The upcoming only scooter plant is located in Gujarat and will be operational by 2015, churning out 1.2 million units of scooters annually of the domestic market. Honda continues to bet on the Activa.

The only scooter plant will be operational by end of 2015 employing 3000 people

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter (HMSI) has laid the foundation of its upcoming manufacturing facility in Gujarat that will be exclusively producing only scooters for the domestic market. With automatic scooters being a major growth driver for the Japanese manufacturer, the sales have catapulted the company’s fortunes in the country. The new facility will churn out 1.2 million units every year to address the rising demand for scooters seen in recent times. Honda’s current scooter range comprises of the Activa series, Dio and Aviator models.

Located in Vithalapur, Gujarat, Honda’s new only scooter facility is spread across 250 acres and is around 80 kms from Ahmedabad city. Attracting an investment of Rs. 1100 crores, the plant will be operational by the end of 2015 and will employ over 3000 personnel within the first two years of production. In addition, the new facility will be taking Honda’s annual production capacity to an overall 5.8 million units with the rest coming from Haryana (1.6 million units), Rajasthan (1.2 million units) and Karnataka (1.8 million units) plants.

Eyeing total global sales of 18.5 million units this financial year, Honda is expecting India to contribute 25 percent to total global sales. The Indian arm contributed over 20 percent to global sales in the last financial year which stood at 17 million units. Scooter sales have shown immense growth in recent years with the market share growing to 29 percent during the current fiscal. The scooter market now comprises 27 percent of the total Indian two-wheeler space and is expected to escalate further. Honda too added that the scooter demand in the country is expected to go up to 35 percent in the next 5-10 years.

Honda’s annual total production capacity will increase to 5.8 million units

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The 2015 Honda Goldwing is here to clear sales before the new model arrives within the next two years. Although showcased in India at the Auto Expo, Honda has no plans to launch it in the domestic market.

The Anniversary edition of the Goldwing is here to boost sales

The 2015 Honda Goldwing has been announced by Honda and this time it’s the 40th Anniversary Edition. This model is very important to the customers mostly in America and around the world as it is truly an icon even in India. When this model was introduced in 1975, it revolutionized the touring around the world. All 2015 Honda Goldwing motorcycles will sport a commemorative 40th Anniversary emblem on the headrest, seat and other panels to make this edition look special.

The 2015 Honda Goldwing will be available in a new two-tone Candy Red and Black version, Light Silver Metallic and Black version. The Gold wing now also comes with black wheels, chassis, fork, swingarm and exhausts as well. The F6B, a model range in the Goldwing is getting cruise control, has a shorter windscreen than the Gold Wing and narrower bodywork than before. In European models, the F6B will be getting reverse gear as standard equipment, making it easier for riders to maneuver the bike (which is sub 400 kg) in and around town and at parking pace.

The Goldwing now comes with a lighter 6-cylinder 1832cc, 2 valve, SOHC engine which produces 118 BHP of power at 5500 RPM and 167 Nm of torque 4000 RPM and weighs around 392 kgs. The bikes come with a 25 litre fuel tank and gives a mileage of 15 km/l in the USA fuel efficiency cycle. Surprisingly the bike continues to have a 5-speed gearbox despite being a huge powerplant in this age. As always these models are not coming to India and will be sold quickly everywhere else. Honda is all set to revive the bike yet again after fierce competition from BMW and other competitors which are more advanced and have six cylinder engines.

Cruise control is now an option on a bike which it deserved long time back itself

Black out exhaust, frame and other bits make it look sportier

Candy red color is a brand new color to choose from

Embossing on the seats to remind you of the special edition

Key also has the anniversary embossing

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The new Honda RC213V-S is the road-going version of the championship RC213V MotoGP bike and has been developed with inputs from several MotoGP riders.

Power will come from the 1000cc in-line V4 engine producing over 200 HP

Easily one of the most anticipated unveils at the Milan EICMA Show this year, Honda has finally debuted the RC213V-S or better known as the road going prototype of the RC213V MotoGP bike. With inputs coming from several MotoGP riders, the RC213V-S is the closest you can come to riding a class MotoGP bike for an exorbitantly high price that is worth every penny. Heavily inspired from the RC213V, the road going version essentially looks the same, albeit with license plates and lights.

Developed by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) and Honda Motor, the Japanese manufacturer has used carbon fibre extensively in the making of the RC213V-S. While the specifications have not been revealed as yet, you can expect the 1000cc in-line, V4 engine to do duty, churning out over 200 HP of soul crushing power. In addition, the road going model will also get several technologies including suspension, gearbox as well as driver aid electronic systems like slide control and launch control to keep the supersports bike planted at audaciously high speeds.

