Honda Bikes

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HMSI posted YoY domestic sales growth in Jan 21 boosted by that of the Activa Scooter and CB Shine while exports sales dipped 30.13 percent

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) revealed their sales figures for January 2021. The company has posted double digit growth in the past month, to 4,16,703 units, up 42,668 units as against 3,74,668 units sold in domestic markets in Jan 2020. The Honda Activa scooter, despite de-growth, was the best-selling model in the company lineup.
Honda Activa, CB Shine, Dio Domestic Sales
Honda Activa Scooter alone contributed to half of the company’s total domestic sales for January 21. Sales of the Activa stood at 2,11,660 units, down 9.84 percent as against 2,34,749 units sold in Jan 20.
The CB Shine also ended the month on a good note making it the best-selling motorcycle in the company lineup. Domestic sales of this entry level commuter motorcycle grew 73.90 percent at 1,16,222 units, up from 66,832 units sold in Jan 20. The Dio scooter was at No. 3 with sales in domestic markets at 28,914 units, down 11.45 percent as against 32,651 units sold in Jan 20.
At No. 4 on the sales charts was the Unicorn 160 with sales of 25,799 units. The Unicorn 160 BS6 was launched early last year with a more premium design, revised styling, added comfort and 160cc more powerful engine.
Honda Sales Jan 2021
Honda Dream, Grazia, Livo
Honda Dream managed a 5th spot on the list with domestic sales at 9,298 units, de-growth of 42.29 units as against 16,111 units sold in Jan 20. The Honda Grazia followed at No.6 with sales growth of 385.97 percent to 7,518 units, in the past month, up from 1,547 units sold in Jan 20. Sales of the Livo too surged by 165.97 percent to 7,338 units in Jan 21, over 2,759 units sold in the same month of the previous year.
Honda Hornet 2.0 and H’ness 350, two relatively newcomers to the company lineup saw domestic sales of 4,709 units and 3,543 units respectively while the XBlade also contributed 1,703 units to total domestic sales, up 1603 percent over just 100 units sold in Jan 20. Aviator scooter was taken off the shelves, Unicorn 150 was replaced by the Unicorn 160cc version and Hornet 160R has also been discontinued following the upgrade to BS6 emission standard.
January 2021 Exports
HMSI suffered de-growth of 30.13 percent for exports in Jan 21. Total exports stood at 20,467 units, down from 29,292 units exported in Jan 20. The Navi scooter was most in demand in global markets with 6,028 units exported, up 111.95 percent as against 2,844 units in Jan 20. Honda Navi was the most exported scooter from India during the month. The Navi scooter continues to be produced in India but is exclusively offered for export purposes.
Honda Exports Jan 2021
At No.2, exports of the Dio dipped 59.25 percent to 4,137 units in the past month, down from 10,152 units exports in Jan 20. CB Shine was in a 3rd spot with 3,558 units exported in the past month, up from 2,649 units shipped in the same month of the previous year. The Honda X-Blade and Grazia followed in quick succession at Nos. 4 and 5 and even as the X-Blade reported export growth of 50.13 percent to 2,342 units, exports of the Grazia dipped 25.24 percent to 1,256 units in the past month, down from 1,680 units shipped in Jan 20.
De-growth in terms of exports were also reported for the Honda Hornet 160R and the Livo. The Unicorn 160 also found 66.04 percent lower demand in global markets with 432 units exported last month as against 1,272 units exported in Jan 20. Even as the Honda Activa stood at No.1 in domestic sales, it, was at a 10th spot on the export list with 364 units exported in the past month, down from 784 units exported in Jan 20. The Honda H’ness 350, standing at No. 12 in terms of exports with 270 units shipped in the past month while the Unicorn 150 suffered a 50 percent de-growth with 160 units exported in Jan 20. More

2021 Honda CBR150R
The new HRC Tricolour livery on CBR150R and CBR250RR resembles Honda’s flagship faired sports bike CBR 1000RR-R SP Fireblade

