Honda H’ness CB400 is expected to be positioned above the CB350 with retro styling and it could be launched around March 2021
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) launched the H’ness CB350 towards the end of September 2020 in a highly competitive price tag. Priced at Rs. 1.85 lakh for the DLX variant, it goes up to Rs. 1.90 lakh for the DLX Pro variant (ex-showroom, New Delhi) as the H’ness competes against the entry-level Royal Enfield motorcycles and more than 1,000 units have been rolled out of production lines as well.
With a good reception for the H’ness CB350, Honda is expected to carry the momentum forward by launching a cafe racer based on the CB350 as we exclusively revealed. We told you about Honda’s expansion plans for the BigWing dealerships on the back of the success endured by the H’ness CB350 so far. Over the next one to two years, the BigWing portfolio will be consolidated with the inclusion of four to five new models.
The BSVI compliant CB300R will more likely be the first one to arrive and the Japanese manufacturer will explore into sub-500 cc segments. Thus, the possibilities of Honda competing more against the Royal Enfield motorcycles are high in the middleweight category. In another exclusive report, we can reveal that the H’ness range, which currently sits at the entry point in BigWing, will be expanded.
Expected to launch around March 2021, the Honda H’ness CB400 could be priced higher than the existing CB350 with a bigger engine. Moreover, it could pack features in a similar fashion to the CB350 as Honda Smartphone Voice Control System, Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC), assist/slipper clutch, dual-channel ABS system, and access features like music, phone calls, incoming messages, navigation and so on could be present.
The CB350 uses a 348 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine producing 20.8 hp and 30 Nm of torque and expect the CB400 to carry a bigger motor with more power and torque outputs. It could also be influenced by the retro styling of the famous CB series.
The Honda CB400 has the potential to create a niche of its own. The brand has doubled its BigWing outlets in just a month and its footprint will be widened as 25 more dealerships are set to open across the country by the end of this month.