any info regarding this ADV officially. However, there is a possibility for the launch as ADV segment has heated up considerably. We have Royal Enfield Himalayan, Yezdi Adventure, KTM 390 Adventure, BMW G 310 GS and XPulse 200 4V at lower end. We also have the upcoming Himalayan 450 and Xpulse 400. More info is likely to follow soon.Source More

Honda 2W sales are mostly driven by Activa here in India like clockwork with a 52.25% share of total Honda domestic salesImage for referenceHonda Motorcycles & Scooters India is one of the most valuable motorcycle companies in the world. Due to its immense volume generated from domestic sales as well as exports, Honda is just a little shy of beating Hero MotoCorp, which is revered as the highest-selling motorcycle company in India for a long time.India is one the largest 2W market in the world and is of stark importance to establish dominance. Honda sold 4,23,226 units here in India with a 21,746 unit volume gain and registered 5.42% YoY growth with 4,01,480 units sold in August 2021. Not too shabby. With Activa at the helm, Honda is able to put out a lot of volumes and drive numbers forward.Honda Activa series sold 2,21,143 units registering a solid 8.05% YoY growth with volume gain standing at 16,484 units. It commands 52.25% of total Honda sales in India. Next is CB Shine with a 28.39% share. It sold 1,20,139 units and registered a de-growth of 7.53% YoY and lost 9,787 units. After the two heavy lifters, next is Dio with just 29,714 units sold and seeing 10.47% YoY growth.Honda Domestic Sales Breakup Aug 2022Unicorn 160 commuter bike has re-gained popularity in recent times and registered 341.12% YoY growth with 25,051 units sold. Unicorn accounts for 5.92% of total Honda sales in India. At 5th and 6th place are Livo and Dream which register 10.93% and 16.74% de-growth YoY. Royal Enfield rivaling CB350 sold 3,714 units and registered 254.73% YoY growth.Honda Domestic Sales – August 2022Hornet 2.0 and X-Blade stand at 8th and 9th place with 143.96% and 2034% YoY growth respectively. Sales stand at 1,010 units and 929 units respectively. Newly launched XPulse 200 rival, CB200X faux ADV sold 404 units. Honda’s CB300R seems to have resurrected from the dead as it only sold 1 unit in Aug 2021 and sold 258 units in August 2022 with 25,700% YoY growth.CBR650R sold 33 units in India and fell in the red with a 10.81% YoY drop. At the bottom, we have Grazia 125 scooter, Africa Twin ADV, CB500X and Gold Wing that didn’t garner any sales. Most surprising is Grazia 125 which sold 8,618 units last year.Honda Exports Breakup Aug 2022Motorcycle X scooter hybrid, Navi tops Honda’s exports. Honda exported 11,934 units of Navi while registering 114.25% YoY growth. Navi makes 30.76% of total Honda exports. Dio is in 2nd spot with 10,701 units shipped, registering 105.31% growth with a decent 27.22% of total exports. CB Shine is well received globally and sees 32.33% YoY growth with 3,414 units shipped.Honda Exports – August 2022X-Blade stands at 4th place and shipped 3,348 units while witnessing a 19.60% drop YoY. However, Dream commuter shipped 2,892 units and saw 57.86% growth YoY with 7.36% of Honda’s total exports. Unicorn isn’t chased as much in global markets and witnesses a 9.09% drop in sales.Livo shipped 1,500 units in August 2022. Grazia and Hornet 160R are not well received globally like last year and registered a 45.12% and 57.00% drop in sales YoY. Honda has shipped 800 Aviators while it is discontinued in India. Even though Activa is a coup de grace here in India, it is not a popular product globally. With just 392 units shipped, Activa exports dropped 36.16%.Showing appearance on export charts, we have CB350 with just 1 unit shipped with a 99.88% drop YoY. In total, Honda shipped 39,307 units while registering 30.53% YoY growth with 9,193 units gained in volumes. One trend to be highlighted is that Honda budget commuters are seeing a decline steadily while Hero is lapping up aggressively. More

Payment systems need to be fully automated to reduce the risk of unwanted liabilities arising from human error and misjudgementHonda Activa Owner Charged Rs 55,000 At Petrol PumpWith hard cash, the usual set of problems faced include shortage of smaller denomination currency notes, risk of counterfeit notes, torn/soiled notes, etc. Digital payments have done away with all such issues, but some new ones have been created in the process. Payments getting stuck, account debited but not credited and weak network signal are among the most common.At locations where the amount needs to be entered manually, there’s always the risk of human error. A recent example involves a Honda Activa owner who was charged Rs 55,000 instead of Rs 550. The incident occurred at a Shell fuel pump in Thane, Maharashtra. Thankfully, the matter was resolved amicably, with the owner getting the refund on the same day.What Happened?After filling the fuel tank of his Honda Activa, the owner made the payment by scanning the QR code shown by the fuel pump attendant. He made