Honda XBlade

The Honda X-Blade is a sharper and more chiseled version of the Honda Hornet, with muscular fuel tank extensions, a dual outlet muffler and a unique headlamp design. It gets a digital instrument cluster and LED lighting for both the headlamp and the tail lamp. There’s a single-piece seat on the X-Blade that’s slightly longer than the one seen on the Hornet. A rear disc brake is not available even as an option and neither is ABS.

The Honda X-Blade shares its motor with the Hornet 160R. But the 162.71cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine puts out 14PS of power at 8500rpm and 13.9Nm of torque at 6000rpm, which is 1.5PS and 1Nm less than the Hornet 160R. The motor is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The X-Blade gets a diamond-type frame suspended on telescopic forks up front and a monoshock at the rear. Braking duties are handled by a 276mm front disc and a 130mm rear drum brake. It is equipped with a 12-litre fuel tank and tips the scale at 140kg (kerb).

Suzuki Gixxer: The engine and the bike’s handling have been developed under the watchful eyes of the same designers who have also produced the Suzuki GSX-R series. This is a worthy city-based sporty 155cc bike, with distinct design and enviable refinement.

Yamaha FZ-S V2.0: The V2.0 delivers on style, build quality, refinement and handling. It is also the only bike in the segment to get fuel-injection, but that puts it on the top in terms of pricing. That said, it is a strong performer and is a proper upgrade to the previous version.

Bajaj Pulsar NS 160: The Pulsar NS 160 ticks all the right boxes when it comes to style, performance, ride and handling, barring refinement. The new NS 160 is a worthy contender and makes a strong case for itself in this highly competitive 160cc segment.

TVS Apache RTR 160 4V: Competitive pricing and performance are two key areas that need to be addressed to survive in this cut-throat segment and the Apache RTR 160 4V delivers well on both fronts with class-leading features. However, it doesn’t feel as confident as the Pulsar NS 160 or the Honda Hornet while braking.

The X-Blade was a surprise launch by Honda and left us wondering about its existence next to the already successful Hornet 160R. Yes, the X-Blade looks a lot more appealing than the Hornet and the Unicorn 160, but we need to find out how the loss in power and torque figures has benefited the X-Blade. Until then, it's hard to put a finger on how Honda plans to position this product, especially with the existence of a more commuter friendly Unicorn 160 and the sporty Hornet.