Honda is having strong future plans for India. The Japanese two-wheeler wants to expand its empire in our country. So it is planning to launch a handful of new motorcycles including multiple twin-cylinder 500cc bikes. One of which may manufacture in India with heavy localization.
According to a report, suggests that Honda may start manufacturing twin-cylinder bikes in our country before KTM.
Honda plans to launch four new 500cc motorcycles in India within a year. So these bikes include Honda Rebel 500, Honda CBR500R, Honda CB500F, and Honda CB500X. All of them are on sale in various international markets. Also powered by a 471cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine.
At current, there’s a big gap between the Honda CB300R and Honda CBR650R in the line-up of Japanese products for the Indian market. The company is trying to fill this gap with the 500cc bikes.
However, Honda understands our price-sensitive market. While launching a new product it is necessary to ensure that they have low price tags. The company brings motorcycles via CKU and CBU route attracts huge taxes. So that’s why for one of its upcoming 500cc bikes Honda likes to manufacture in India with heavy localization.
Motorcycle Production In India:
Right now, it is not clear as to which 500cc bike Honda picks for production in India. Chances are that it may be one of the aforementioned models. Honda will first bring that specific bike in India via the CKD route. So it will analyze the response it gets in the market.
However, if everything goes fine, it will consider manufacturing in the country. This model will launch in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic may cause some delays.
On the other side, all the Bajaj Auto and KTM bike manufactures are single-cylinder motorcycles. So the only two-cylinder motorcycle in the Austrian brand’s product line-up in India is the KTM 790 Duke. This was brought in as a CKD import and thus starts price of INR 8.64 lakh.