the payment via Google Pay. Once the payment was made, he was surprised to see the amount that was debited from his account. The amount was to be about Rs 550. But instead, the fuel pump attendant had by mistake generated QR code for Rs 55,000.Attendants at fuel pumps have to process hundreds of payments every day. Depending on the location, a significant percentage of these are digital payments. At most fuel stations, the amount has to be entered manually on the handheld POS machine. As number of transactions is quite high, the risk of human error is always present. Moreover, attendants are under pressure, as they have to ensure that the exact amount is entered.Honda Activa Owner Charged Rs 55,000 at petrol pumpEntering the wrong amount on the POS machine can also be due to lack of proper training and awareness. Newer machines that display a QR code for making payment are relatively easier to use as compared to older versions. Newer POS machines utilize capacitive touchscreens, as compared to the button keys of older generation POS machines. Newer POS machines also have larger and clearer displays.Despite these factors, the Activa owner was still overcharged. It is not clear what exactly led to this error. As newer POS machines offer smartphone-like clarity, it is difficult to tag this incident as a casual error. On their part, users can avoid such incidents by taking a look at the amount displayed on the POS machine screen before making the payment.Integration of fuel pump and POS machinesTo avoid incidents of overcharging, the human element needs to be completely eliminated. Fuel pumps need to be connected wirelessly to the POS machines, so that the amount shown is always equal to the value of fuel dispensed. Something similar has already been implemented at various retail outlets, where POS machines automatically fetch the amount from the bill generated. As no manual entry is involved, the risk of charging less or more is completely eliminated.Petrol pump transferred the excess amount back via NEFT to Honda Activa ownerCurrent-gen POS machines that display QR code for payment can also be improved by displaying the amount more prominently. As of now, the QR code takes most of the space and the amount is displayed in a corner in small font. If the amount is displayed more clearly, users can immediately spot a wrong entry. More

2023 Honda CBR250RR makes 4 bhp more than the outgoing model which was not launched in India2023 Honda CBR250RRHonda is known for its quality and reliability worldwide. So much so that it has a cult following even here in India. Honda is one of the most valuable motorcycle companies in the world right now when considering sales and production in all global markets combined.In India, Honda is known for scooters with Activa range while Hero MotoCorp still holds the strings in motorcycle department. Honda’s CBR range is generally reserved for sporty faired motorcycles. Of these, the quarter-litre CBR motorcycles offer the right balance of performance and frugality.India got CBR250R back in the day. But right now, fully-faired sporty motorcycles by Honda are a rare breed in India. With CBR650R currently the cheapest offering that costs around Rs. 9.5 lakh (ex-sh). Indonesia gets a revised 2023 Honda CBR250RR which would have been a good seller in India. Let’s take a look.2023 Honda CBR250RRIn Honda’s terminology, more R means sportier and more performance. First unveiled in 2016 in global markets, Honda CBR250RR was well received. Honda is keeping the product fresh by updating it for MY2023. This update not only brings fresher design, but Honda has also fettled with its engines to extract a few more ponies.2023 Honda CBR250RRComing to the looks department first, it is a sharp-looking animal. 2023 Honda CBR250RR gets an all-new fairing which is slightly more aggressive than previous design. Rest of the body panels along with its rear seat cowl are also new. Graphics and colour schemes are new for MY2023 too. LED lighting is standard and turn indicators are housed on top of headlights.In terms of componentry, 2023 CBR250RR now gets front USD forks finished in gold colour. These are Showa SFF-BP (Separate Fork Function – Big Piston), while the rear suspension is taken care of by a mono-shock, mounted on an aluminium swingarm. At 1,385 mm, the wheelbase is now 4mm smaller and allows the bike to tip into corners better.Engine & RivalsComing to its engine, it is a single-cylinder unit that displaces 249.7cc. With a reworked engine head, Honda has managed to crank up the compression ratio slightly. This allows the 2023 Honda CBR250RR to make 42 PS of power at 13,000 RPM and 25 Nm of torque at 11,000 RPM. With the 2020 model, performance figures were 40 PS and 25 Nm.2023 Honda CBR250RROther features include Dual Channel ABS, three riding modes, a quick shifter, slipper clutch, and dual pod exhaust among others. With a 14.5L fuel tank, 2023 Honda CBR250RR weighs 168 kg. This yields good power:weight ratio. Honda offers five colours namely Bravery Red Black, Mystique Blue, Mat Gunpowder Black Metallic, Black Freedom, and Honda Tricolour.Price is not yet revealed by Honda. If launched in India, with this power figure, it will take on KTM RC 390, BMW G 310 RR, Apache RR 310, and the likes. HMSI has not revealed any details about this motorcycle coming to our shores. We are hopeful, regardless. More

