Honda ADV 160

Price: The Honda ADV 160 has been launched in India. It is the country’s first scooter that’s compatible with up to E85 flex fuel. It is also the brand’s first adventure-scooter for the Indian market, priced at Rs 1,70,000 (ex-showroom Bengaluru). It is sold in a single variant and comes in four colours: Pearl Deep Ground Gray, Mat Dune Brown, Mat Axis Gray Metallic and Athletic Blue Metallic.

Design: Honda ADV 160 brings an adventure-scooter format to Indian customers for the first time. It looks pretty much similar to the one sold abroad, but the biggest point to note is that this one’s made in India. As you can see, it looks properly beefy with lots of cuts and creases, ensuring a strong road presence. The front gets an aggressive dual LED headlamp with stylish LED indicators, and the rear gets split grab rails. The Mat Dune Brown colour in particular looks properly rugged as it reminds us of the Royal Enfield Classic 500 Desert Storm colour variant.

Features: The scooter comes equipped with 5-inch TFT with Honda RoadSync that displays essential ride information, calls, messages, weather updates and turn-by-turn navigation along with Honda Smart Key keyless ignition, a large tinted windscreen, all-LED lighting, and a spacious 27-litre underseat storage compartment. It also comes with traction control for improved grip on slippery roads. It’s also got a multifunction left switchgear to cycle through the menus, hazard lamps, and a center spine-mounted fuel tank cap.

Engine: The Honda ADV 160 is powered by a 156.9cc, liquid-cooled engine with an 8.1-litre fuel tank producing 16.3PS and 14.9Nm. One of its biggest highlights is its E85 fuel compatibility, allowing it to run on fuel containing up to 85% ethanol or even pure petrol.

Suspension, Brakes & Other Details: The ADV 160 gets telescopic fork along with twin rear shock absorbers. The front disc and rear disc setup is paired with single-channel ABS. It rides on wide block pattern tyres with 14 inch front alloy wheels, offering a balance of stability and manoeuvrability. At 780mm, the seat is fairly accessible, and the scooter is also reasonably light at 137kg kerb. The ground clearance is also rather generous, at 175mm.

Rivals: The Honda ADV 160 will compete with premium adventure-scooters that includes the Yamaha Aerox 155 and Hero Xoom 160. It is a more adventure-focused, future-proof alternative in the segment thanks to its rugged styling and more importantly E85-compatible engine.