Honda XRE 300 launching soon in India?

Adventure motorcycling is fast catching up in India and Honda wants to have a slice of that pie. With that in its mind, Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) is soon planning to launch its entry level adventure motorcycle Honda XRE 300. In line with the news, a Honda XRE 300 was recently spotted in the company’s facility, further strengthening the prediction of an imminent launch. Also, Honda’s recent announcement of the introduction of at the least three new two-wheeler models this financial year also seems to suggest the same.

The Honda XRE 300 motorcycle is currently on sale only in the Brazilian market and boasts impressive specs. The adventure two-wheeler is powered by an air cooled, single cylinder Double Over Head Camshaft (DOHC) engine with a displacement of 291.6 cc. Power output is rated at 25.4 PS at 7500 rpm while a healthy torque of 27 Nm, a much needed one for the purpose of the motorcycle, is developed at 6000 rpm. Fuel is fed through an electronic injector and the transmission duties are handled by a five speed gearbox.

The bike has a wheelbase of 1417 mm and a majestic ground clearance of 259 mm to chug through all the obstacles. The high saddle height of 860 mm is something that is to expected in this segment. A 245 mm telescopic fork handles the front suspension duties while the rear is taken care by a 225 mm pro link suspension. Honda does not disappoint with the braking system seen in the motorcycle either with 256 mm discs at the front and 220 mm discs at the rear. While the Brazilian model boasts of a dual channel ABS, it is still not clear whether the Indian one will carry the same.

Styling wise, true to its adventurer motorcycle name, the Honda XRE 300 sports an off-roader styling with the mud guard mounted high, well integrated into the fuel tank. Single piece seat, long travel suspension, headlamps with bikini fairing, high ground clearance, spoke wheels with dual purpose tyres complete the adventurous styling.

The segment has seen a moderate success in India with the early entrant Impulse by Hero already discontinued. The Himalayan launched by Royal Enfield has been accepted well in the market and has re-kindled other manufacturers’ interest in wetting their feet in the segment.