Celebrating 100 years of the EICMA show, Honda showcased the RC213V-S in two versions with the show bike painted in the Japanese flag livery, while the functioning model was ridden on to the stage by Honda’s MotoGP rider and world champion Marc Marquez sporting complete carbon fibre clothing. In addition to the RC213V-S, the manufacturer has also showcased the Honda Africa off-road motorcycle prototype at the show. No word on the production version has been announced yet for the RC213V-S.

The RC213V-S is based on the 2013 RC213V MotoGP winner

The RC213V-S makes use of extensive carbon fibre for the body

The RC213V-S has been developed by Honda Racing Corporation

Specifications have not been announced as yet of the prototype

The RC213V-S show model has been wrapped in Japanese flag livery

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The Honda Bros packs a 162.7cc single-cylinder engine that could make it to India on the 160cc motorcycle that the Japanese auto giant has been working on for quite some time now.

The Honda Bros 160 is an on-off motorcycle & will not come to India

The largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the Latin American nation, Honda unveiled the new generation Bros 160 (the Hero Impulse is the same bike) on-off road motorcycle for the Brazilian market. A striking model visually with minimalistic styling, long forks and off-road tyres, the Bros 160 certainly packs in all the essentials to trail the rough terrains of Brazil with utmost ease. All said, what makes us inquisitive about the new Bros 160 is its engine that could possibly make it to India in a completely different model.

The Honda Bros 160 uses an all-new 162.7cc single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected flex-fuel engine that produces 14.7 PS of power and 14.31 Nm of torque when running on ethanol and 14.5 PS and 15.69 Nm of torque when running solely on petrol, while paired to a 5-speed gearbox. With Honda India’s upcoming motorcycle said to be a 160cc offering, it could be possible that the new bike will be using the same 162.7cc motor on the upcoming bike, only in the petrol state.

To be positioned above the Honda CB Trigger, the new 160cc offering could use the same engine tuned to offer more performance. Set to compete against the Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ 2.0, the upcoming Bajaj Pulsar 150 NS, TVS Apache RTR 160 and the Hero Xtreme, the new Honda 160 will have to pack in a sporty punch coupled with attractive pricing to make it big in the premium end of the 150cc segment. While the Bros 160 comes with fuel-injection, it will be interesting to see if Honda offers the same in India as well. An engine kill switch will be appreciated this time round.

The new Honda 160 motorcycle has been a well kept secret with not even test mules spotted yet. Reports in the past have suggested that the bike will get street-fighter styling and will come with a standard rear disc, while CBS is expected to be optional. A major product for Honda India, the new offering might just change the company’s failures in the premium end of the 150cc segment. While a launch was expected some time this month, it now seems that Honda will bring the new bike only by early next year.

The 162.7cc engine however to could be offered on the upcoming Honda 160 bike

The new bike could share certain mechanicals too with the Bros 160

No confirmation on the powertrain has come from Honda yet

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The 2015 Honda CB125F gets a sportier stance and comes with an updated motor that will help the bike retain its bestselling tag in the 125cc segment.

The CB125F takes inspiration from the bigger CB models from Honda’s lineup

Even though the middle-weight performance segment has been showing strong growth rates over the past few years, the lower and more affordable 125cc commuter segments have always been showing consistent sales for most mainstream manufacturers across the globe. Honda has made sure to continue its concentrated efforts in this mass market segment and unveiled the new generation 2015 Honda CB125F commuter motorcycle for Europe.

Succeeding the Honda CBR125, the new 2015 CB125F comes with an all-new styling that takes inspiration from the bigger CB street fighter motorcycles including the CB300F and CB500F. The motorcycle comes with multi-reflector headlamp and angular side fenders that manage to provide a poised yet aggressive stance on the CB125F. Honda says that the bike has been designed for urban commuting and beginner friendliness with the focus on providing strong low and mid-range for improved throttle response for ease in riding in urban conditions.

In terms of mechanicals, the Honda CB125F gets updated with a new 124.7cc air-cooled, fuel-injected single-cylinder engine that makes lesser power than the outgoing version. The new motor churns out 10.5 HP at 7750 RPM, a whole 6 percent drop over the outgoing model, while torque has been reduced to 11.25 Nm at 6250 RPM witnessing a drop of 9 percent. In addition, Honda has also added a new balancer shaft for reduced vibrations, while the fuel economy rated at 42.69 km/l (EU riding cycle) on the bike. The bike uses a new steel frame and rides on new 18-inch rims.

Suspension duties on the other hand come from 31 mm telescopic forks at the front and dual rear shocks with 5-step preload adjustability set-up at the rear. Honda says that the new CB125F comes from a fresh gene pool, while it maintains the previous model’s core strengths offering a good build quality, ease of use and a contemporary new look. The Japanese manufacturer will be launching the model next year across Europe in four colours namely yellow, red, black and white. Prices will be announced closer to the launch date.

