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 announced its wholesales for FY2026 with total dispatches of 6.5 million units, which marks a 10 percent growth. This includes 6.06 million units sold in the domestic market and 402,786 units exported.

In March 2026, the company dispatched 598,198 units, compared to 549,604 units in the same month of the previous year. Retail performance for the month reached 542,436 VAHAN registrations, indicating an increase of approximately 24 percent.

Growth in March was led by the 100-125cc motorcycle segment and double-digit growth in scooters. The internal combustion engine (ICE) scooter segment grew by 24 percent, supported by the expansion of the Glamour and Xtreme motorcycle ranges. Demand in rural markets improved, aided by early festive trends.

For FY2026, motorcycle sales grew from 5.47 million units to 5.84 million units, scooters from 422,692 units to 626,285 units.

Vida, the company's electric vehicle (EV) brand, recorded its highest monthly VAHAN registrations to date at 21,434 units, a MoM increase of approximately 70 percent. For the full financial year, VIDA dispatches grew by 154 percent. The brand also introduced the VX2 Plus - KKR Limited Edition as part of its partnership with the Kolkata Knight Riders.

In international markets, the global business division recorded its highest-ever dispatches. March 2026 exports rose by 16 percent to 45,693 units, contributing to a total fiscal year dispatch growth of approximately 40 percent.

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Chennai-based mid-sized motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield has achieved its highest annual sales to date, surpassing 1.2 million units in the financial year ending 31 March 2026. This marks the second consecutive year the company has exceeded the million-unit threshold.

The company concluded FY2026 with total sales of 1.23 million units, representing a 23 percent increase from FY2025. Domestic sales came at 1.10 million units, up 23 percent YoY, while exports came at 131,316 units, up 23 percent YoY.

Royal Enfield sold 112,334 units last month, an 11 percent rise over the same month last year.

The performance was supported by demand in domestic and international markets and a diverse motorcycle portfolio.

Going forward, Royal Enfield is expanding its manufacturing facility at Cheyyar to support future growth and maintain production efficiency. The company's international strategy includes deepening its presence in markets such as Brazil.

The upcoming financial year will involve the introduction of new platforms and product launches, including the Flying Flea C6. These initiatives coincide with the brand's 125th anniversary.

B Govindarajan, Managing Director, Eicher Motors and CEO, Royal Enfield, said, “Every year at Royal Enfield, we try to raise the bar a little higher than before, and this time was no different. We delivered our second consecutive year of over one million motorcycle sales, crossing 1.2 million units, our highest-ever annual performance. Achieving this milestone as we celebrate 125 years of Pure Motorcycling makes it even more meaningful. But in this landmark moment, we are not pausing to look back, instead we are focused on how we can continue to build motorcycles for the current and next generation of riders while remaining grounded in our ethos. This year we also achieved our best-ever festive season sales and highest-ever volumes across both domestic and international markets. Our international business continues to be a focus area and we are deepening our presence in high-potential markets such as Brazil. Equally important is the strength of our riding community, which continues to grow with our rider engagements and festivals expanding significantly across regions. We are also investing in staying ahead of the curve by expanding our manufacturing facility at Cheyyar, which will support future growth while maintaining our focus on quality and efficiency. As we move into the new financial year and continue our 125th year journey, we remain focused on the future with new product launches, new platforms and the launch of the Flying Flea C6. Our endeavour is simple: to keep growing in a way that stays true to who we are as we build a global motorcycling brand from India.”

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), a leading two-wheeler manufacturer in the country, has announced its wholesales for FY2026.

The company sold 549,145 units in March 2026, up 29 percent YoY, which includes 512,303 units in domestic market and 36,842 units exported.

For FY2026, wholesales came at 6.36 million units, up 9 percent YoY, which includes 5.74 million units in domestic market and 620,229 units exported.

Honda Motorcycle & Scoter India stated that the year witnessed a balanced performance across domestic and export markets, supported by a strong product portfolio and a consistent focus on quality, reliability and customer satisfaction.

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle manufacturer Simple Energy has reported its highest-ever monthly sales in March 2026.

The company reported registering 1,744 units across India (excluding Telangana) as per VAHAN data, which marks a 128.25 percent MoM growth.

The OEM has now secured a position among the top 10 electric two-wheeler manufacturers in India. Simple Energy said it moved to 9th place in the national rankings, surpassing e-Sprinto.

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