The soft corner for the CBR nameplate in India is well known by all but unfortunately, the brand could not penetrate through the masses in the country and was discontinued a while later. The CBR moniker continues to grow stronger in overseas markets. Honda has now introduced two entry-level performance bikes of the CBR range in special edition variants.
Two of the most popular and affordable CBR bikes now come wrapped in a special HRC Tricolour Liveries which is usually associated with Honda’s motorsports history. In association with PT Astra, Honda has launched these special edition models of CB150R and CBR250RR SP in Indonesia.
Styling & Features
Both these motorcycles are now wrapped in Honda’s racing paint scheme of red, blue and white and hence, named Tricolour. Honda’s iconic racing Tricolour is a representation of the bikemaker’s years of dominance in motorsports.
The HRC livery is similar to the one seen in the brand’s flagship CBR 1000RR-R SP Fireblade. While performance-wise, both CBR150R and CBR250RR are no way as sporty as the litre-class monster, this new paint scheme and body graphics certainly amplify their sportiness to a greater extent, in looks of course.
2021 Honda CBR150R With HRC livery
Other than the new attire, there is no other change on either of these two faired sports bikes. They both offer common features such as a fully digital LCD instrument cluster, blacked-out designer alloy wheels as well as an all-LED lighting setup. However, being a more premium offering, CBR250RR doubles up on features such as a quick shifter, ride-by-wire and three riding modes as standard.
In terms of stylings, both CBR150R and CBR250RR get a sharp, fully-faired design with similar elements such as a muscular fuel tank, split headlight setup, an upswept exhaust, stepped-up split seats, golden-coloured front forks, a clip-on handlebar and a raised windscreen. Even the suspension setup is similar with inverted USD forks at front and a mono-shock unit. Both motorcycles are underpinned by a Diamond Truss frame.
Engine Specs & Price
Speaking of the engine specifications, CBR150R is a 149.16cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder which is good enough to return an output of 16.8 bhp and 14.4 Nm of peak torque. On the other hand, the MY2021 CBR250RR gets a heavily tweaked powertrain which features a 249.7cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin motor. This unit cranks out 41.5 bhp and 25 Nm of peak torque. Both units come mated to a six-speed gearbox with a slipper and assist clutch for smoother gear shifts.
2021 Honda CBR250RR With HRC livery
Coming to its pricing, CBR150R Tricolour is offered at a price of IDR 40,600,000 (equivalent to INR 2.09 lakh). On the other hand, CBR250RR SP Tricolour comes at a sticker price of IDR 77,300,000 (equivalent to INR 3.99 lakh). This makes both bikes slightly more expensive than their standard iterations. Unfortunately, Honda does not have any plans to launch any of these bikes in India anytime soon. More

2021 Honda CB500X
The Honda CB500X is expected to be positioned between the KTM 390 Adventure and Kawasaki Versys 650

Adventure tourers are two wheeled equivalents of SUVs, and given the world is going crazy for SUVs, we are not surprised the trend has an influence on two wheeler market as well. Of late, the Indian mid-premium motorcycle segment has been witnessing a steady inflow of adventure tourers which are very well received by the audience. So, a leading manufacturer like Honda simply can’t afford to sit back and stay indifferent to this trend, especially when it already has the right product at its disposal.
Honda CB500X coming to India
Honda’s 500 cc medium-displacement family of motorcycles come in a variety of flavors and have been significant volume generators in many international markets including Europe. A good blend of style, performance and pricing makes them highly attractive. A recent media report suggests that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is gearing up to launch the CB500X adventure tourer as early as April 2021!
With Honda working intensely on increasing the reach of BigWing premium motorcycle outlet, the adventure tourer would come as a boost to the dealer partners. We expect the Honda CB500X to be locally assembled out of CKD kits to keep the costs competitive.
Speaking of costs, the upcoming medium-displacement Honda would slot between the KTM 390 Adventure which retails at INR 3.10 lakh and Kawasaki Versys 650 which is priced at INR 6.91 lakh (both prices are ex-showroom). It terms of direct competitors, the Honda CB500X has the Benelli TRK 502 to face. A better brand recall and wider dealership network gives the Honda a definitive edge.
2019 Honda CB500X
Specifications
Powering the Honda CB500X is a 472 cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected motor which pumps out 48 hp and 43 Nm of torque. Transmission is a 6-speed automatic. The performance on offer should be adequate for long distance touring while not burning a big hole in the wallet. For reference, the European-spec motorcycle has a fuel economy rating of 28.6 kmpl as per WMTC.
Underpinned by a tubular diamond steel frame, the Honda CB500X sticks to the basics with telescopic front forks and a monoshock rear suspension. The front-heavy stance is further enhanced by a 19-inch front and 17-inch rear alloy wheels which are wrapped by 110/80 – ZR19 and 160/60 – ZR17 tyres respectively.
Braking is courtesy of a 310 mm front disc with a two-piston caliper and a 240 mm rear unit with a single-piston caliper. A dual-channel ABS system comes as a standard equipment.
Features
The Honda CB500X keeps up with the industry standards when it comes to equipment but there are no fancy electronic gadgets in the interest of keeping the price at bay. You do get LED headlamp, negative backlight LCD instrument console with trip computer, fuel economy indicator, gear position indicator, etc.