The bike gets a comprehensively revised instrument console

The detuned engine on the 2015 CB125F is said to offer better performance

The CB125F comes with multi-reflector headlights

The bike gets updated with 18-inch multi-spoke alloy wheels

The new engine has been tuned to offer improved low and mid-range performance

Honda will commence sales of the CB125F from next year onward

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Honda has launched two variants of the Gold Wing in India to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the grand touring motorcycle which will compete with Harley-Davidson offerings in our country.

Is that a motorcycle? Yes it is a very luxurious one, the Honda Gold Wing

Honda showcased the Gold Wing at the 2014 Auto Expo and has launched the motorcycle in India, priced from Rs. 28.5 lakhs. The automaker is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the iconic touring bike and the GL1800 model is offered in two variants – Gold Wing Audio Comfort and Gold Wing Airbag. Yes you read that right, the Gold Wing comes with a rider airbag. While the standard version is offered in dual-tone candy prominence red colour, the airbag variant comes in pearl glare white shade.

Powering the Honda Gold Wing is a 1832cc, flat-six engine which outputs 118 PS of power at 5500 RPM with a peak torque of 167 Nm. However, it’s really the equipment on board which makes the Gold Wing stand out. This luxury Honda 2-wheeler offering has a luggage capacity of 150-litres thanks to the large panniers while a surround-sound audio system with 6-speakers is also offered that connects to an iPod, iPhone or USB. Other features include CBS, ABS, cruise control and also a slow speed electric reverse gear!

The Honda Gold Wing is underpinned by a twin-spar aluminium frame and a single-sided Pro-Arm swingarm. The bike also gets 5-position heated grips, foot warming and heated seats which are independently adjustable. While the Gold Wing price range starts at Rs. 28.50 lakhs, the airbag variant costs Rs. 31.50 lakhs (all prices ex-showroom, Delhi), making it very expensive. With Honda launching products showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo, the lower capacity CBRs too seem on the anvil (Honda showcased the CBR500R to gauge response of the 300R’s styling).

The Honda Gold Wing made its India debut at the 2014 Auto Expo earlier this year

Too many buttons on the Gold Wing make it a busy cockpit

Long and heavy bike also gets a reverse gear, that’s right, REVERSE gear

If you want to travel in utmost comfort, the Gold Wing is a nice but expensive option

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Honda’s cumulative worldwide motorcycle production reached the 300 million unit milestone with the 300 millionth vehicle produced being the 2015 Gold Wing at the company’s facility in Japan.

The Dream Type-D was Honda’s first mass market offering in Japan in 1949

Selling motorcycles in Japan since 1949, Honda announced a significant milestone of achieving cumulative worldwide motorcycle production of 30,00,00,000 units. The milestone was celebrated in a ceremony held at the automaker’s Kumamoto factory, its primary motorcycle production plant in Japan, while the 300 millionth model to be rolled out was the highly capable 2015 Gold Wing from the facility.

It took 66 years for Honda to produce 300 million motorcycles over the years, having begun production in 1949 with its first mass market offering the Dream Type-D. The Japanese auto giant soon found acceptance in other markets and commenced international operations at the Belgium facility in 1963, moving on later to the Americas and Africa. Over the years, Honda has expanded through several markets across the globe with local production being its mainstay based on the company’s commitment to build products close to the customer.

Honda is currently producing motorcycles at 33 plants in 22 countries around the world. Out of the total production, Asia has contributed the most to the milestone with 180 million units sold across the continent, which is around 60 percent of its total production. In the Indian context, Honda was one of the early entrants into the then nascent two-wheeler market. For 25 years, the company ruled the roost with partner Hero and most recently parted ways, establishing its own set-up in the country.

At present Honda enjoys the title of being the second largest two-wheeler company in India after Hero with the Activa scooter being the company’s second largest selling model in the world. Despite India being one of the premier markets for the Japanese manufacturer, the company has time and again failed to provide for something known as the engine kill switch on its range of offerings. A small switch that is found on the right handle stalk, the feature is too basic to be ignored, yet significant enough to make its absence felt. While we congratulate Honda on the marvellous achievement, we also expect the company to take customer feedback a bit more seriously.

The Honda Activa is the company’s second largest selling model globally

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Bikes like the Honda CBR400R are limited to Japan and won’t be launched elsewhere

Honda has taken a major leap in the expansion of the quarter-litre segment as the Japanese maker announced that the induction of a new production line at its Karawang plant (Indonesia) will churn out an additional 5,00,000 units annually. With the induction of the new line, the volume of the Karawang plant is raised to 1.6 million units per year. Currently Honda produces 5.3 million bikes in the country.

