Honda, a Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer, is looking into new sectors to boost sales in the fiercely competitive Indian car market. In 2020-21, the business debuted the CB350 and CB350 retro-styled Classics to compete with Royal Enfield. Honda is also considering a foray into the inexpensive adventure motorbike market.
Honda has filed a patent for the CRF300L dual-purpose motorbike in India, according to the latest news. The application was submitted in April of last year and has just lately been published. In December 2020, Honda announced the Euro 5/BS-6 compatible Honda CRF300L to replace the CRF250L, which failed to fulfil Euro 5 criteria.
The Honda CRF300L is available in Europe and a few Southeast Asian markets right now. In our market, it may be Honda’s new entry-level ADV. The success of RE Himalayan, KTM 390 Adventure, and Hero XPulse 200 demonstrates that the Adventure Motorcycle genre is gaining ground in our market. It might be Honda’s first foray into the rapidly expanding 300cc adventure motorbike market. New ADVs are also being developed by Bajaj and TVS for the Indian market. Furthermore, Hero MotoCorp is working on a larger capacity dual-purpose motorbike.
The Honda CRF300L is priced at THB 145,800 in Thailand (approximately, INR 3.42 lakh). The India-spec variant, on the other hand, may cost less than Rs 3 lakh. The new CRF300L, like the CB300R, could be used as a CKD unit.
The Honda CRF300L has a 43mm inverted front fork with extended travel and a preload adjustable long travel rear monoshock. It has a front wheel that is 21 inches in diameter and a back wheel that is 18 inches in diameter. The Thai-spec variant features a 244mm ground clearance and an 830mm seat height. The motorcycle’s kerb weight is 138kg, which is a significant benefit.
A 286cx single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine develops 27bhp and 26.6Nm of torque, powering the Honda CRF300L. It’s mated to a 6-speed transmission with slipper clutch and assist. The new CRF300L is said to have a fuel economy of 32.kmpl thanks to its 7.8L fuel tank.
The 2018 Honda CRF300L adv’s precise debut date has yet to be confirmed. The new motorbike is expected to arrive in late 2021 or early 2022, according to our estimates. In India, the business is also intending to reintroduce the CB300R in BS6 form.