Honda Grom 125 is powered by a 125cc motor and is equipped with USD forks up front
OEMS regularly patent a lot of new technologies and upcoming products across the globe. Although, not all patents end up being something concrete. It has happened many times before that Honda has patented something which did not see light of the day.
Honda Grom in India
For many years, it was reported that the Japanese auto giant would be launching the Grom in Indian but it never reached our shores. A few years ago, its trademark was filed too, however, what we got was a scooter-styled bike named Navi. The company has once again filed a patent for the latest iteration of Grom in India, as seen from the patent application.
However, going by Honda’s track record, chances are very high that this too might never see light of the day. Although, there is a slight possibility of Honda reviving the Navi moniker in India.
Honda Navi made its debut in India at the AutoExpo 2016 and grabbed a lot of eyeballs with its quirky design. However, below-par sales and stricter emission norms made Honda remove it from its India lineup early last year. But that has not stopped Honda from manufacturing Navi in India. Honda continues to manufacture Navi in India for export markets.
Navi Mechanicals
Navi used a 110cc motor borrowed from Activa which produced 7.8 bhp at 8,000 rpm and 8.96 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm. Like Activa, this unit was mated to a CVT gearbox. It was targeted at a younger group of consumers between the age bracket of 18 and 25 years and hence came with a wide array of funky colour options namely- Ladakh Brown, Sparky Orange, Black, Shasta White, Ranger Green and Patriot Red.
In terms of mechanicals, the monkey bike was equipped with telescopic forks up front and a hydraulic mono-shock at rear. It rode on 12-inch front and 10-inch wheels with drum brakes on both ends to stop the vehicle. It was one of the rarest bikes with an automatic transmission which added a lot of conveniences.
Honda Navi 125?
If Honda indeed decides to bring back Navi to India, it could do well if it is equipped with the 124cc unit from Activa 125. This motor in its BS6 iteration churns out 8.2 bhp at 6,500rpm and 10.3 Nm of peak torque at 5,000rpm. This would make for a more spirited ride.
Apart from this, the Japanese brand hiked prices of all its models including its latest offering CB350. The retro classic motorcycle has witnessed the highest price hike of Rs 2500. Honda’s highest-selling product has witnessed a price increment in the range of Rs 907 to Rs 1,755.