The new line will purely be dedicated to sports bikes, and chances of utilising the line for 250cc ones are high because of the norms in Indonesia. The reason is not unknown to auto-enthusiasts; but if you don’t then here it goes. Indonesia is one of the most important motorcycle markets in the world and the local government charges a tax of 60% on bikes with engine capacity greater than 250cc; and 75% on those above half litre. Just like India, the import duty is huge but comparatively less at 60%. So an imported motorbike with larger engine capacity (>500cc) would cost almost thrice than the original one.

So one might be thinking ‘what is the big deal’? Companies do increase their productivity based on demand; so what’s so special about this plant?

Indonesia wasn’t a great market then but is certainly (as mentioned) a very important one for bike manufacturers. With local norms choking the entry of higher capacity bikes; the manufacturers are looking at a way through which they can expand their market share by exploiting the 250cc segment. If one rewinds the reel, it will be pretty evident that companies waged wars in the market especially with their 250cc bikes. The beautifully carved bikes housed four-cylinders with engines revving up to 20,000 RPM and we feel that those days are coming back.

The Indonesian market has grown aggressively and the young blood is looking for something apart from hi-tech electronics. After all, even the best electronics cannot yield beast power from kittens. With rumours spreading of Kawasaki working on a 250cc four-cylinder sports-bike, one can surely tell that the power generated by the four-cylinder mill will be close to 45 PS or even close to 50. Sooner or later, Kawasaki will launch the 250cc sports bikes starting with Indonesia; and the trend may creep to the rest of the world. So is Honda foolish to invest millions of dollars on bikes which may not be in a position to compete with fellow quarter-litre monsters in the coming future? Now the question arises if Honda has plans to work on a 250cc quad-cylinder engine or has Honda already commenced with that project? Well only the company personnel can reveal that.

Though there are few grey markets for 250cc segment motorcycles such as Europe; we believe that the rest of the world is enough for the companies to target.

The CBR250R is still sold in Indonesia but replaced by CBR300R globally

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The low-cost motorcycle will be locally developed at Honda’s R&D facility and will be using cost reduction measures through technology intervention to keep the price competitive.

The low cost motorcycles will help Honda capture a larger market share against Hero

Having launched the all-new CB Unicorn 160 yesterday, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) spoke about its offerings in the coming year and the plan to launch a new low-cost motorcycle in the country. The new low-cost motorcycle will be developed at the company’s R&D centre in Manesar with expertise coming from its Japanese headquarters. While Honda already makes low-cost motorcycles in China for South Africa which are priced around $600 (Rs. 38,000/-), the company stated that it will not be taking inputs from the China facility for product development in India.

Honda’s domestic R&D facility houses over 200 engineers and has outlined the need of sales, engineering, design & bough out (SEDB) concept that will roll out Indian customer centric motorcycles and scooters. Unlike low-cost cars that come void of features, the manufacturer says the low-cost motorcycles will not be cheap but will see a lot of local content gone into the making that gives the company more effective control on costs, while maintaining high aspirations in terms of brand value. Likely to roll out in the next 2-3 years, the new low-cost motorcycles could be based on improvised existing platforms or on completely new platform that are ideally priced for the Indian market.

The two-wheelers will also see a host of cost reduction measures through technology intervention. In a bid to compete against erstwhile partner Hero MotoCorp, Honda has been growing rapidly and is closing on the gap in terms of sales. The automaker has been facing production constraints as well that is allowing limited growth and will be resolved once the new two-wheeler facility in Gujarat commences operations. The company’s current production capacity stands at 4.6 million units which will be increased to 5.8 million once the plant goes into operations by FY2016.

The low cost motorcycle could be based on existing platforms & will get more local content

Source – Economic Times

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The new set of launches will see 7 product refreshes and 3 completely new products hitting the showrooms over the next year.

The Honda CB Unicorn 160 will be first of the 7 new launches next year

On the sidelines of the Honda CB Unicorn 160 launch, Honda India spoke about its plans for the coming year which will see ten new two-wheelers hitting the market and will include seven new products and 3 product refreshes. The manufacturer has its rapid expansion plans in place in a bid to take over the market leader Hero MotoCorp in the 15 million unit domestic market. Deliveries for the Honda CB Unicorn 160 will commence in the third week of January, 2015 which would be their first model for the year and the company will be consecutively expanding to its portfolio over the coming months.

Honda has been on a clock work growth plan post its split with partner Hero in the country. Over two decades of partnership gave Honda the right beat about the Indian market and the company was fast to churn out reliable, cost effective and fuel efficient products in quick succession. Concentrating on the mass market commuter space, the Japanese manufacturer already has had a dream run with the Dream series motorcycles including the new, Yuga and CD 110 and also plans to launch low-cost motorcycles to improve market share.

