Honda To Go Guns Blazing With Rebel 300, ADV 160, 500cc Bikes In The Pipeline

Looks like Honda is all set to go guns blazing with several new two-wheelers for the Indian market. According to reports, the Japanese bikemaker is planning to bring the Honda Rebel 300 to India, and also intends to launch a 160cc adventure scooter, 500cc bikes - both developed specifically for the country. Here’s everything you need to know, including the expected prices and the launch timelines:

Honda Rebel 300:

The Honda Rebel 300 will reportedly be launched in India in 2026-2027. Wondering its cost? Well, in the US market, both the Honda CB300R and the Rebel 300 are priced the same (USD 5,149 for the ABS variant, which is about Rs 4.51 lakh).

Expect the same strategy for the Indian market as well, with as heavy localisation as the CB300R. The top-end Royal Enfield Meteor 350 costs Rs 2.60 lakh, whereas the Honda CB300R costs Rs 2.71 lakh (both on-road Delhi). The ex-showroom price of the CB300R is Rs 2.40 lakh, so the Rebel will have to be priced around the same mark if it were to target Meteor 350 in the market. 

Even though it feels it’s a too-little-too-late move by Honda, it will still stand a chance if priced right as it will then have the distinct advantage of being the only affordable Japanese cruiser in India. The Honda reliability coupled with the light weight (US-spec Rebel 300 is about 23.2kg lighter than the India-spec Meteor 350) and a relatively more stress-free high speed cruising capability than the Meteor should give it the upper hand. However, the 11.3-litre fuel tank capacity may not be as touring friendly as the Meteor’s 15-litre one.

160cc Honda Adventure Scooter:

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Honda reportedly plans to launch a 160cc adventure scooter in 2026. It’s codenamed “K4LA”, and is rumoured to be based on the Honda ADV160. This will compete in the maxi-scooter segment, which is currently dominated by the Yamaha Aerox 155, not to mention the recently launched Hero Xoom 160 and the already existing (but not all that popular) Aprilia SXR160. While the Aprilia is more affordable (Rs 1.43 lakh ex-showroom) thanks to its air-cooled engine, the liquid-cooled equipped Aerox and Xoom 160 are priced at Rs 1,49,450 and Rs 1,48,500 (both ex-showroom Delhi) respectively. The ADV 160 is also likely to use the same liquid-cooled engine as the international spec one, albeit compliant with the new OBD-2B norm.

If Honda were to make an impact in this segment, it will have to heavily localise the ADV 160 to price it on par with its rivals. So expect a price tag of around Rs 1.55 lakh (ex-showroom). For perspective, the Indonesian Honda ADV160 costs an equivalent of Rs 1.96 lakh.

New Honda 500cc platform:

Honda is reportedly working on a 500cc platform specifically for our market, with two products codenamed “MLHJ” and “MLWA”. It is reported that the launch will be around 2026-2027. The bigger question is - what kind of engine will the bikes pack? 

It’s unlikely to be a parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine as that will drive up the costs of the bikes. Currently, the semi-localised Honda NX500 costs Rs 5.90 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), which itself is pretty premium for what at the end of the day is a 500cc motorcycle. 

A motorcycle with a liquid-cooled 500cc single-cylinder engine doesn’t make sense either as it may not be as refined as a twin – not to mention the cost to value ratio will still be out of bounds for most customers.

The third probability is if Honda makes a bike with a 500cc air-cooled, counterbalanced single, it will be able to price it competitively and compete in the space that is between the Royal Enfield 350cc bikes and the 650s from the same brand. Here’s how this makes the most sense: 

Honda initially wanted a share of the 350cc segment that’s dominated by REs, so it launched the CB350 range. However, as per SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers), the sales of the CB350 range between April and December 2024 has been just 11,789 units as opposed to 2,56,394 units of the Royal Enfield Classic 350, a jump of almost 22 times than that of Honda’s figures in the same time frame! We haven’t even included the Royal Enfield Bullet 350 and the Hunter 350’s sales numbers here. 

Perhaps, Honda may have realised that the wiser strategy is to revive a long-forgotten segment that Royal Enfield left from, and be a modern pioneer in it. Currently only the QJ SRC500 is available in this air-cooled 500cc segment. Even though it is a fantastic motorcycle, customers do not have a lot of confidence in the brand, preventing it from being a solid option to many. 

Moreover, Honda did trademark the name “GB500” back in November 2024 in the US. This also points to a resurgence of the OG Honda GB500, a cafe racer sold in the 80s. That said, this will likely be a rider-friendly retro roadster as opposed to a niche cafe racer. 

As for the pricing, the Honda H’ness CB350 in India costs Rs 2.12 lakh (ex-Delhi) for the DLX Pro variant whereas the Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 starts from Rs 3.03 lakh (ex India). Hence, the Rs 2.5 lakh segment is ripe for the picking, so the upcoming Honda 500cc bike could be priced at that ballpark. 

With these plans in place, it seems like Honda India is finally getting out of its comfort zone rather than relying solely on the Activa and other commuter models for its balance sheet.

Sources: 1, 2