Honda India new commuter motorcycle will be aimed to dethrone the segment king – Hero Splendor – and could debut soon…
So, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) is in process of developing a new 100 cc commuter motorcycle which, if whispers are believed, could be launched very soon.
This new 100 cc commuter motorcycle is aimed to be affordable & fuel efficient to appeal to prospective customers of the small displacement commuter segment of the Indian market.
Speaking to an online portal during the 62nd annual Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) convention, Mr. Atsushi Ogata (President & CEO, HMSI) confirmed that the next product launched by the company will be a 100 cc commuter motorcycle.
Mr. Ogata added –
“The motorcycle industry is still growing, especially the 125 cc segment. Luckily, we have the Shine and the SP125 in that segment. This segment of customers is living mainly in rural areas, and some of them in big cities, so they need more long-distance use. In that case, electric battery system is not so much in demand. We need to keep the momentum going, especially with our engine line-up, 125 cc, as well as 100 cc class. We don’t have it (100 cc) now, but we will be implementing it sooner than later.”
Also read – Honda Electric Mobility Ambitions – 10 New EV Models By 2025
Honda India is preparing the new 100 cc commuter model mainly for customers residing in the rural as well as in small towns.
Honda currently is offering two motorcycles in 110 cc commuter segment. Their CD110 Dream DLX is the most affordable model on sale at Rs. 70,315/- (ex-showroom, Delhi), while the Livo is their second most affordable model, priced at Rs. 75,002/- (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the dum-brake variant.
Both of these commuter model are powered by Honda’s 109.51 cc, single-cylinder powerunit which claims to produce a modest 8.7 HP at 7500 RPM and 9.3 Nm of torque at 5500 RPM, connected to a 5-speed transmission system.
The new Honda commuter motorcycle will be aimed to challenge the segment leader – Hero Splendor. The Hero Splendor is considered to be the by-default motorcycle in the Indian motorcycle market. It is the highest-selling two-wheeler model for the company and always occupies the top spot in sales in its segment.
It will be very interesting to see what Honda India have up their sleeve when it comes to creating a model that will challenge the much-adored Splendor motorcycle in the Indian market. And how are they going to market their new model to sway the prospective buyers away from the Splendor range.
