In a bid to expand its premium products portfolio in the country, Honda is all set to launch a new motorcycle on February 16, 2021. It is likely to be based on the CB350 platform.
The Japanese automaker has released its first teaser image, revealing the rear profile of the bike. The shape of its exhaust and twin shock absorbers looks identical to the H'Ness CB350, which affirms that the bike will be based on the CB350 platform. On the other hand, the pattern of the pillion seat, cast grabrail, tyre profile, and the tail section of the upcoming Honda motorcycle leads us to conclude that it will either be cafe racer or a scrambler.
In terms of design, the upcoming Honda motorcycles will carry a more contemporary styling rather than being a retro classic like the H'Ness, thanks to its sportier alloy wheels, quilted seat, LED lightings, and sleek taillight & indicators. The tire profile of the bike looks similar to the one seen on the Bajaj V15, which are more urban condition centric instead of off-roading likelihoods.
The upcoming Honda Scrambler will draw its power from the same 348.36cc air-cooled, fuel-injected, engine, which debuted with the H'Ness CB350. This engine is proficient in producing 20.8bhp at 5,500rpm and 30Nm at 3,000rpm. It will continue to use the same 5-speed gearbox with slip and assist clutch as the H'Ness. However, Honda may slightly tweak the SI mill or the gear ratios to satisfy the scrambler nature of the bike. Its braking setup is also expected to remain unchanged – disc brakes at both ends paired with dual-channel Antilock Braking System (ABS).
This new Honda motorcycle will be sold through Honda’s premium Big Wing dealership network. It is likely to be positioned above the Honda H'Ness CB350, and hence we believe its prices will range between Rs 1.86 lakh and Rs 2 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). We expect Honda to reveal more details about the bike in the coming days.
