The war over the mid-size 300cc motorcycle segment just became more intense with two back-to-back launches. Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) made yet another addition to its CB brand, the newly launched CB300F, having already the CB350R, the CB350 H’ness, the CB350 RS, in its portfolio. Royal Enfield, a veteran player in the mid-segment, launched Hunter 350 with a larger 349cc engine which undercut the price of Honda CB300F with its aggressive price point of Rs 1.49 lakh.
The Honda CB300F, with a 293 cc engine, is priced at Rs 2.25 lakh for the Deluxe and Rs 2.28 lakh for the Deluxe Pro models. Asked about its competitor’s price point, HMSI managing director, president and CEO, Atsushi Ogata said: “They have done magic. We could not price ours any lower given the new BSVI engine that is expensive and everything else that comes with the CB300F.”
In fact, Ogata expressed his concern over the new On Board Diagnostics (OBD) 2 norms for BSVI vehicles that will kick in from 2023. “Adherence to these norms will require more sensors and additional costs that will push up the cost of production,” said Ogata. Asked if the company will increase prices even further, he said: “We will try to offset the price rise.”
Honda will continue to focus on the mid-size segment and introduce more bikes in the 300-to 350 cc categories, Ogata said. Ogata had also announced that the company would launch a 100cc commuter bike in the near future. “It will be really challenging to foray into the entry level segment and Honda will do it without compromising on quality. We are discussing with our suppliers and we will make it in India,” said Ogata.
The company is preparing to make intrusions into the Tier 2 and 3 cities and will expand its touchpoints. “We have 100 touchpoints presently that covers 50 percent of the pan India space. We will double this by 2025,” said P. Rajagopi, operating officer, premium motorcycle business, HMSI. “As the riding culture grows, the streetfighter motorcycle segment will witness increased growth. We will curate exciting adventure rides for such enthusiasts,” he added.
