Honda

Aprilia to compete with Enfields?

There might be an Aprilia model to compete with Royal Enfield Classic 350 which is a top-selling model in its class since launch. A new test mule has been spotted in Europe and it has a similar engine casing as the RS 457. It also features old-school styling and body parts that indicates that the world is finally noticing the timeless appeal (and profits) of Enfield models which have built a nice empire in mid-capacity motorcycles for over a decade now. A new retro-styled test bike is getting testes around Europe which on close scrutiny of spied photos suggests it is an Aprilia. Multiple aspects convince eager enthusiasts to claim it is an upcoming Aprilia motorcycle. Engine casing visible on the right hand side is similar to the RS 457’s unit. This test model’s motor appears to be larger in the images. It has a larger exhaust also. But there are many features giving it an appearance of RS 457. However, the design is not very impressive so this would have to be a very early prototype. The aesthetics of its headlight, tank shrouds, and the tail section, seem as if they were all assembled by a local garage shop. A retrofitted model is not exactly a test mule so the mystery is intriguing indeed. RS 457 uses a 457cc, twin-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with 47.6bhp and 43.5Nm linked to a six-speed gearbox. It has a slipper clutch. Aprilia may carry these forward with different tuning. A slim USD front forks, dual rear shocks, and single disc at both ends are possible indications as well. Its alloy wheels and TVS tyres seem to be borrowed from the RS. It could take any amount of time before Aprilia debuts this retro-styled motorcycle in production form. The current iteration of RS 457 has […]

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Honda launches a renewed 350 to rival Enfield Classic 350

Honda CB350 launched at ₹2,00,000, will take on Royal Enfield 350. This is an even better retro-styled motorcycle from Honda than their previous 350 efforts in India and offers a lot of modern features that Enfield never has– at a price that can win customers over to their stable. Those who want an Enfield will listen to no reason nor rhyme to change their mind about their purchase. While it is primarily aimed at dethroning the King –Royal Enfield Classic 350 in sales pie-charts, it seems by co-incidence it will compete effectively with customers divided between Hero-made Harley-Davidson 440 and Bajaj-made Triumph Speed 400. Meanwhile, Enfield is sending Meteor to USA (well the motorcycle model, relax!) and Honda H’ness 350 which was first designed and launched in India was soon released in Japan as well. So will America see a Honda 350. It would be interesting if Honda and Kawasaki (Z650RS) brought the retro-styled motorcycles they presented in India to USA– because surely Harley-Davidson and Triumph won’t be bringing their 440cc and 400cc bikes over to ruin their American Dream of selling big bikes. Clearly, sales volumes in India, a more dynamic and responsive market than China, seems to tempt brands to change their strategies in their primary / major markets as well. All said, Honda still has a ‘big’ drawback with its sales and servicing of mid-weight bikes. Only Honda Big Wing brand of authorised dealers can sell and service these 350cc motorcycles apart from their other big engine bikes such as Fireblade, Africa Twin or Goldwing. This is silly because a 350cc engine is a common sight in all cities in India–thanks to Royal Enfield’s success at marketing and branding them. So, unless Honda leverages its vast number of dealers who sell 100cc to 150cc commuter motorcycles and

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Honda CR Electric Makes Racing Debut

Honda CR Electric has made an impressive beginning in All Japan Motocross Championship last weekend. It debuted at Round 8, competing against 450cc gas-powered motorcycles in the IA1 class. All Japan Motocross Championship was held at Saitama. Team Honda HRC advisor and test rider Trey Canard rode the Honda CR Electric prototype as a wildcard entry, setting the second fastest time in the opening practice session. He qualified in fifth overall on Saturday. Canard finished second in the first of three motos behind reigning champion Jay Wilson of Yamaha on race day. Together, the electric bike and Canard made their fastest single lap time at 1:37.195, which was the second overall behind Wilson’s 1:36.503. Canard crashed out early in second and third motos. He got a holeshot on two out of the three races. * * * * * * * * * * * * Let us fix you up with the latest tech, reviews and events–subscribe to the free weekly newsletter by Bikernet. Click for a test ride!