Growing at an exceptional rate of 25 percent per year, Honda has been having a tough time keeping up with the demand and has a 70,000 units of backlog only in the scooter segment. The Japanese manufacturer is in the process of expanding its production capacity with the new plant scheduled to be operational in the next 2 years. It is also working towards increasing its sales network from the current 3400 outlets to 3800 outlets by the end of this fiscal. The company plans to expand its network to 6000 outlets in the next 3 years. Apart from the new CB Unicorn 160, Honda will also be launching a slew of products including the Activa 110 facelift, new CBR150R, CBR300R, and CBR650F among other models.

Honda’s premium space will also see major updates next year including the CBR series

Source – Economic Times

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The Honda PCX 150 could serve as an underpinning for an upcoming 150cc scooter that will rival against the offerings from Hero, Piaggio as well as Mahindra.

The Honda PCX 150 is one of the more popular scooters in Europe

Just recently we reported that Mahindra 2-Wheelers is working on a 150cc power scooter to take on the yet to be tapped segment and it has now come to light that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is in no mood of playing second fiddle in the upcoming segment. Maker of the largest selling scooter in the country, the Japanese auto giant has imported its PCX 150 power scooter in the country for testing purposes and we could soon see a 150cc scooter emerging for the Indian market. The Honda PCX 125 was showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo.

A popular offering in Europe, the Honda PCX 150 sports a very aggressive design with a wide and angular headlamp at the front and sharp cuts across the sides. The scooter boasts of an impressive road presence and is hard to miss out on with its 14-inch alloy wheels. In addition, the PCX 150 boasts of front and rear LED lights as well as a 12V power socket in the under seat storage compartment. Powering the PCX 150 is a 153cc single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with fuel injection producing 13.4 BHP of power at 8500 RPM and 14 Nm of torque at 5000 RPM, paired to a V-Matic CVT transmission. With a dry weight of 130 kgs, the PCX is actually peppy contrary to its dimensions.

Honda could be using the underpinnings of the PCX 150 scooter to produce a locally developed 150cc scooter that meets the requirements of the domestic market. The scooter will be competing with a host of offerings including the already showcased Hero Zir as well as the Vespa 150 that could see an India launch later this year. The 150cc scooter segment will be seeing a lot of action in the coming months with a lot of manufacturers yet to join the bandwagon. More details on Honda’s upcoming offering is expected to come out in the following months, while a premium price tag of around 80,000-90,000/- (ex-showroom) is expected on the scooter.

The Honda PCX 150 will give a tough fight to the similar Hero Zir in the segment

Source – Zauba

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The fuel-injection system on the Wave 125i could be of interest to Honda India that will find purpose on the manufacturer’s upcoming scooters.

The Honda Wave is a light scooter sold in several markets including Europe & Asia

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is certainly planning something big in the scooter space as it has been testing a number of international scooters at its domestic R&D centre. In a bid to dethrone Hero MotoCorp from the number one position, the Japanese giant is working on new scooters and replacements to the existing models that will hit the market in the future. Keeping up with the same, Honda has imported the Wave 125i in the country for R&D purposes.

Sold in a number of markets across the globe including Europe (badged as Innova) and South East Asia, the Wave 125i is an affordable light scooter designed to offer high power with low manufacturing cost. The Wave 125i is the fuel-injected variant powered by a 124.8cc single-cylinder engine tuned to produce 9.10 PS of power at 7500 RPM and 10 Nm of torque at 5000 RPM. Suspension duties are performed by telescopic forks at the front and dual shock set-up at the rear.

The Wave 125 rides on large 17-inch tyres wrapped around spoked wheels at the front and rear that offers good traction over uneven surfaces. With a dry weight of 100 kgs, the Wave 125i also manages to offer impressive performance. It is still unclear though how Honda plans to use the scooter in India. Light scooters like the Wave have limited appeal in our market which makes us sceptical for the scooter’s launch in the country. The manufacturer could possibly be looking at the fuel-injection system that could find purpose in its scooters.

Incidentally, the ‘Wave’ nameplate is currently in use by Hero MotoCorp for its electric two-wheeler that is sold in selective markets across North India. The Hero Wave DX is powered by a 250 watt electric motor with a top speed of 25 km/hr. The scooter can travel for a total range of 70 kms and also gets an anti-theft alarm and mobile charger as standard.

The Wave is a popular model overseas courtesy of its lightweight performance

Source – Zauba.com

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Honda has a big press conference on 4th February and we have dug out more information, it is the launch of the new Activa 3G.

