Honda teases Hornet 2.0-based adventure bike, India launch on August 19

Honda has teased an upcoming small adventure bike that we believe will be based on the Hornet 2.0.

• Hand guards, LED lighting
• Could get alloy wheels, long travel suspension
• Likely to be Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 more expensive than Hornet 2.0

Honda Hornet 2.0-based ADV teased

The rumour mill has been rife with stories about Honda working on a small adventure bike based on the Hornet 2.0. The company even registered the NX200 name in India a few months ago, and the NX moniker is what Honda has historically used for single-cylinder dual-sport motorcycles.

These rumours now appear to be trueas Honda has teased the launch of an upcoming adventure bike with some very strong Hornet 2.0 influences. And the timing of this teaser suggests that Honda might put that NX200 nametag to use.

Hornet 2.0-based ADV: design

The teaser video shows a windscreen and hand guards, which hint at the ADV genre, while the LED headlight seems to be almost identical to that of the Hornet 2.0. Turn indicators are mounted on the knuckle guards and the windscreen seems to be reasonably large and opaque.

Hornet 2.0-based ADV: underpinnings

Aside from this, there isn't a whole lot of information available at the moment.But the general consensus seems to be that this won't be a hardcore off-roader, so don't expect things like wire-spoke wheels or adjustable suspension. Instead, what Honda is likely to throw up is a soft-roader rolling on alloy wheels (maybe a 19-incher at the front, which could also be a 17-inch unit), and perhaps slightly long travel suspension, though even this seems like a long shot. If the suspension is uprated, it should also result in increased ground clearance.

Hornet 2.0-based ADV: engine

The upcoming bike will almost certainly borrow the 184cc air-cooled single-cylinder engine from the Hornet 2.0, but the state of tune may be altered so the 17.27hp and 16.1Nm may not be carried over. While we've found this engine to be peppy in the city, it may not make for the best highway bike, thanks to a harsh top-end and lack of a 6th gear.

Hornet 2.0-based ADV: features

On the features front, the teaser video confirms LED lighting for the headlight and turn indicators and, possibly, a fully-digital LCD instrumentation like the Hornet 2.0. In this exceptional case, single-channel ABS (which is what the bike is likely to get) will be a good thing, though switchable dual-channel ABS would still be preferred.

Hornet 2.0-based ADV: expected price

Considering what this bike is likely to offer over and above the Hornet 2.0, expect it to cost around Rs 10,000 to 15,000 more than the naked street bike, which is currently priced at Rs 1.31 lakh. This will place it significantly higher than the Hero Xpulse (Rs 1.21 lakh), but also a lot lower than the KTM 250 Adventure, even at its discounted Rs 2.30 lakh price tag.

All prices, ex-showroom, Delhi