Honda CRF190L Patented In India: Hero XPulse 200 4V Rival Incoming?

The Honda adventure bike is currently on sale in China

• The Honda CRF190L makes 15.7PS and 15.75Nm.
• Features 19-inch front, 17-inch rear spoke wheels with block pattern tyres.
• Starts from an equivalent of around Rs 1.98 lakh in China.

The Honda CRF190L has been patented in India. Keen-eyed enthusiasts will remember the CRF190L was launched in the Chinese market back in September 2021. Like any other Honda patents in India, it could go one of the two ways:

A perfect Hero XPulse 200 4V Rival:

Honda already has the CB200X, but that’s more of a road-biased touring motorcycle. The Japanese bikemaker currently does not have a capable bike to take on the Hero XPulse 200 4V, which, along with the Hero XPulse 200, is one of the most affordable off-road friendly motorcycles in India. In a bid to grab a share of this space, Honda could bring out something along the lines of the CRF190L that’s capable both on and off the road. 

Or it may be just to protect their intellectual property:

Honda has a history of patenting several products that are not related to the Indian market. The Japanese bikemaker had patented the Honda CBR250RR, MSX125 Grom, and Scoopy among others. None of them were launched in India, and the CRF190L patent could also go the same route. Honda is likely to be protecting its intellectual property rights by patenting it here, and it also allows the bikemaker to get legal rights to the name without any conflicts. 

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The Honda CRF190L is powered by a 184.4cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine, churning out 15.7PS and 15.75Nm. It gets all the makings of a true-blue ADV, thanks to the long travel front fork, rear linked monoshock and 19-inch front and 17-inch rear spoke wheels with block pattern tyres. At 830mm (20mm more than the CB200X), it’s got a rather tall seat, so expect the India-spec bike to have a more accessible seat. The motorcycle tips the scales at around 145kg kerb, which is 2kg lighter than the CB200X.

It also gets modern features including an all-LED lighting, full-LCD instrument cluster and a windshield. All in all, the CRF190L seems to be just the right direction for Honda to build its base in the Indian entry-level ADV segment. Let us know what you think in the comments.