The Honda Activa 3G gets cosmetic upgrades, the 110cc engine could be tweaked

You read it first on MotorBeam. Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has sent an invite for a press conference on 4th February in Gurgaon without revealing any details about the event which will be graced by Akshay Kumar. Nonetheless we have got an exclusive picture for you as the event will witness the launch of the new generation Activa 110 that recently completed its testing overseas. Called the Honda Activa 3G, the 3G name stands for third generation of this scooter. Weirdly though, Bajaj Auto used to offer a basic version of the Discover called the Discover 4G.

Codenamed ‘ON2Y’, the new Honda Activa 3G get cosmetic upgrades (many styling cues come from the Activa 125, notice the 3D Activa and 3G badge) along with changes to the mechanicals. However the new Activa 3G still doesn’t get telescopic front forks which is a shame since all its rivals (except the Hero Maestro) offer it. Powering the scooter will be a 110cc air-cooled motor that could be slightly tweaked for improved power and torque output. The Honda Eco Technology (HET) will continue to be on offer for improved fuel efficiency.

While the new Activa 3G is being launched, Honda could also introduce one of its upcoming motorcycles on 4th February. Honda intends to launch the new CBR250R, CBR150R, CBR500R and the 4-cylinder made-in-India CBR650F in the country this year. The Japanese auto giant has planned as many as 14 launches for 2015 which include new models and updates to the existing ones that will help the company take on rival Hero MotoCorp in the Indian auto market.

More details on Honda’s upcoming motorcycle launches could be revealed at the event

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Honda has imported a new 110cc engine in the country for R&D purpose that is tuned to produce 7.37 HP and could power the new low-cost motorcycle.

The upcoming low-cost bike will be the most affordable Honda on offer

On the sidelines of the CB Unicorn launch in December last year, Honda India spoke about an upcoming low-cost motorcycle for the domestic market. With the project to be developed at the manufacturer’s R&D centre in Manesar, it seems that the upcoming model is taking shape as the Japanese auto giant imported a new 110cc engine in the country for R&D purposes. What makes this engine so important is its power output that has been rated at 7.37 HP in the import records, hinting towards an entry-level bike positioned below the Dream series.

Honda India had stated that the upcoming low-cost motorcycle will see a lot of local content going on the bike for more effective cost control but will not be cheap. Honda wants to retain the premium brand image it has in the country and won’t be skimping on features on the upcoming motorcycle. Likely to roll out in the next two to three years, the upcoming bike will be the least powered Honda to be sold in the country with a high fuel efficiency rating in excess of the 70 km/l mark that the brand has on most of its commuter motorcycles.

Honda has been growing like clockwork every year, ever since its split with erstwhile partner Hero and is eyeing the number one position currently held by the latter. The manufacturer is the undoubted king in the scooter space while it is in the motorcycle segment that the company needs to beat the Splendor maker. Apart from Honda, Yamaha too is working on a low-cost bike codenamed ‘Indra’ that is targeted at affordability and superior fuel efficiency. It will be launched in 2017.

A timeline for launch has not been revealed as yet

Source – Zauba.com

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Honda has a very big press conference today at 11 AM. The company could launch six new products including the much awaited CBR650F.

The updated Honda Dio gets minor changes but still no telescopic forks

Honda is one company which takes everyone by surprise and that’s what they plan to do later today. The company has a big press conference at 11 AM (we will be reporting live) and its brand ambassador Akshay Kumar will grace the occasion. We were the first to leak the picture of the Activa 3G but Honda has much more up its sleeve. The company will not only launch the third generation Activa but also a new version of the Dio (was spied yesterday and is pictured above). Since the Activa and Dio are in consideration, expect the Aviator to be refreshed as well. Just like how Honda gave all its scooters HET at the same, a couple of years back.

Anyways, coming to the important point of the matter. A couple of pictures have leaked from the launch floor where Honda officials were practising for the event. One of the pictures show six bikes parked covered on the stage, we know three of them (the scooters of course) while the fourth one is the CBR650F (which can be seen in the other picture where a Honda official is speaking and the image of the bike is on the screen). Honda has already shown the production spec CBR650F in India at the 2014 Auto Expo so most likely the company will launch the 4-cylinder bike today, although availability might not be immediate as Honda tends to announce products way before they are available for delivery.

This leaves us with the puzzle of what are the other two bikes. Just recently Honda imported the new CBR150R and new CBR250R to India and we expect these two motorcycles to be launched today. This means, Honda has killed several birds with just one stone. When Honda has such big events, they reveal big details including future plans, etc. so this is something to watch out for. Although the CBRs sound very exciting, Honda still hasn’t given the Dio and Activa telescopic front forks which is disappointing as all other scooters (Hero aside) in the market offer it.

