The motorcycle is expected to come as replacement to the Hornet 160R which did not receive BS6 update
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) is gearing up to strengthen its presence in the volume rich 150 – 200 cc segment in India. The original Honda Unicorn was one of the main contenders in this segment but the Japanese two wheeler giant couldn’t recreate the magic with subsequent products despite offering bold designs and modern features. It looks like Honda has decided to move slightly upmarket from its 160 cc mainstay to 200 cc sub-segment with its next product.
A new single-cylinder naked motorcycle widely believed to be called as the Honda CB Hornet 200R has been teased once again. This time, the Instagram image also reveals the launch date to be 27th August. However, the latest image does not add any new information about the product.
The partial image of the motorcycle highlights the gold finished upside down front forks. We can also see the minimal headlamp fairing, dual-tone front fender, fuel tank-mounted ignition switch and alloy wheel.
The Honda CB Hornet 200R’s design is an evolution of the outgoing CB 160R’s design. The headlamp employs LED elements, the fuel tank and its extensions have been revised and the tailpiece has been tweaked as well. The new motorcycle offers a sleeker digital instrument console. Overall, the new Honda emerges as a sporty motorcycle with contemporary design and features.
Specifications
Details are scarce as of now but we will know more on 27th of August. From whatever little we could see, the motorcycle appears to be powered by an air-cooled, single-cylinder engine with an estimated displacement of around 200 cc. Keeping in line with the BS6 emission standards, the motor will be employing electronic fuel injection. The 5-speed transmission is likely to be retained.
The CB Hornet 160R which did not receive the BS6 update had an output of 15 hp. With a slightly larger displacement, the new motorcycle should be belting out a few extra horses (around 20 hp). The teaser video suggests that Honda is pitching it to be a performance oriented machine.
Rivals
The Honda CB Hornet 200R will be aimed at other naked motorcycles like the TVS Apache RTR 200, Hero Xtreme 200R, Bajaj Pulsar NS 200, Suzuki Gixxer 250, Yamaha FZ25. Honda is likely to price the new offering a little more than INR 1 lakh (ex-showroom). The updated platform could spawn more variants in due course.
