In contrast to the smaller 125cc variants that were popular in the past, naked bikes with a displacement of 150cc are currently considered to be the typical commuter motorcycle in the Asian market.
A substantial majority of manufacturers provide at least one model with a displacement of 150 cc as their entry-level option, as well as an upmarket variant with a comparable engine capacity that is distinguished by superior engineering and improved aesthetics.
This is also the situation with Honda, notably in India, where the company plans to target the luxury segment with the launch of a new model sometime between now and 2023.
To be more specific, Honda’s entry-level offering in India is the utility-focused Unicorn, which is a model that has been doing pretty well in terms of sales, given the low price tag and workhorse nature of the vehicle.
The premium market is where Honda has been having the most difficulty, specifically with the XBlade, which has been bringing in sales figures that are not particularly impressive.
In point of fact, only 3,193 units of the XBlade were sold to dealers, as stated in a recent report published by the Society of Indian Auto Makers (SIAM), and this figure does not even include the total number of units sold to end-users.
In light of this information, it is quite evident that there is an issue with the model, seeing as how motorcycles produced by other manufacturers, such as the Yamaha MT-15, the Bajaj Pulsar N160, and the TVS Apache 160, appear to be doing pretty well. In order to solve the problem, Honda is planning to launch a whole new model in India that has a displacement of 160cc.
It is likely that the new model will have high-end technology and that it would take the position of the XBlade in Honda India’s lineup. In a post published by the Indian portal for motorcycle news known as BikeAdvice, the Managing Director of Honda Motorcycle India, Atsushi Ogata, stated unequivocally that the new model was in the process of being developed.
Because the new model is still in the process of being built, there is currently no definite information regarding the specifications of the new bike.
In light of this, we can anticipate that it will have a sporty design, and most significantly, that it will have enhanced performance and efficiency.
This is necessary for it to compete in the luxury naked bike sector. It is expected that the new model will be unveiled very soon and that it will be made accessible to the general public at some point in the year 2023.
Having said that, Honda has only very recently introduced the CB300F in India; hence, the forthcoming 160cc variant might take some design elements from its older and more powerful brother.