One must appreciate Honda for staying up to their word. The company said it will launch the CBR650F in 2015 and it has stayed on its timeline. The Japanese are very cleaver, they don’t make unnecessary noise. Meanwhile Bajaj Auto’s MD, Rajiv Bajaj has said at least three times that a new Pulsar will be coming in the following month (the fastest Pulsar) and yet it still hasn’t been launched. While Bajaj is slowly planning to bring the new Pulsars in the market, Honda has gone ahead and done a massive product onslaught. Now the wait till the press conference begins.

Honda is very likely to launch the CBR650F later today

Honda’s press conference later today will be a big one with multiple new products

The Activa 3G is the third generation of the scooter and comes with cosmetic updates

Update – There is no new CBR150R or CBR250R at today’s event. Nor is there the CBR650F. The launches are refreshes to the Dream Yuga, Dream Neo, CB Shine and Dio. The third generation Activa has been launched as well.

Pictures Source – Indian Moto Expo on facebook & Gaadiwaadi on Twitter

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Honda is looking at launching a slew of 2-wheelers in India in 2015, the company had planned to bring 15 new models, 6 of which are already announced.

Honda launched 5 new products on a single day with no mechanical changes to any

Every Honda press release starts with “Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) – the ONLY Honda in Indian two-wheeler industry..” because the Japanese automaker is aware that Hero’s success is largely because of them and many are still mistaking Hero to be Hero Honda. Today what Hero is, Honda is largely responsible for it but now the Japanese automaker wants to displace the Splendor maker from the top spot. That has resulted in a very weird strategy, that of launching new products which are not new in any way, except the colours of course.

Honda recently announced that it plans to launch 15 new two-wheelers in India in 2015, five of which came earlier this week (Activa 3G and 2015 editions of the Dream Yuga, Neo and CB Shine). One product was launched earlier according to Honda (but the launch was done in December and not this year where Honda said 10 new products for 2015), the CB Unicorn 160 so that leaves 9 new launches to come in 2015. One need not scratch their heads wondering as to what these nine products are because a lot of them will be bikes with new stickers. Here is what we expect.

1. Honda Dream CD110 – 2015 edition
2. Honda Aviator – new colours
3. Honda Unicorn 150 – new colours
4. Honda PCX150 scooter
5. Honda CBR150R Facelift
6. Honda CBR250R Facelift
7. Honda CBR500R
8. Honda CBR650F
9. Another 100cc motorcycle

As clearly evident from above, there is not much to expect from Honda because they want volumes and are focussing on the mass market, launching more commuter bikes and refreshing their existing line-up with new colours and graphics. They already have three 100cc bikes and another one will join the line-up later this year. Honda is aiming at selling 50 lakh 2-wheelers in India every year, the company is also setting up the largest scooter plant in the world, work for which has already commenced in Gujarat. Currently 25% of Honda 2-wheeler sales come from India and they aim at increasing that percentage.

Honda’s main rival in the volume space is Hero, they just want to overtake them

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Honda is displaying the SFA 150 Concept at various shows. It may turn into a production motorcycle soon and would be a KTM Duke 200 competitor.

The Honda SFA Concept features great styling elements

The entry-level street-fighter market has been largely dominated by KTM in India and the Duke 200 and Yamaha MT-125 abroad. Honda seems to be interested in getting into this segment because it has a lot of potential for growth. Honda showcased the SFA 150 in Indonesia last year but did not reveal any details about the bike or any information about the launch date. Now, the bike has been showcased at the 2015 Osaka Motorcycle Show. We think that the motorcycle might become a production model in the near future.

The Honda SFA 150 Concept design looks radical and has plenty of attention-grabbing components. However, the production model might not feature all such components in order to keep costs in check because buyers in this segment are price sensitive. The exhaust partially visible under the seat hasn’t been seen on other bikes and looks different indeed. The headlight design is uber cool but might be changed to a more cost-effective unit. The trellis frame on the bike seems to be inspired from bikes from manufacturers like KTM and Ducati who have been using these frames since years.

We hope Honda starts producing this bike and launches it in India soon to add some spark to its Indian portfolio. This would also give good competition to the Duke 200 which has been on a dream run since the time it was launched. The fact that Honda bikes are very proven will help the street-fighter sell well in our market. The only concern that most of us have is that Honda might change a bit too many components on the production model and then it would totally lose the charm that the concept has.

The Honda SFA looks a bit more mature than the KTM Duke 200

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Honda could be planning to introduce the idling stop system on its scooters and has imported the Vario 125 in the country for R&D purposes.