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New Honda CB350RS
Expanding the CB range, Honda has added the sportier CB350RS in the Indian market

At a time when rival Royal Enfield has a lot more options for customers in 350cc segment, it’s an onerous task for CB350 to take on the giant on its own. Things could improve in the future, as CB350 gets company in the form of CB350RS.
Built on Road Sailing (RS) concept, CB350RS is essentially a sportier version of CB350 classic roadster. To understand each motorcycle’s capabilities, here’s a quick look at the key differences between Honda CB350 vs. CB350RS.
CB350 vs. CB350RS – Design
Based on the same platform, CB350RS does look similar to CB350. However, RS is a lot more stylish, as is evident in the headlamp ring, snazzy eye-shaped LED winkers, blacked-out components, sleek tuck and roll saddle, and underseat LED tail lamp. Other key changes in RS include fork boots on front suspension and sleek grab rail, which enhance the motorcycle’s sporty profile. Another differentiating factor for RS is its skid plate and wider tyres with block pattern.
Talking about colour options, CB350 is offered in three single tone and three dual-tone colour options. CB350 DLX variant is available in Precious Red Metallic, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Pearl Night Star Black colour options. The DLX Pro variant is offered in dual-tone options of Matte Steel Black Metallic With Matte Massive Grey Metallic, Athletic Blue Metallic With Virtuous White and Pearl Night Star Black With Spear Silver Metallic.
New Honda CB350RS
In comparison, RS variant currently has only one single tone (Radiant Red Metallic) and one dual-tone (Black with Pearl Sports Yellow) colour option. It is possible that Honda may introduce new colours for RS variant at a later date based on market feedback.
CB350 vs. CB350RS – Features and powertrain
Both motorcycles share a range of features such as segment-first assist and slipper clutch, advanced digital analogue meter, and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC). The instrument panel displays battery voltage, gear position, real time mileage, average mileage and distance to empty. Features like front and rear disc brakes, ABS, half-duplex cradle frame, suspension and side stand indicator with engine inhibitor are also the same.
However, RS variant misses out on Honda Smartphone Voice Control (HSVC), which is available with CB350 DLX Pro. HSVC enables pairing with user’s smartphone via Bluetooth. It can be used for accessing features like telephony, music, and turn-by-turn navigation. Honda also sells a special headset as an accessory that can be used with DLX Pro for managing smartphone via voice commands.
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Both motorcycles use the same 350cc single cylinder, air-cooled engine that generates 21 bhp power and 30 Nm of peak torque. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
CB350 vs. CB350RS – Pricing
At Rs 1.96 lakh, CB350RS is a bit costlier. CB350 DLX and DLX Pro are priced at Rs 1,86,500 and Rs 1,92,500, respectively (ex-showroom, Delhi). More

2021 Honda Dio
Although its looks are completely different, the Japanese Dio is similar to its Indian counterpart in its engine specs

