New Honda Commuter To Rival The Hero Splendor, TVS Radeon and Bajaj Platina

Honda India’s President admits the CD110 didn’t meet customer demands, and intends to change that with the company’s new offering

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India President Atsushi Ogata has revealed that the company has been looking at the entry-level commuter market with fresh eyes again, and is in the process of developing a new motorcycle that will compete against the likes of Bajaj Platina and TVS Radeon.

In an interaction with ET Auto, Ogata mentioned, “ Of course, we have a low-end model Honda CD110, but relatively it’s very weak compared to our competitors. It means we have never matched demand with such kinds of customer groups. So, I had committed to investigate how to enter this low-end MC segment. This feasibility study (is) already done so we are going to develop this kind of motorcycle in the low-end category.”

This is a brave move from Honda, considering that it is the only Japanese bikemaker competing in the segment dominated by the Indian manufacturers. So, what will be Honda’s strategy for this new low-end commuter?

The Honda CD110 Dream hasn’t been a success for the manufacturer. In fact, its sales in January is less than a third of the Platina. However, the ‘Shine’ moniker is still going strong after all these years, and it continues to be a popular motorcycle in its segment. So, introducing a low-end 110cc commuter under the ‘Shine’ brand seems like a sensible move.

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Of course, matching the price of its Indian rivals would be difficult, and so is competing against the popularity of bikes like the Hero Splendor+. Take the case of the CD110 STD, which is priced at Rs 66,033, the cheapest motorcycle at the moment in HMSI’s stable. In comparison, the Bajaj CT110 is priced at Rs 58,925, while the TVS Radeon is priced at Rs 59,925 onwards (ex-showroom Delhi). That’s a substantial difference over its rivals.

While pricing may not be Honda’s forte, technology definitely is. And we reckon that is the ace up Honda’s sleeve. Instead of making a barebones version, Honda could cram in more technology to justify its commuter’s price. These tech updates are more likely to focus on increasing the fuel efficiency and making the bike easier to live with.

With a commitment to explore the 150cc segment further, and venture into electric mobility, Honda certainly has some big plans for the Indian market in the coming years.

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