The Vario 125 gets idling stop system and returns a fuel efficiency of 59.5 km/l

The scooter segment is the next dominating space in the Indian two-wheeler market and has certainly been profitable for the entrant Honda. The Japanese manufacturer has been ruling the segment with its offerings and is also building the world’s largest scooter manufacturing facility in Gujarat citing the huge demand, the plant will be operational soon. With India expected to become one of the largest markets for scooters in the coming years, Honda is mulling to launch a new scooter and recently imported the Vario 125 in the country with the ‘idling stop’ system.

The Honda Vario 125 scooter is powered by a 124.8cc single-cylinder, air-cooled engine with fuel injection that is tuned to produce 11.3 BHP of power and 10.8 Nm of torque, paired to a CVT gearbox. The USP on this scooter though is the Idling stop function that shuts down the engine when the scooter is idling for a long time, thereby reducing fuel wastage. The feature is extremely useable for city riders in bumper-to-bumper traffic on a daily basis. Incidentally, Hero has a similar technology equipped on the Splendor iSmart model. Internationally, the Vario is said to return 59.5 km/l while the top speed achievable is 96 km/hr.

In terms of design, the Honda Vario gets a sporty styling with sharp lines and an angular frame that will be appreciated here. In addition, the scooter comes with Honda’s Combi-Braking System (CBS) that is also seen on the new CB Unicorn 160. With all the features though, the Vario will be expensive and the Activa maker could instead look into equipping its models with the idling stop system that will help improve the fuel economy figures. If launched in here, the Vario will be positioned above the Activa 125 but chances of its launch in India seems highly unlikely.

The idling stop system will be a major addition to Honda’s products, maximising fuel economy

Source – Zauba.com

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Honda has imported one unit of the Lead scooter to India for testing purposes. It might be launched here in the future.

The beige seat and plastics look upmarket, will be a pain to maintain

Honda launched the Lead in Vietnam in 2013 and later started selling it in a few other markets like Japan. There were rumours that the scooter would be launched in India in the same year but that didn’t happen since Honda decided to concentrate on its existing portfolio. However, the company has now imported one unit of the scooter for testing in India. We believe Honda may launch the vehicle in India sometime in the future to further improvise its scooter portfolio.

Powered by a 125cc, liquid-cooled, single cylinder engine, the Lead comes with “Smart Power” technology which reduces friction and increases fuel efficiency. It also features idling start-stop system which further increases the fuel efficiency. The addition of Programmed Fuel Injection System (PGM-FI) ensures good performance without compromising on mileage. To lend the scooter an upmarket feel, Honda has given it striking design elements. Beige upholstery and plastics lend a different feel to the scooter and increase its style quotient.

At the front, the Honda Lead gets a thick V-shaped chrome strip with integrated indicators lending a premium look to the scooter. The rear lights are LED units. One of the selling point of the scooter is the under-seat storage space which stands at 37-litres, enough to accommodate two full face helmets. The fuel lid and the seat are openable through the main key using a rocker switch which adds to the convenience factor. With so many segment first features, we expect Honda to position it as a premium scooter which shall be priced above its existing range. This shall truly be a world-class offering from the Japanese giant for the Indian market.

With many first-in-class features, the Lead would be a premium offering

Source – Zauba.com

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Honda has started testing a new 125cc bike in India. It will be launched this year and will be one of the seven bike launches scheduled for 2015.

Heavily camouflaged body indicates there might be some changes in body panels

With the commuter segment constantly growing, more and more companies are shifting their focus towards the segment. While some are aggressively marketing their existing products, a few are also getting ready to launch new products to entice buyers. Honda has also begun testing a new bike within its Indian facility and the bike is most likely powered by the current 125cc engine albeit with a few mechanical upgrades to improve its fuel efficiency and other aspects.

Honda presently has five products in the commuter segment and has a sizeable market share. However, most of the products are a bit old now and are in need of a refresh. The 125cc bike that is currently being tested might be an update to the Dream series which presently has a 110cc engine or is a refreshed version of the Shine which already has a 125cc engine. The 124.7cc motor currently produces 10.3 PS or power and 10.54 Nm of torque which is expected to change by a small margin courtesy of the minor mechanical tweaks which could be done to improve fuel efficiency further.

Honda recently updated some of its bikes for the year 2015 but the changes were very minor and many wouldn’t even notice them. The Shine got HET which enhanced its fuel efficiency whereas the Dream series got new body graphics and a few other microscopic changes. The Japanese auto giant needs to take its game to the next level if it wants to beat its erstwhile partner Hero in terms of sales. With increasing competition from brands like Suzuki and TVS, Honda will have a tough time ahead. But, the increasing competition would be beneficial for the customers as they would have more choices in the segment.

Honda bikes have good reliability and this one will be no different

No front disc brake indicates this might be the entry level model

The seat is pretty long and looks comfortable

Full-size mudguard has been provided for practical reasons

Honda will be launching the bike this year

Source – GaadiWaadi.com

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