Honda upcoming 100cc bike is coming in 2023 and is highly likely to be the company’s first new offering of 2023Honda CD 110 – For ReferenceIt is a known fact that Honda is a top name in the Indian scooter market. With Activa in its arsenal, Honda is practically unmatched. To put it into context, Activa alone accounts for more than 50 percent of Honda’s total sales. If you take top 10 best-selling scooters in India, Activa sells almost as much as the rest of the nine contestants combined. In the global two wheeler market, India plays a leading role for Honda bringing in lakhs of units in sales each month.Honda doesn’t enjoy the same monopoly when it comes to best-selling motorcycles. That is because Hero MotoCorp has always been the champion in this era. With Splendor range of budget bikes, Hero has unmatched popularity among rural customers. This is where Honda is currently falling short. This is where Honda is planning to chart a stronger path forward.Honda Upcoming 100cc BikeThis development is in the form of a 100cc bike to challenge Splendor. Right now, Honda’s lowest capacity commuter motorcycle engine is a 110cc unit (109.51cc) that does duties on CD 110 Dream and Livo. Above these are Honda Shine and SP 125 which come with a 125cc engine.However, its arch-rival, Hero offers a 100cc platform (97.2cc) which promises more frugality. Something which target audiences appreciate. This engine is offered with HF Deluxe and Splendor Plus, which is the highest-selling motorcycle in the country.Hero Splendor Plus XTECSpeaking at 62nd annual convention of SIAM, HMSI CEO and MD, Atsushi Ogata revealed that Honda’s upcoming product is a 100cc budget commuter motorcycle. He further revealed that this 100cc commuter will be Honda’s first product in 2023. Honda upcoming 100cc bike will take Honda’s reachability even further and is expected to be well received in India. Honda is also planning to launch over 10 new EVs globally.Atsushi Ogata also stressed that for rural use where short-distance riding is the norm, 125cc and upcoming 100cc models will do better. This market is not too hot for EVs as budget and versatility is the deciding factor here. With a well-tuned suspension and a good frame, this new platform might yield good fruits to Honda and close in the marginal gap that it currently has behind Hero.Specs and PricingCurrently, Honda’s 125cc platform, which consists of Shine and SP125 is powered by a 124cc engine that makes around 10.6 bhp of power and 11 Nm of torque. Shine gets a 4-speed gearbox. While SP125 gets a 5-speed unit. This category of motorcycles offer around 60 km/l of fuel economy in the real world too.Its arch-rival Splendor Plus and HF Deluxe get a 97.2cc engine that is capable of making around 8 bhp of power and 8.05 Nm of torque. This engine is only coupled to a 4-speed gearbox. This platform is even more frugal and offers around 65+ km/l fuel efficiency. Honda upcoming 100cc bike might also make power and torque figures around the same ballpark.HF Deluxe pricing starts from Rs. 54K and Splendor Plus start from around Rs. 70K and comes packed with features like XTec connectivity too. While CD 110 Dream starts at around Rs. 70K and Livo start from Rs. 75K. With an aggressive price point, Honda upcoming 100cc bike may make a dent in Splendor sales. Apart from Splendor Plus and HF Deluxe, it will also compete with Bajaj Platina too.Source More

Honda is currently not selling any EVs or flex fuel products in India which is set to change starting from 2023Image for illustration purpose.With just 85 units short, Honda India lost to Hero MotoCorp in overall (domestic+export) sales in August 2022. Both companies are also branching out to incorporate EVs into their portfolio. Hero is likely to launch its Vida branded electric scooter by the end of this year and Honda has revealed that it will launch an electric scooter in 2023.Honda is launching 10 new electric 2W vehicles or more by the end of 2025. These 10 or more EVs are to include a wide variety of segments. Not just that, alongside these 10 EVs, Honda will also launch flex-fuel motorcycles as soon as 2023. India is also under radar for some of these offerings. Let’s take a look.Honda New LaunchesHonda is launching 10 new electric 2W vehicles or more by the end of 2025. This is Honda’s plan toward an EV future and attaining carbon neutrality. Coming from Honda, this is big news as this motorcycle is arguably the most influential motorcycle company in the world.Honda has teamed up with other three Japanese “Big 4” (Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha) into a consortium in 2019 towards a uniform standard for batteries, charging stations and a few other EV