Honda Working On a Hornet 2.0-based ADV For India

Honda is planning on utilising the platform for more motorcycles

Honda has invested heavily in the Hornet 2.0 platform. It could be Honda’s first made in India ADV offering.  The bike will be more road-specific and not a hardcore off-roader. 

Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) has been a lot busy lately. After launching the Hornet 2.0, the bike that led the foray of the Japanese brand in the premium 160 to 200cc segment in India, it launched the H’ness CB350 last month to take on the Royal Enfield Classic 350 in its home turf. Now, team Red is already discussing the possibility of an ADV based on Hornet 2.0.

Honda says it has invested heavily in the Hornet 2.0 platform and intends to bring different motorcycles based on this platform. In an interview, Atsushi Ogata, president and CEO, HMSI hinted that the bike could use a 160cc to 200cc engine and that we could have something similar to the ones available in the Chinese market.

The Honda Hornet 2.0 is based on the Honda CB190R, which is sold in the Chinese market in various different avatars. Honda already has a neo-retro roadster, the CBF190TR and more recently the CBF190X. Going by Ogata San’s statement, if the discussions proceed as planned, we could very well have an on/off-road motorcycle similar to the CBF190X and based on the Hornet 2.0’s platform.

The Hornet 2.0 is powered by an air-cooled 184.4cc fuel-injected single-cylinder engine mated to a 5-speed gearbox and delivers 17 PS and 16.1Nm at 6,000rpm. The Hornet gets USD forks and a monoshock at the rear. Braking duties are handled by disc brakes at both ends aided by single-channel ABS.

If and when developed, the ADV could draw design inspiration from the CB500X or even the CBF190X. The bike is likely to use the Hornet 2.0’s engine but in a different state of tune to match the character of the bike. However, we must add that it won’t be a hardcore off-road motorcycle like say the Hero XPulse 200 and more of a soft off-roader. 

The Honda Hornet 2.0 priced at Rs 1.26 lakh (ex-showroom), it would be safe to assume that Honda’s ADV bike for India will carry a premium of around Rs 10,000 to 15,000 over its streetfighter sibling.