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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Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company (TVSM) has launched the most advanced TVS Raider variant with several segment-first features at prices starting INR 95,600 (ex-showroom Delhi) for TFT DD and INR 93,800 (ex-showroom Delhi) for SXC DD models.

The new TVS Raider includes ‘boost mode,’ a category-first feature with iGO Assist technology, delivering torque of 11.75Nm @ 6000rpm. The motorcycle includes segment-first Dual Disc Brakes and ABS (Anti-lock Braking System). It also features GTT (Glide Through Technology) for low-speed manoeuvrability and fuel efficiency.

The motorcycle now has a new 90/90-17 Front and 110/80-17 Rear tyre configuration, which improves grip and handling. The bike has a metallic silver finish with red alloys.

Aniruddha Haldar, Senior Vice President — Head Commuter & EV Business and Head Corporate Brand & Media, TVS Motor Company, said, "The TVS Raider redefines what young riders can seek from their motorcycle. In 4-years it won the love of a million plus Gen Z riders. Today, the new TVS Raider is equipped with the exhilarating 'Boost mode' powered by iGO Assist tech, and another segment first - Dual Disc with ABS. With yet another segment-first Glide Through Technology (GTT) now can navigate through even slow traffic with ease. The stylish loaded new TVS Raider raises the 'wicked' bar yet again, bringing together thrilling performance, top-notch safety, and unmatched ease. We remain committed to creating motorcycles that our customers are delighted to ride and proud to own."

The TVS Raider continues to be powered by a 3-valve 125cc engine that produces 11.75 Nm of torque at 6,000rpm. Smart technology like iGO Assist with Boost Mode offers an instant power surge and GTT ensures smooth handling.

A segment-first safety feature, the Follow Me Headlamp, keeps the headlamp lit for a time after the ignition and engine are switched off, helping to light the way for the rider in dark areas. Riders can choose between two connected display options: a TFT with over 99 features or a reverse LCD with more than 85 features.

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, a leading two-wheeler manufacturer, has reported wholesales of 568,164 units in September, which was 3 percent lower than 583,633 units sold last year.

The company’s domestic sales came at 505,693 units, down 6 percent, as compared to 536,391 units, while exports came at 62,471 units, up 32 percent YoY.

For H1 FY2026 (April–September 2025), HMSI's cumulative total sales reached just under three million units at 2.99 million units. This comprised 2.67 million units in the domestic market and 311,517 units exported globally.

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer, has reported its wholesales for September 2025 and YTD FY2026.

The company sold a total of 687,220 two-wheelers in September, which marked a 7.87 percent as compared to 637,050 units last year. This included 626,217 motorcycles, up 4.8 percent YoY and 61,003 scooters, up 54 percent YoY. On the exports front, the company shipped 39,638 units, as compared to 20,344 units last year.

The strong monthly performance contributed to steady growth, a trend rooted in the strategic diversification of the product portfolio, including 12 new scooters and motorcycles launched since the last festive season. The month’s dispatch performance coincided with a major milestone: Hero MotoCorp became the first Indian company to surpass the 125 million cumulative two-wheeler production mark.

Hero MotoCorp stated that positive momentum is visible across the business. Showroom and dealership footfalls have more than doubled compared to the festive season last year, driven by the festive spirit and new GST benefits, with significant traction observed in the high-volume commuter segment.

The company’s electric vehicle business, Vida, powered by Hero, continued its strong growth trajectory, recording 12,736 VAHAN registrations in September 2025. This performance, led by the recently launched Vida VX2 Evooter, resulted in a sharp YoY EV market share rise from 4.7 percent to 12.2 percent, underscoring growing consumer trust in the brand. The company noted that demand for Vida currently remains ahead of supply in several key markets, indicating robust traction for its EV business this festive season.

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Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers, has reported strong sales for September 2025, buoyed by the start of the festive season and recent tax reforms.

The two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, recorded total sales of 123,550 units, marking 25 percent over the 99,185 units sold in September 2024.

Domestic sales were the primary growth driver, with SMIPL registering a robust 37 percent YoY growth with 105,886 units sold in September, up from 77,263 units in the same month last year.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “September has been a remarkable month for SMIPL. The festive cheer translated into strong demand driving 37 percent growth in our domestic sales. The recent GST reduction has further added to customer enthusiasm, by making our two-wheelers even more affordable. We are optimistic that this momentum will continue through the festive season and beyond, enabling us to serve a larger customer base with our trusted motorcycles and scooters.”

Further complementing the sales performance, SMIPL recorded its highest ever spare parts sale of INR 881 million for the third consecutive month, registering a 17 percent YoY growth.

While domestic sales soared, exports saw a reduction. SMIPL exported 17,664 units in September 2025, compared to 21,922 units exported during September 2024.

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