Despite a slow start, the Honda CB Unicorn 160 is picking up momentum in the 150cc segment and overtook the popular Yamaha FZ in terms of sales in April 2015.
Having built a trustworthy brand name with ‘Unicorn’ over the years in the country, Honda India came back to the brand name after dabbling with the Dazzler and Trigger monikers in the past, and the strategy is surely paying off well for the Japanese auto giant. With the 150cc space having always been a battleground for most bike makers, the CB Unicorn 160 is going great guns and overtook the extremely popular Yamaha FZ in the segment in terms of sales for the month of April 2015.
The Honda CB Unicorn 160 clocked a healthy 19,994 units in April this year, catapulting itself to the second position right behind the Bajaj Pulsar 150 that clocked 38,549 units during the same period. The Yamaha FZ that has been one of the very strong products in the 150cc space over the years did a consistent 15,396 units in April this year and could not match up to the CB Unicorn 160’s popularity. Contrary to the rumours of Honda’s newest motorcycle not doing well in the market, the sales numbers paint an entirely different picture altogether.
In fact, the Honda CB Unicorn 160 has been consistently climbing the charts ever since sales commenced in January this year. The automaker sold 6354 units of the 160cc offering in the first month of 2015 and managed to overtake the young blood Suzuki Gixxer in the process. Furthermore, sales saw a major upshift in February this year bouncing to 16,200 units while there was a slight dip in March 2015 with 14,717 units sold. Nonetheless, the impressive numbers for April 2015 have surely consolidated the CB Unicorn 160’s position in the market and we only expect the numbers to grow from here onwards.
The strong position of the CB Unicorn 160 in the market can be attributed to the discontinuation of the age old CB Unicorn 150, as prospective buyers are left with no choice but to opt for the new model. Powered by an all-new 162.7cc single-cylinder engine, the CB Unicorn makes 14.5 BHP and 14.61 Nm of torque, paired to a 5-speed gearbox. Despite certain rough edges, the bike has a pleasing persona to itself, mixing performance with daily riding while that extremely refined motor is the gem in the entire package. Prices for the CB Unicorn 160 start at Rs. 72,376/- (ex-showroom, Delhi).
April 2015 150cc Motorcycle Sales –
1) Bajaj Pulsar 150 – 38,549 units
2) Honda CB Unicorn 160 – 19,994 units
3) TVS Apache – 20,649 units (including Apache 180)
4) Yamaha FZ – 15,396 units
5) Suzuki Gixxer – 4607 units
6) Bajaj Discover – 4149 units
7) Hero Xtreme – 3850 units
8) Yamaha R15 – 2066 units
9) Yamaha SZ – 1737 units
10) Hero Achiever – 1753 units
11) Hero Hunk – 1301 units
12) Honda CBR150R – 793 units
13) Honda CB Trigger – 393 units
14) Honda CB Unicorn 150 – 293 units (now discontinued)
15) Suzuki GS150R – 48 units
16) Hero Impulse – 0 units
