The CB Hornet 160R fits in well where the Unicorn lacks, offering sporty styling, powerful yet frugal engine and some premium equipment on par with competition.
Unveiled at the RevFest earlier this year, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has finally launched the much awaited 2016 CB Hornet 160R in the country with prices starting at Rs. 79,990/- (ex-showroom, Delhi). The automaker’s newest and smallest offering to get the Hornet moniker globally, the 160cc street-fighter keeps things sporty with its looks while the frugal engine is carried over from the CB Unicorn in order to appeal to the younger Indian rider. Expected to take on some highly established rivals in its space, here is everything that you need to know about the CB Hornet 160R.
Design – The Honda CB Hornet 160R is heavily inspired from the CX-01 concept that was showcased at the 2014 Auto Expo. The motorcycle is easily the sportiest product to come from Honda in India and gets some very positive elements including the muscular and chiselled fuel tank with the protruding sides, mono headlamp cluster, X-shaped LED tail lamp as well as wavy alloy wheels. The side panels get a satin silver finish that compliments the bike well creating a nice contrast to the body colour. The motorcycle uses a mid-ship exhaust unit that adds to the styling.
Engine – Power on the Honda CB Hornet 160R comes from the same 163cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine that is tuned to produce 15.88 PS at 8500 RPM and 14.76 Nm of torque at 6500 RPM, paired to a 5-speed gearbox. The power output gets a hike in output when compared to the Unicorn 160 and the engine is BS IV compliant. The top speed is claimed to be 110 km/hr.
Mechanicals – The CB Hornet 160R gets telescopic forks at the front while the rear uses a monoshock setup. Braking performance comes from a 276 mm disc at the front (with 3-pot Nissan callipers) and 130 mm rear drum on the standard variant. The top version comes with a 220 mm rear disc and also gets the automaker’s famed Combi-Braking System (CBS) for safer stopping. The street-fighter rides on 100/80/R17 front and 140/70/R17 rear rubber (same tyre make as the Yamaha R3). The Hornet 160R has a kerb weight of 140 kgs for the standard variant while the CBS variant is 2 kgs heavier.
Fuel Efficiency – With the Honda Eco Technology (HET) onboard, the Hornet is expected to return a claimed fuel efficiency figure of 60 km/l.
While the CB Unicorn 160 may be a popular seller in the segment, Honda is now taking on some big names in the slightly premium 150cc motorcycle segment including the Bajaj Pulsar 150, Suzuki Gixxer, Yamaha FZ-S and the likes. This is also the automaker’s third product in the 150-200cc segment and certainly the most good looking one that will appeal to a host of young buyers who want something sporty without having to compromise on reliability.
Honda CB Hornet 160R Prices (ex-showroom, Delhi) –
* CB Hornet 160R Standard (Rear Drum) – Rs. 79,990/-
* CB Hornet 160R CBS (Rear Disc) – Rs. 84,400/-
