Honda Considering A Hornet 2.0-Based Adventure Motorcycle For India

Honda CRF 250 Rally
Honda CRF 250 Rally

This upcoming Honda bike will be an entry-level Adventure motorcycle, with underpinning and powertrain borrowed from Hornet 2.0

Honda Motorcycles and Scooter India (HMSI) has launched two new models this year – Hornet 2.0 and H’Ness CB350 – and the company is planning to expand its lineup further. The Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer is currently considering a new Adventure motorcycle for the Indian market. Adventure bikes have recently gained a lot of popularity in India, and competition is slowly toughening in that area.

In a recent interview, Atsushi Ogata (President, CEO and MD, HMSI) confirmed that Honda is thinking about developing a new adventure bike for India. He revealed that this upcoming bike will be a small displacement model, expectedly with a 160cc or a 200cc motor. He also stated that the company has invested a lot of money into developing a new platform and powertrain for the Hornet 2.0, and will utilise them for developing new models as well.

The engine of the Hornet 2.0 is a 184.4cc, with 17.26 PS and 16.1 Nm of peak power and torque on tap. This motor is oil-cooled and comes paired to a slick-shifting 5-speed gearbox. Although not a fire-breather, this engine is quite punchy, and offers a great balance between performance and fuel economy.

Honda Hornet 2.0-13

We expect this upcoming motorcycle to draw inspiration from the Honda CRF 250L or CRF 250 Rally, at least in terms of design. We expect minimalistic bodywork, with some premium equipment thrown in for good measure. This might include all-LED lighting, fully-digital instrument cluster, and a single-channel ABS (supermoto style).

There’s a small chance that Honda might fiddle with the engine, perhaps bore it out to increase the displacement. We’ll have to wait for an official announcement to know more on that front. That said, a 200cc engine would make much more sense, as a 184cc engine would be the smallest in this segment.

This upcoming Honda will be an entry-level Adv motorcycle, with expected prices ranging between Rs. 1.4 lakh to Rs.1.6 lakh (ex-showroom). Upon launch, the upcoming Honda Adventure bike’s closest rivals will be the Hero Xpulse 200 and Royal Enfield Himalayan, with KTM 390 Adventure and BMW G310 GS sitting a segment above.

*Images for representation only

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