Honda has recently filed a design patent for the CRF190L in India, leading to speculation and several reports that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) may be working on a new adventure bike which will rival the Hero XPulse 200 4 Valve. So, is Honda actually working on an entry-level adventure bike with real off-road capability, or is there more to it? After all, Honda already has two models in its 184 cc platform, the street-oriented premium commuter model, the Honda Hornet 2.0 and its adventure-styled sibling, the Honda CB200X. The answer to that question will depend on market demand, and a logically planned product strategy, something HMSI has always diligently followed when it comes to the Indian market.
Also Read: Honda CB200X Review
The Honda CRF190L is based on the same platform as the Honda Hornet 2.0 and Honda CB200X but with more suspension travel and ground clearance.
The Honda CRF190L is also powered by a 184 cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine, similar to the CB200X, but has a slightly different state of tune. Right now, the Honda CRF190L is available in China, and the engine has been tuned to make 15.6 bhp and 14.5 Nm. Going by its "CRF" nomenclature, the bike also looks like a smaller version of the Honda CRF1100L Africa Twin. With a 830 mm seat height, the CRF190L isn't very intimidating and tall either, but it does get 240 mm of ground clearance. And considering its modest power output, the 145 kg kerb weight should make the CRF190L a hoot to ride off-road. So, an entry-level ADV with those kind of specs should certainly be welcome for those wanting to start riding off-road, especially in India.
Also Read: Honda Hornet 2.0 Review
Honda says the CB200X is not an off-road bike, so lack of suspension travel is a let-down. The suspension is somewhat stiff and crashes over large potholes and speedbreakers at speed. Could HMSI be looking at offering a more off-road capable bike based on the same platform, which will rival the Hero XPulse 200?
The idea of such a bike is quite realistic, and an opportunity which Honda needs to grab, considering the interest small, single-cylinder adventure bikes have started to generate in India. However, the filing of the design patent has not always translated to a product launch. In the past, Honda has filed trademarks and design patents for several models offered on sale elsewhere, but these have not been launched in India. The story, in our view, seems to be similar with the latest design patent for a small-displacement adventure motorcycle.
Also Read: Honda CRF190L Announced For Chinese Market
With its 147 kg kerb weight, the Honda CB200X is light on its feet, and there's decent mid-range to dart in and out of traffic. Will more suspension travel, better ground clearance, and more low-end grunt be introduced as a new model in the same platform?
The Honda Hornet 2.0 platform already has the naked, and a soft-roader in the Honda CB200X, so logically, it doesn't make sense to introduce another off-road capable product in the same platform. The CB200X is generating good consumer interest, and it seems far-fetched to assume that another off-road capable model will be built on the same platform, with slightly more suspension travel, and ground clearance. Quite obviously, there's no dearth of Honda's R&D and product-development capability to develop a true-blue, small-displacement off-road bike. The Honda CRF250L and the Honda CRF300L are prime examples of that capability.
According to a source in HMSI, there are no plans in the immediate future to launch the Honda CRF190L in the Indian market. So, that leaves us with a couple of options. One is that Honda is looking to develop a new model, which will actually have real off-road capability, unlike the Honda CB200X. This could have a CRF-based model nomenclature, hinting at off-road, or dual-sport capability, rather than the road-oriented CB series.
The question which remains is about the possibility of a new, small-displacement off-roader. The best bet, in our view, is to make a slightly bigger off-road bike, which will be loosely based on the Honda CB Hornet 2.0, but possibly with a slightly larger engine, something around 300 cc or thereabouts. That would mean HMSI could have plans in R&D to develop a completely new motorcycle, something which will not be targeted at the Hero XPulse 200, but possibly take a stab at a segment or two above; think Royal Enfield Himalayan, Yezdi Adventure, or the KTM 390 Adventure. If that indeed is the case, Honda certainly could have some interesting plans for India in the near future.
