Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd has been riding the budget-friendly commuter train for a while now. The strategy has worked wonders for the brand but it has left a gaping hole in the performance segment. Sure, Honda has been competing in the performance segment of late but it still has nothing to offer in between the CB Hornet 160R and the CB300R. Neither does it have a fully-faired supersport now that the age-old CBR250R has been pulled off the shelf.
We believe the Japanese manufacturer could plug this gap with the CBR250RR. The only real threat to Honda in the sub-400cc supersport segment is the BS6 TVS Apache RR 310, KTM RC 390, and the Kawasaki Ninja 300. Two of which are single-cylinder motorcycles. The CB250RR, on the other hand, has a parallel-twin motor, a sinister design language and a ton of features to offer.
So here’s why the CBR250RR makes sense for the Indian market and why it may not:
Why It Makes Sense:
The only cost of importing engine:
Most of the components including the bodywork chassis, suspension, brakes and tyres could be developed in India. The only major cost for Honda is importing the parallel-twin engine from Indonesia. The motor in its current state of tune makes around 41.7PS of peak power, mated to a 6-speed transmission, which puts it smack in between the Kawasaki Ninja 300 and the KTM RC 390 in terms of performance. It even gets a decently sized 14-litre fuel tank.
|
Model |
TVS Apache RR 310 |
Kawasaki Ninja 300 |
Honda CBR250RR |
KTM RC 390 |
|
Engine |
312.2cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder |
296cc, liquid-cooled, parallel-twin |
249.7cc liquid-cooled parallel-twin |
373cc, liquid-cooled, single-cylinder |
|
Power |
34PS @ 9700rpm |
39PS @ 11,000rpm |
41.7PS approx. |
43.5 PS @ 9,000rpm |
|
Torque |
27.3Nm @ 7700rpm |
27.0Nm @ 10,000rpm |
- |
36Nm @ 7,000rpm |
A redline of 14,000rpm (1,000rpm more than Ninja 300), the option to fit the bike with e bi-directional quicks-shifter along with Honda’s reliability quotient should give the CBR250RR the upper hand. It also weighs in at just 168kg kerb.
Racing pedigree:
We’re not done yet, the CBR250RR has yet another card to play: its feature list. The bike is a purebred supersport meant to tame tracks. It features three ride modes (Comfort, Sport and Sport+) which alter the tune of the engine based on the riding conditions, ride-by-wire throttle, upside-down forks, a monoshock, and petal disc brakes at both ends with ABS. Honda could offer Metzeler Sportec M5s, which have decent grip and are easily available in India, as standard.
Why It Doesn't Make Sense:
Costs a king’s ransom:
The price of the bike won’t be palatable by most if Honda decides to import it via the CKD route. The CBR250RR costs Rp. 72,700,000 (approx. Rs 3.74 lakh on-road) in its home country, Indonesia, which is an exorbitant amount for a price-sensitive market like India. Honda’s only play here is to manufacture the bike in India, but setting up a reliable supplier base here with the right pricing isn’t an easy task and it could take ages.
Niche segment:
The 250-400cc supersport segment is quite a niche market space that won’t rake in numbers for the brand.
Back trouble:
The committed riding posture on the CBR250RR could be a real backbreaker for riders who spend most of their time on the bike within city limits.
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