Auto Expo 2018 Expected Honda Lineup

Honda had promised to launch four models in India, out of which three are already here - the Cliq, the Grazia and the Africa Twin. This leaves us with just one pending launch which will certainly happen at the 2018 Auto Expo.

Sources close to the company confirm that it’s not a big bike, leaving room for speculation. And hence, here’s a list of expected launches from the Honda stable this year.

Honda CB Twister 125

Honda has been sitting pretty in the 125cc segment, thanks to the Honda CB Shine and CB Shine SP that have had the cash registers ringing. But unlike its other offerings in the 110cc and 150cc segments, the 125cc segment only has the Shine variants doing all the work. This means it’s high time the company brings in a new addition to up its game.

The CB Twister has been quite a quirky motorcycle in the 110cc segment, with a  generous amount of fan following of its own. Therefore, there is a possibility that Honda may launch the bike with a larger, 125cc motor and sharp styling to help distinguish the bike from its 110cc sibling.

We expect the CB Twister 125 to be powered by the same motor that powers the CB Shine and the Shine SP. However, there is a possibility that the company may tweak the power and torque figures slightly to give it an edge over the Shine range.

As far as mechanical components are concerned, Honda should offer the same suspension and brake setup seen on the Shine. In terms of variants, the Twister 125 is expected to follow the Honda norm of offering motorcycles in three variants - self-start with drum brakes, self-start with disc brakes and self-start with CBS and disc brakes.

Expect the Honda CB Twister 125 in its young, quirky and more powerful avatar, to be offered at a slight premium over the Shine.

Honda CBR150R

Another possibility is the revival of the Honda CBR150R, which had to be discontinued after the implementation of BSIV norms. If launched, it would prove to be a crucial product for Honda, considering the Yamaha R15 V3.0 is set to enter India, with even more aggressive looks and more power than ever before.

Going by the looks of the CBR150R launched in Indonesia, it certainly looks like it will offer some tough competition to the Yamaha R15. The international model features a sharper front fascia with split LED headlamps, while the side fairing looks sleeker and blends into the contoured fuel tank proportionately. Overall, the new CBR150R looks more aggressive and aerodynamic than before. The tail section has also risen, similar to what’s seen on the R15. The split seats are redesigned as well.

Other updates include LED taillamp and turn indicators, an all-new fully digital instrument panel and new switchgear (engine kill switch, finally!). The new alloy wheels complement the new design and so does the longer side-mounted exhaust.

Powering the international-spec Honda CBR150R is a 149.16cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine with fuel injection. Power produced is 17.1PS at 9,000rpm, with 13.7Nm of peak torque generated at 7,000rpm. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

Other mechanical bits like the telescopic forks up front and monoshock at the rear, remain unchanged.

If launched, expect it to be available at a slight premium over the discontinued version, which was priced at Rs 1.3 lakh.

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Honda Rebel 300

Honda has been tight-lipped about the new Rebel 300. However, we do expect to get a glimpse of it at the Auto Expo. Why, you ask? Well, it was only recently that we came across reports that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India have recently patented the Honda Rebel in the country.

The Honda Rebel is a proper cruiser and sports a set of chunky front and rear tyres and a low-slung seat. The bike gets a two-tone paint scheme with the blacked out engine, frame and wheels offered as standard.

The single-pod all-digital cluster displays speed, fuel, odometer, two trip metres and time. Design, in general, has been kept to a bare minimum, leaving room for many customisation possibilities.

The fairly compact trellis frame houses a 286cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder, fuel-injected motor that is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Peak power and torque figures are around 27.3PS and 27Nm respectively. Braking on the Rebel is managed by Nissin powered disc brakes up front and at the rear.

The Rebel also comes with a 500cc powerplant. And if that particular model comes to India, it will rival RE’s 500cc lineup, while the 300cc variant would take on RE’s 350cc lineup and the UM Commando. We expect the Honda Rebel 300 to be priced at approximately Rs 2.3 to 2.5 lakh.

Other Exciting Showcases

Apart from the possible launches mentioned above, we expect to see the more radical and hardcore version of the Honda Africa Twin, called the Africa Twin Adventure. While there is no confirmation on whether the more adventurous version will make it to India, we expect it to be launched either as an additional variant or as a replacement for the standard Africa Twin.

Apart from that, the Honda PCX150 is also expected to make its way to the Expo, which also comes with an electric motor for international markets. While the electric version won’t go on sale in India anytime soon, we expect the PCX150 to make it to India sometime in the future. Stay tuned to ZigWheels as we bring you more info as soon as we get more concrete communication from Honda.