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Lively mid-sized scrambler: Honda SCL500

The 2023 version has plenty of range and iconic style, that is sure to attract new and seasoned riders alike. The SCL500 is a mid-sized scrambler that is light on kerb weight, approachable for new and skilled riders and has plenty of power and fuel tank for highways. Its an ideal motorcycle for new or casual rider and even upgrading commuters who don’t wish to ride smaller bikes. Experienced riders can return to sporty riding when needing a change from cruising on their touring motorcycles. Honda SCL500 is powered by 471cc parallel-twin engine with six-speed transmission. Front and rear ABS are standard. 19-inch front and 17-inch rear cast wheels come paired with Dunlop Trailmax Mixtour tires. There are noticeable elements from Honda Rebel, obviously the shape of the fuel tank, and the engine itself. Its a very reliable, proven engine. A host of aftermarket accessories are available. Pros: Lightweight and nimble So many customization options Perfect tour-to-camp bike for anyone Cons: Sensitive throttle at slow speed Dash hard to see in rain/mist Can’t turn off ABS for off-road riding 2023 Honda SCL500 Specifications Engine Type Liquid-cooled parallel-twin four-stroke Displacement 471cc Bore x Stroke 67.0mm x 66.8mm Valve Train DOHC; four valves per cylinder Compression Ratio 10.7 : 1 Lubrication System Wet sump Clutch Type Wet, Multiple Disc Starter System Electric Transmission System Constant Mesh, 6-speed Final Transmission Chain Fuel System PGM-FI with 34mm throttle bodies Frame Tubular steel Rake 27° Trail 4.3 inches Front Suspension 41mm fork; 5.9-inch travel Rear Suspension Dual shocks with five-position spring-preload adjustability; 5.7-inch travel Front Brake Single 310mm disc with two-piston calipers; ABS Rear Brake Single 240mm disc, ABS Front Tire 110/80-19 Rear Tire 150/60-17 Seat Height 31.1 inches Wheelbase 58.4 inches Curb Weight 419 pounds (claimed, ready to ride) Fuel Tank Capacity 3.2 gallons

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Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, And Yamaha Join Forces On Hydrogen Bikes

with inputs by Janaki Jitchotvisut from www.MSN.com Japan’s Big Four motorcycle manufacturers will conduct research and development together. May 17, 2023, Japan’s Big Four motorcycle manufacturers announced their brave new plan to co-operate on development of hydrogen-powered motorcycle engines. Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Yamaha executives gathered together at a Tokyo press conference with the surprise announcement of formation of HySE — which stands for “Hydrogen Small Mobility and Engine Technology.” Additionally, apart from these four biggest Japanese moto manufacturers, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Limited and Toyota Motor Corporation will also join HySE as special members. Having the latter two companies on board is significant as they have independently advanced their own hydrogen-powered research in their respective fields. While HySE will focus on motorcycle engines, they plan to develop other hydrogen-powered engines for small mobility needs, as well. The unrivalled HySE organization jointly announced a plan to pursue research and development in three main areas, with responsibilities for each divided among the four OEMs as follows: Research on hydrogen-powered engines (Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, and Kawasaki Motors) Study on hydrogen refuelling system (Yamaha) Study on fuel supply system (Kawasaki Motors) * * * * * * * * * * * * GET ON TOP….with Bikernet.com’s Free Weekly Newsletter. No Spam Ever. Only Motorcycle Industry & Market Updates. Click to Test Ride Now.

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Invasion of the Small Capacity Engines

Small is Big: Motorcycles with less power, more styling, high sales volumes Just as the world was recognising the perks of weekend motorcycle getaways and big V-Twin engines, there was also economic collapse, trade tariff wars and then the curse of the climate. Everyone complained about the weather and then somebody actually did something about it. Like all solutions, the proposal was a ban. In this Article we dive into the world of small things making big waves in motorcycle industry Click Here to Read this Comprehensive Overview of All Things Big About Small

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Bajaj-Triumph Frankenstein Baby

Triumph decided to counter Royal Enfield’s might in the sub-750cc segment by attacking its homebase. They decided to tie-up with Bajaj who have successfully launched KTM and Husqvarna bikes in India. However, the last time Bajaj challenged Enfield’s cruiser segment by ridiculing Enfields as ancient clumsy elephants, they failed miserably and the viewers were disappointed with the dismal method of launching the new Bajaj long-distance bike called ‘Dominar’. Since then, the Dominar brand of Bajaj is the black sheep in the family which no one talks about and no one really wants to buy. It would be a big surprise if these two new proposed Frankenstein babies of Triumph and Bajaj can dent anything in Enfield ‘s lineup. It is forever expected to be launched ‘soon’. It missed its deadline to be showcased at EICMA where Royal Enfield shined again as a sole saviour of two-wheeled automotive segment from India. Most likely, the Bajaj-Triumph franchise / partnership will just grab the market-share away from Honda 350 and Jawa 290. Honda 350 is available at only a handful of Big Wing Dealerships. Jawa 290 has poor customer experiences for their authorised service centers. Worse still, it will dilute the great brand image that Triumph motorcycles already enjoys in India with decent sales of their models YoY. Hell, they are bigger than Polaris and surely more popular than Honda or Kawasaki with Triumph’s range of models, including classic retro styling, adventure-tourer, racing finesse, off-road ready models and more. Have a look at the spied models of Triumph-Bajaj in the below video Pssst!!! Hey, you got to peek into the Cantina for true classics !!! CLICK TO KNOW MORE….

