Honda may bring more superbikes to India – Report
Honda Motorcycles unveiled new and updated products at the recently concluded 2018 EICMA show, including the new 2019 CBR650R and CB650R. Recently, while speaking to LiveMint, Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Sr. Vice President, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, hinted that we might see more superbikes in the country.
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Guleria said in the interview:
India is definitely evolving. Income is increasing, more enthusiasts are coming in and becoming consumers of two-wheelers. In a growing economy, there is always a sub-segmentation in any industry, whether it is two-wheeler or automobile... So the two-wheelers are now not only being used for your daily commuting needs, but they are also used for fun and adventure.
Speaking about performance motorcycles, he added:
The number is very limited right now, because of the restraint of infrastructure—we still do not have paved winding roads that are well-maintained, where these bikes can really perform. But we do see some new townships, hill stations and weekend getaways coming up near the metros, so people have started using performance two-wheelers. We can expect more superbikes to come into the Indian market soon.
While Guleria hints that there will be more superbikes, he did not reveal what products could be heading to India. Honda already offers performance motorcycles like the CBR650F, CBR1000RR, CB1000R, Africa Twin and the Gold Wing. Globally, the CBR650F will be replaced by the 2019 CBR650R and the same is likely to happen in India. Thus, we expect to see the new iteration of the middleweight motorcycle arrive on Indian shores sometime in 2019. We may also see Honda's middleweight naked roadster, the CB650R arrive in the Indian market.
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Both CB650R and CBR650R use a 649 cc engine that is mated to a six-speed gearbox. The 649 cc inline-4 cylinder, liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 16-valve, DOHC engine is tuned to churn out 95 hp of maximum power at 12,000 rpm and 64 Nm of peak torque at 8,500 rpm. The CB650R also benefits from assist/slipper clutch and Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC).
It is also time to see 2018 CB1000R, which features Neo-Sport Cafe design, replace the previous generation model that is listed on Honda 2Wheeler India’s page.
[Source: Livemint.com]