In India, small-displacement adventure bikes are pretty popular, especially for riders who want to experience the capability of an adventure bike but are limited by either their riding skills or budget. Bikes like the KTM 250 Adventure, and even the Royal Enfield Himalayan have gained a lot of traction thanks to their accessibility and impressive performance.
Honda, it seems, wants in on the entry-level ADV fun, as it has trademarked the NX200 name. It has long been speculated that Honda would soon be releasing an entry-level adventure bike, likely based on the Hornet 2.0 naked streetfighter. While no confirmation regarding the final configuration of the upcoming NX200 has been provided by Honda, numerous Indian motoring publications seem to unanimously agree that this bike will take the form of a lightweight adventurer.
If Honda does launch the NX200 as an adventure bike, it’ll be a timely addition to its entry-level stable, and will lock horns directly with the Hero XPulse 200, a lightweight adventure-focused dual-sport which brings incredible value for money to the table. It can be argued that the Honda Hornet’s platform would be the ideal stepping stone into producing a budget-friendly ADV bike. It certainly beats having to redesign a new machine from the ground up. Having said that, the 184.4cc air-cooled, single-cylinder engine found in the Hornet would definitely make for a spritely mill on a lightweight adventure bike.
Reports suggest that Honda will likely unveil the new NX200 sometime in August or early September. This time of year preceding the festive season in India, is usually the time motorcycle manufacturers and automakers roll out new products and promos in a bid to get people to purchase a new vehicle in time for the holidays. With that, we can expect to see the new NX200, as well as a plethora of other new and exciting motorcycles in the coming weeks and months.
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Sources: BikeWale, IP India Online