components. This will significantly bring usability and ease for general consensus. For example, Apple sticking to lightning ports on few of their products is just a pain in the wrong place for everyone.Honda New Fun EVsThe Japanese brand also has a similar consortium regarding swappable battery standards with brands from the old continent like Piaggio and KTM. Honda’s 10 or more new EVs will be offered in the form of mopeds and bicycles, commuters and “fun” EVs. These models will be launched between now and 2025 with a few mopeds, bicycles and commuters to see the light of the day first.Honda New EVs Global LineupHonda has big ambitions of at least 1 million unit sales by 2025 and 3.5 million unit sales by 2030. With proper planning and marketing, Honda is likely to achieve its roadmap. Honda is calling its powertrain and control units Monozukuri and is likely to spawn on these upcoming EVs.Flex Fuel BikesSome of these EVs will also make it to India. One of them will be an electric scooter which is likely to get Activa in its name. Honda India recently patented a hub motor in India which is likely to fall on this product and future products too. In terms of batteries, Honda is likely to push swappable battery tech both here in India and globally.Honda New Launches – EV PowertrainHonda’s “fun” EVs are less likely to be launched in India though. Also, electric mopeds and bicycles are a lot more feasible for India. Honda is working on solid-state batteries that have superior battery chemistry and are also known to be safer. But mass-producing solid-state batteries are the only thing that is a fly in the ointment.Coming to flex fuel bikes, India is likely to be under Honda’s radar as we already use 10% ethanol blended fuels. These flex fuel bikes will be able to run on 20% ethanol and by 2025, Honda might also develop engines that can run on 100% ethanol too. India is set to roll out 20% ethanol blend fuels in select states in 2023. More

Honda currently has products in most engine capacities and also segments, and is pushing sales envelope further2022 Honda ADV ScooterHonda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) is currently the second highest-selling 2W manufacturer in India. But in the month of August, Honda pushed on and in a nail-biting fight with Hero for the top spot in overall sales (domestic + exports), Honda just fell short by 85 units only. Just 85 units!Honda sold 4,23,216 units domestically in the month of August while Hero sold 4,50,740 units in the same time. But Honda exported 39,307 units while Hero only exported 11,868 units. When added up, Hero sold 4,62,608 units while Honda sold 4,62,523 units. Just 85 units short which is commendable. Good luck next time champ.Honda Upcoming BikesAccording to reports, Honda is expected to launch 3 new products in the Indian market to close the gap on Hero even more domestically. Those three products are said to fall in 125cc scooter segment, 160cc segment and the 300cc to 350cc segment.If we look at the 150cc to 200cc bikes segment, Honda doesn’t have a trendy name to rely on. Bajaj has the ever-expanding Pulsar brand, TVS has Apache brand and Yamaha has FZ brand. These brands have massive cult following which Honda’s Unicorn and Hornet have not been able to spawn.Honda Scrambler 350cc – Render based on leaked patent by Young MachineBut looking at recent sales trends, Unicorn 160 sold 11,203 units in July 2022 while it only sold 1,906 units on June 2022. Hornet 2.0 sold 1,240 units in July 2022 while it only sold 79 units in June 2022. There is a huge potential in the 160cc – 180cc space which rivals like Bajaj and TVS are making use of. When launched, it will take on Pulsar N160, Apache RTR 160 4V and the likes.But when it comes to scooters, Honda is the undisputed champion. With heavy lifters like Activa brand in its bag, there is no real threat for Honda’s scooters. But to keep the winning streak going, Honda seems to be launching a 125cc scooter. We hope it is a maxi-styled scooter though as that is the one segment Honda has still not ventured into.300cc – 350cc BikesIn 200cc to 500cc category, there is no beating Royal Enfield. In July 2022, Royal Enfield alone took the first five spots with 48,840 units combined. With the launch of Hunter 350, sales numbers are likely to go off the roof. But at the same time, Honda only sold 2,120 units in that month contributed by CB350.Honda ADV 160cc for India?Honda recently launched CB300F and going by Honda’s previous launches, we can expect a CB300X ADV based on it. This would take on BMW G 310 GS, KTM 390 Adventure and the likes. Honda has also trademarked the name Brigade which is believed to be a special edition of CB350.Together, in the coming year, Honda is expected to launch at least 3 products to push sales envelopes further. Even though Honda scooters are fantastic for sales charts, motorcycles are not compelling when compared to rivals in terms of pricing strategies. With better pricing, Honda can definitely take on Hero in terms of overall sales. More