Honda Motorcycles and Scooters has launched the updated 2021 Dio in its home country. The scooter comes with a host of updates in terms of features as well as cosmetics. Even though it carries the same nomenclature, the Japanese model is in no way similar to the India-spec model.
Design
The major difference being the headlight which is mounted on its handlebar rather than its front apron is the case with the India-spec model. Its overall design is a nice blend of sporty looks and everyday practicality. It gets a wide and flat single-piece seat which looks comfortable for both the rider and pillion.
Components such as alloy wheels, exhaust muffler, footboard and tail section have been blackened out which give a sporty appeal to the scooter. In addition, it is offered in four different colour schemes including Matt Galaxy Black Metallic, Pearl Jasmine White, Descent Silver Metallic and Matt Stary Blue Metallic. The apron of the scooter receives LED DRLs instead of a headlight unit.
Features
In terms of features, Honda Dio comes with an analogue speedometer along with a digital MID in the instrument cluster. It receives an easy to read console and an immobilizer. The console reads out information such as fuel level, speed limit, distance to empty and other basic information.
2021 Honda Dio
The scooter can hold a bottle of 500ml which can be stored on the cubby hole placed at front. The company claims that the new Dio can easily fit a full-size helmet thanks to a large under-seat storage capacity of 18 litres. It also gets remote key feature.
However, at this price, Dio also misses out on a few features such as LED headlights and taillights, an external fuel filler cap and a USB charging port. Other than this, it looks like a fairly simple and everyday functional scooter.
Mechanical Specs
Mechanically, this version of Dio in Japan is very similar to its Indian counterpart carrying the same name. The Japan-spec model is also powered by a 110cc engine that makes 8.7 PS of power and 9 Nm of peak torque. Its hardware consists of a suspension setup of telescopic forks at front and a side-mounted single shock absorber at rear. Anchorage duties are handled by disc brake at front and a drum brake at rear.
In Japan, Honda retails Dio in a price range of JPY 2,23,000 (approximately INR 1.54 lakh) and JPY 2,20,00 (approximately INR 1.52 lakh). The Japanese auto giant has no plans of introducing this version of Dio to India. It currently focussed on launching a cafe racer or scrambler derivative of CB350 which will be called CB350RS. More

Honda CB350RS Teaser
Honda CB350 achieves 10k sales milestone – It comes just days before the launch of new variant of the classic roadster

Honda took its own sweet time to establish a proper presence in India’s medium displacement segment with a market-specific product. However, things are now moving at a brisk pace. The Honda CB350 retro classic roadster surpassed 10,000 unit milestone in a relatively short period even with limited number of BigWing outlets across the country. The milestone achievement comes just days ahead of the planned variant extension.
Honda CB350 sales
Since 21st October 2020 when the deliveries commenced, the CB350 has managed to clock 10,000 unit sales in just 3 months. Speaking about the motorcycle, Mr. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director – Sales & Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd., revealed that there are order backlogs in several cities and the company is working at the backend to reduce the waiting period. He also added that Honda is in the process of expanding its BigWing premium motorcycle dealership network to more cities in the months to come.
While the sales figure is no where near what its primary rival, Royal Enfield Classic, has been managing on a monthly basis despite being at the end of its life cycle, the CB350 is certainly a bright prospect for Honda.
Honda CB350 RS launching soon
Honda recently teased what looks like a cafe racer variant of the CB350 which is to be launched in India on 16th of February. We learnt that the new motorcycle will be called the Honda CB350 RS. From what is already revealed, the new variant’s styling is in-line with the Japanese brand’s RS lineup of retro-classic motorcycles.
New Teaser of the Honda CB350RS reveals LED tail light, turn indicators, and yellow colour on fuel tank
The CB350 RS will be a sportier alternative to the regular model with black accents replacing chrome treatments, and a new taillight and empennage. We can also expect different colour themes and a slightly tweaked riding position (read new handlebars) to further differentiate it from regular CB350.
As far as specifications are concerned, we don’t expect to see any drastic changes. The 348 cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine developed specifically for our market will continue to power the motorcycle. In its current guise, the motor is good for 21 hp and 30 Nm of torque, and comes paired with a 5-speed transmission. We expect the Honda CB350 RS to have identical performance figures.
Outlook
The launch of new variant, increment in production capacity and expansion of BigWing dealership network would bring in significant incremental sales for Honda’s neo-classic platform. Given the popularity, we expect the company to dish out interesting variant extensions like cafe racer, scrambler, special editions, etc., at regular intervals.
With Royal Enfield gearing up to overhaul its widely acclaimed 350 cc portfolio with new exciting products, the competition in this space is set to get very intense in the short term. It is all good news for prospective customers. More