The trend of adventure-touring bikes is not new to India. Many Indian actors and actresses rode such bikes – of foreign make – to stardom. After being projected as machines that were truly out of reach of the masses, adventure-touring bikes have come a long way in the country. Seeking rejuvenation with the arrival of premium machines like the Triumph Tiger and Honda Africa Twin, they have spread themselves to newer budget points. They have got themselves closer to a point where they can appeal to the masses. Offerings like the Royal Enfield Himalayan and Hero Xpulse have got the prospect of owning an adventure-touring bike closer to riders having a tight budget to comprehend. Considered as dandy machines that could ride on the road, and off it, these bikes have come to draw the attention of young riders. Proving to be highly aspirational, adventure-touring bikes, with high ground clearance and a longer-travel suspension among other attributes, are aligning well with the exponential rise in the trend to ride on and offroad.

Not to be left out, Honda has launched the CB200X adventure touring bike at a price of INR 144,500 (ex-showroom, Mumbai). Earlier, the company had the Hornet to offer. Based on the Hornet 2.0, the CB200X is a sizeable touring-ready bike. It looks quite different from the Hornet 2.0. As an entry-level machine, it draws good attention. Introduced post much research and understanding of the buyer and user psyche, the CB200X, with its wind visor, sharp tank shrouds that connect the LED headlight to the tank and the handguards with integrated turn signal indicators, looks attractive. The pillion grab rails have been revised and are now bigger and wider. To ensure better off-road control and ride, conventional road tyres have been given a preference over knobby tyres. The thinking behind it is that conventional tyres will provide optimum grip. The new machine is available in three colour variants – Sports Red, Pearl Nightstar Black and Matte Selene Silver Metallic.

With an upright riding posture, the handlebars of the CB200X are raised. Comfortable for long-distance touring, the wind visor, although small, helps in reducing wind resistance at high speeds. A diamond-type chassis frame – it is the same as Hornet – evenly distributes the weight at the front and the rear. The kerb weight of CB200X is 147 kg. With a fuel tank capacity of 12 litres, the bike offers a riding range of between 400 and 500 km. This is subject to the nature of one’s riding style, however. Equipped with gold-coloured upside-down forks at the front and a rear mono-shock suspension, the CB200X offers a good ride and handling ability. If there are instances when the rider is made to think that he could do well with some more suspension travel, the bike does a fair job of negotiating the surfaces that come its way.

Powered by a 17 hp, 184 cc engine, the bike does 16.1 Nm of peak torque at 6,000 rpm. Keeping up with the city traffic with ease, the bike supports an easy ride over a variety of road surfaces due to its high ground clearance. Out on a highway, it does tend to ask for more power and torque. But then, find a sweet spot and the CB200X makes an easy task of riding it. Sans any riding modes that would help modulation of traction as per the surface underneath, the bike is fitted with conventional alloys. It is equipped with tubeless tyres. The front tyre specification is 110/70 – 17, and that of the rear is 140/70 -17. The 276 mm petal disc at the front and 220 mm solid disc at the rear ensure good braking ability as well. There is a single-channel ABS on the front wheel.

The upswept exhaust and tail fender of the CB200X come from the Hornet 2.0. Featuring a fully digital instrument console, which relays gear position indicator, digital clock, service due indicator and battery voltmeter, the CB200X is priced at INR 10,000 more than the Hornet 2.0. Speaking at the launch, Atsushi Ogata, Managing Director, President and CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, mentioned that the CB200X was designed keeping in mind the evolving lifestyle of the Indian youth. As an urban explorer, it presents a riding experience that would cajole the rider to explore. The CB200X is a perfect riding companion for daily city rides and also for short weekend getaways, he said. (MT)

 

Hero Xpulse 200 Vs Honda CB200X

In the sparsely populated sub-200 cc adventure category in India, the Hero Xpulse 200 could be considered as the direct rival of the CB200X. The 220 mm ground clearance and 190 mm front fork travel lends the Xpulse 200 great manoeuvrability on and off the road. The bike weighs 157 kg and is powered by a 17.8 bhp, 199.6 cc engine that does 16.45 Nm peak torque at 6,500 rpm. Heavier than the CB200X by 10 kg, the Xpulse 200 is priced at INR 120,000 (ex-showroom, Mumbai). It is less costly than the CB200X by roughly INR 20,000. It will be interesting, therefore, to see how the CB200X grabs the pie of the category from the Xpulse 200, especially when the buyer is expected to be highly cost-conscious. (MT)

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, has launched its XPulse 200 4V and XPulse 200 Pro motorcycles in the United Kingdom, expanding its international adventure motorcycle line-up.

The rollout represents the next phase of the manufacturer's European expansion, following its initial entry into the UK market last year through a distribution partnership with MotoGB.

The motorcycles were introduced at the Inch Perfect Trials in the Ribble Valley, marking the brand's latest European expansion following recent market entries in Italy and Spain. Distribution and aftersales service will be managed via MotoGB’s network of 36 sales and service outlets across the UK, with all models backed by a two-year warranty.