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Dakar Rally 2023 Results

by Vaibhav Kashyap from https://bikeindia.in and Report from Kurt Morris Kevin Benavides won the final stage 14 of the 2023 Dakar Rally to top the overall bike title results by 43 seconds over Toby Price. The 2023 Dakar Rally’s final stage 14 was won by Kevin Benavides, who outpaced Toby Price by 43 seconds to win the overall bike title. The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing rider won the final two stages on his 450 Rally Factory to move up from third to first and win his second Dakar Rally championship. The Argentine, placed second in the first stage, dropped to fourth overall in stage two but managed to maintain his podium position during the following 12 stages with impressive consistency. On a Honda, Benavides finished the 136-kilometre-long special ahead of Price in second place by 55 seconds. Benavides had also won the 2021 Dakar Rally. The American, Skyler Howes of Husqvarna Factory Racing, was placed third overall with a fifth in the last stage, five minutes and four seconds behind Benavides. After nearly 44 hours and 30 minutes and 5,000 kilometres of racing against the clock, the winning margin was less than a minute. Price had a 12-second lead going into the last stage and almost missed his third Dakar Rally bike title, but he gave credit to teammate, Benavides. In his fourth start in the famous off-road rally raid competition, Howes earned his maiden podium finish. After six stages, this St George (Utah) native was in the lead overall. In stage competitions, he finished on the podium five times on his Husqvarna 450 Rally Factory. Howes, who has recently won several significant races and has also established himself as a well-known factory-backed star rider in rallies, maintained his stunning ascent with a third-place finish at Dakar. He was

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Honda Reveals First Look of Electric Motorcycle

Honda EV Motorcycle Comes Out…. Revealed On Rose Parade Float by Dennis Chung from https://www.motorcycle.com It’s been a couple of months since Honda outlined its electric motorcycle plans, which included a mix of mopeds, scooters and three large-sized “Fun EVs” destined for North America by 2024 and 2025. The initial announcement included a teaser image of two motorcycles and a scooter. Today, Honda released another glimpse of a future electric motorcycle in, of all places, a rendering of its float for the 2023 Rose Parade. As the presenting sponsor for the 13th time, Honda will once more be the lead float in the Rose Parade. This year’s float, called “Forever Determined,” is part of an ongoing brand marketing campaign promoting the company’s initiatives including its plans for electrification. Honda says it’s pursuing a goal for carbon neutrality by 2050, and having North American vehicle sales be 100% electric by 2040. The float shows several Honda vehicles, including the all-electric Prologue SUV, the Acura ARX-06 hybrid race car, a Hondajet Elite II plane, and a prototype Honda eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft). Also nestled in there is what is simply described as “a Honda electric motorcycle”. The rendering shows a naked motorcycle that looks looks very similar to the Honda CB500F, but with a large module that presumably houses the batteries and electric motor in place of the engine. It’s difficult to draw too many conclusions from a portion of a sketch of a parade float, but it is worth noting that every other element of the float besides the motorcycle is a product that actually exists in a further stage of development. The HondaJet Elite II was revealed in October, the Prologue is expected to enter production in 2024, and the ARX-06 will be competing in the 2023

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Honda Begins Sales of “Honda Power Pack Exchanger e:”

from Honda Honda Begins Sales of “Honda Power Pack Exchanger e:” Battery Swapping Station – Gachaco, a battery sharing business venture, begins operation of the first unit of Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: in Japan – TOKYO, Japan, October 25, 2022 – Honda Motor Co., Ltd. today announced that it has begun sales of the Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: battery swapping station in Japan, with the first unit delivered to Gachaco Inc., a battery sharing service joint venture. Gachaco today began operation of the first mass-production model of the Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: in Japan. Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: Product website: https://www.honda.co.jp/mobilepowerpack/exchanger (Japanese) Honda is striving to realize carbon neutrality for all products and corporate activities Honda is involved in by 2050. Electrification of mobility products, which is indispensable to achieve this goal, has three challenges that need to be addressed: short range, long charging time and high battery cost. By addressing such challenges with swappable batteries and their sharing service, Honda is striving to contribute to the acceleration of electrification and expansion of the use of renewable energy. Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: is a battery swapping station that simultaneously charges multiple units of Honda Mobile Power Pack e: (MPP e:) and enables smooth battery swapping for users of electric motorcycles and other mobile products equipped with MPP e:. The users will have access to fully-charged MPP e: whenever needed at battery swapping stations in the city, which enables efficient use of electrified mobility products without waiting for the batteries to get charged. Developed as a battery infrastructure which can achieve widespread use inside and outside of Japan, Honda Power Pack Exchanger e: features an exterior design that blends in well with the cityscape and adopts the Honda Power Pack Cloud system that centrally manages all

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