Honda currently retails the bigger Africa Twin 1100 in India at a starting price of Rs 15.35 lakh (ex-showroom)
Honda Two-Wheelers India has adopted an aggressive marketing approach this year post transition from BS4 to BS6 emission norms. Apart from launching two new bikes recently- Hornet 2.0 and H’Ness CB350, the Japanese brand is looking to expand its range of motorcycles further in the country.
As we all know, Honda retails its bikes through two dealership networks- one general and the other Honda Big Wing which conducts business in only the premium range of motorcycles. Honda Big Wing currently retails six models under its portfolio but as mentioned in our previous reports, the company has a serious intention of expanding its premium range in India.
The popularity of ADVs and quarter-litre bikes
As per some reports, Honda is planning to develop a scaled-down version of the Africa Twin with a smaller displacement of 250cc. Many Indian consumers, especially biking enthusiasts, have also found a liking to the recent crop of ADVs.
With quarter-litre segments making inroads into the Indian market, it makes sense to add a proper adventure tourer of similar capacity. The other motive for Honda to develop a quarter-litre ADV is to take on Suzuki V-Strom 250, BMW 310GS, or the upcoming KTM 250 / 390 ADV.
Reports suggest that this expected Africa Twin 250 is not going to be an all-new motorcycle but it will be based on the upgraded Honda CRF250L Rally. In other words, Honda might be working towards developing a new generation of CRF250L Rally. It might be more than just a rebadged CRF250L Rally since it is an out and out dirt bike. Therefore, giving it the moniker of Africa Twin might not just be a naming exercise but also a task to make it a reliable adventure and touring machine.
Expected Design
Since it is going to be part of the Africa Twin range of motorcycles, we can expect it to adopt a similar design philosophy. A rendering based on the updated CRF250L Rally showcases what the Africa Twin 250 could look like. However, it gets a bigger fuel tank and more fairing than the former. Although it will carry forward many similar elements from Africa Twin 1110 like its headlight, front cowl, etc. the rendering evidently suggests that it will be a lot lighter.
Powertrain
Also, the name Africa Twin has to be altered slightly since the engine utilised by CRF250L Rally is a 249cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled unit which generates an output of 25 bhp. As of now, details are very little and mostly speculative. However, if it indeed goes into production, there are high chances of it coming to India. Apart from this, Honda is also developing an 850cc bike for the same range which is almost confirmed for production.