Both models are powered by a 199.6cc, four-stroke, four-valve, single-cylinder, oil-cooled engine paired with a five-speed constant-mesh transmission. The engine produces 18.9 BHP at 8,500 RPM and 17.35 Nm of torque at 6,500 RPM. The motorcycles feature an LCD instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity and turn-by-turn navigation, a Class-D LED projector headlamp and three anti-lock braking system (ABS) modes (Road, Off-Road and Rally).

Harshavardhan Chitale, CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said, “The launch of the XPulse 200 series marks an important step in strengthening Hero MotoCorp’s global adventure motorcycling portfolio in the UK. The XPulse has created a strong identity globally as an accessible yet highly capable adventure motorcycle that appeals to both - everyday riders and off-road enthusiasts. With its proven performance, versatility and adventure-focused DNA, we are confident that the XPulse range will strongly resonate with the riders. As we continue to expand across international markets, our focus remains on bringing globally benchmarked products and building deeper customer engagement worldwide.”

The XPulse 200 Pro includes hardware adaptations for off-road use, featuring handlebar risers to assist with standing positions and an extended gear shift lever designed to accommodate off-road riding boots. Both variants are equipped with protective bash plates, handguards, and a rear luggage plate with integrated cargo hooks as standard equipment.

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Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company, a part of TVS Group, has appointed Ravindran Shanmugam as an independent director for a 5-year term, effective 13 May 2026, pending shareholder approval.

Shanmugam is a technology entrepreneur and business leader with experience in digital transformation and AI platforms. He currently serves as the Co-Founder and Executive Chairman of Mablle, an AI-based interior design platform in Singapore. He has previously worked as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company and is an alumnus of the University of Oxford.

Sudarshan Venu, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, said, “Ravindran Shanmugam brings deep expertise in digital & consumer-focused businesses, and AI-led transformation, along with strong experience in strategy, entrepreneurship and scaling businesses across global markets. His perspectives will add valuable depth to the TVS Motor board as we continue to strengthen our future-ready growth ambitions. We are delighted to welcome him and look forward to benefiting from his insights and guidance.”

Ravindran Shanmugam, said, “I am honoured to join the board of TVS Motor Company, an institution with a strong legacy of engineering excellence, customer trust and global ambition. Mobility is being reshaped by technology, digital ecosystems, AI and evolving consumer expectations, and TVS Motor is well positioned to play a meaningful role in this transformation. I look forward to contributing to the board’s deliberations and supporting the company’s long-term growth journey with perspectives from technology-led transformation, platform businesses and consumer-focused innovation.”

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Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company has reported revenue of INR 472.70 billion for FY2025-26, up 30 percent YoY, as compared to INR 362.51 billion last year.

The company reported its operating EBITDA for the year stood at 12.9 percent, while operating profit before tax reached INR 49.75 billion, up 40 percent YoY.

For FY2026, combined sales of two and three-wheelers increased by 24 percent to 5.88 million units. Within this total, motorcycle sales rose by 24 percent to 2.71 million units, while scooter sales grew by 27 percent to 2.41 million units.

Three-wheeler sales reached 219,000 units, an increase of 63 percent, while electric vehicle sales grew by 33 percent to 371,000 units, bringing the total customer base for this segment to more than 900,000.

For Q4 FY2026, the company recorded revenue of INR 128.08 billion, the operating EBITDA margin for the quarter was 13.1 percent. Normalised revenue for the quarter grew by 36 percent when excluding benefits from government incentive schemes recorded in the prior year.

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers, has officially launched the NX500 E-Clutch at a price of INR 743,900 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The new variant introduces Honda's globally proven clutch automation technology to the mid-size adventure touring segment, priced approximately INR 111,000 higher than the standard manual version.

The E-Clutch system manages clutch engagement and disengagement during starting, gear shifting and stopping, effectively eliminating the need for the rider to pull the clutch lever. However, the system allows for manual override at any time and the motorcycle retains a traditional clutch lever for riders who prefer hands-on control.

The NX500 E-Clutch features a 471cc liquid-cooled, parallel-twin engine producing 47 bhp and 43 Nm of torque. It gets a 6-speed gearbox with the automated E-Clutch system; the mechanism adds only 3 kg to the bike's kerb weight (now 199 kg). The motorcycle gets steel diamond frame with Showa 41mm SFF-BP USD front forks and a preload-adjustable rear monoshock.

In terms of stopping, it gets dual 296mm front discs and a 240mm rear disc with dual-channel ABS as standard.  

The NX500 features a 5-inch full-colour TFT display with Honda RoadSync (navigation, calls, music), Honda Selectable Torque Control (HSTC) and all-LED lighting.

Tsutsu Otani,  President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “The Honda NX500 equipped with E Clutch technology enhances comfort and control across both urban and touring environments in India, by reducing rider fatigue, while retaining the engaging, hands-on riding experience that defines Honda motorcycles.”

The NX500 E-Clutch is available in two colour options – Mat Gunpowder Black Metallic and Pearl Horizon White.

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