Honda CB200X Vs Honda XRE 300: Photo Comparison

Should Honda have brought the XRE 300 instead of the CB200X to India?

Small ADV bikes are gradually garnering the attention of Indian customers. We already have the Hero Xpulse 200, Royal Enfield Himalayan, BMW G 310 GS, and the KTM duo consisting of the 250 Adventure and 390 Adventure. And now, Honda has also entered the 200cc (almost) ADV segment in India with the launch of the CB200X, which took place a few days ago. Moreover, it also launched the 2021 XRE 300 overseas. The latter seems to pack more off-roading character. But how does it fare against the desi Honda ADV? 

Right off the bat, both the Hondas get a butch fascia and offer LED illumination. However, the XRE 300 gets a beak whereas the CB200X makes do with a small lip below the headlight. This indicates that the XRE 300 is more off-road centric than its Indian cousin. 

There’s a significant difference in engine capacity too. The Honda CB200X is powered by a 184.4cc, single-cylinder engine belting out 17.26PS and 16 Nm while the XRE 300 gets a 291cc air-cooled single-cylinder mill developing a healthy 25.4PS and 27Nm. Both use a 5-speed gearbox. 

On the features front, both bikes only get an LCD instrument cluster. 

One of the major differences between the CB200X and the XRE 300 are the underpinnings. The CB is sprung on a USD fork and a monoshock whereas the XRE gets a conventional telescopic fork with 245mm travel and a linked rear shock with 225mm of travel. 

Braking hardware for the Honda CB200X comprises a 276mm front and a 220mm rear disc. On the other hand, the XRE 300 gets a smaller, 256mm front disc and a 220mm rear unit. 

Aiding its road-biased character, the CB200X rolls on 17-inch wheels shod with a 110/70 front and 140/70 rear tyre. Meanwhile, the decidedly off-road-focused XRE 300 employs 21-inch front and 18-inch rear spoked wheels, wrapped in knobby tyres. 

The Honda CB200X gets a smaller 12-litre fuel tank whereas the tank on the XRE 300 can hold up to 13.8 litres. 

At 167mm, the CB’s ground clearance is 92mm less than the XRE’s 259mm ground clearance.

The asking price for the CB200X is set at Rs 1,44,500 (ex-showroom Delhi) while the Honda XRE 300 retails at an equivalent of Rs 2.90 lakh in Brazil. Knowing the current market, there’s certainly a demand for small-capacity ADVs. However, Honda would have to resort to localisation to bring down costs if it plans on bringing the XRE 300 to India in the future.