New 2022 Honda RSX ticks all the right boxes in terms of style, comfort, performance and advanced features
Underbone-style two-wheelers are quite popular in Malaysia and other south-east Asian markets. Their design can range from a standard looking moped to something far more radical and sportier like Honda RSX. In Malaysia, 2022 RSX has been launched at a starting price of RM 8,688. This is approximately INR 1.55 lakh.
2022 Honda RSX styling and features
Honda RSX blends in sporty looks of a motorcycle and comfort and convenience available with a scooter. The bike has a pointy nose with aggressive dual LED headlamps and sporty LED DRLs. It looks muscular and dominating, especially when viewed from the front. Handlebar cowl has a central air intake, which also works to enhance the bike’s sporty profile.
Other key features include trendy rear-view mirrors, sleek turn signals, blacked-out engine, ergonomic seat, split grab rails, and upswept exhaust. Honda RSX has a full digital speedometer that displays a range of information such as gear position, fuel level, rpm, etc. The bike has a comfortable riding stance with centrally placed foot pegs.
Colour options include Trico Edition, which is essentially a blend of red, blue and black. Candy Carribean Blue Sea utilizes blue against black whereas Lemon Ice Yellow combines yellow and black. All three colour options get body-coloured front fenders. Coloured wheels would have further enhanced the bike’s look and feel, but that’s not available currently. Wheels are wrapped in standard black paint.
2022 Honda RSX engine and specs
Powering Honda RSX is a 149.2 cc, liquid cooled, PGM-FI, DOHC motor. It is capable of generating 15.8 hp of max power at 9,000 rpm and 13.6 Nm of peak torque at 7,000 rpm. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox with multiple wet clutch. The bike utilizes a twin tube frame with telescopic forks at front and monoshock suspension with preload adjustability at rear.
It has 17-inch alloy wheels at both ends, shod with 90/80 front and 120/70 rear tubeless tyres. Both wheels have disc brakes and single-channel ABS is offered as standard. The bike has curb weight of 122 kg. Fuel tank capacity is pretty low at just 4.5 litres.
Honda RSX India launch?
It is unlikely that Honda RSX will be launched in India. Here, the closest match are mopeds that register strong sales every month. They are one of the most affordable two-wheeler options available in the country. Mopeds are fuel efficient and can carry significant amount of load.
Products like RSX will not meet expectations in terms of local styling preferences, price and fuel efficiency. In Rs 1.50 lakh price range, most users in the country would prefer performance-oriented bikes. For scooter lovers, the options could be products like Aprilia SXR-160 and recently launched Yamaha Aerox. Underbone two-wheelers like Honda RSX are an entirely different breed and their viability is limited to select geographies.
