Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has made its most significant announcement as far as motorcycle racing is concerned in India. The company will bring the Moto3 championship winning machine, the Honda NSF 250R, in India in 2019.
Furthermore, the company will also introduce an exclusive racing championship on the Honda NSF 250R from 2019. The NSF 250R championship aims to develop an iconic Indian rider for participating and competing in Grand Prix racing against the best racers in the world. Honda has created three racing teams for Asian riders - Honda Asia Dream Racing, IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia, and Honda Team Asia.
The IDEMITSU Honda Team Asia is a platform for young Asian riders in the Moto2 championship, while the Honda Team Asia is a platform for racers in the Moto3 class of FIM Road Racing Championship. Speaking about the company’s aggressive plans for racing in India, Mr. Minoru Kato - President and CEO, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said, -
“It is my dream to see an iconic Indian compete in Grand Prix level racing. With a clear development path and structured approach to nurture riders in place, we now want to take Indian motorsports to the next level. Honda will introduce the Moto3 machine NSF 250R as competition bike in India next year. India’s best racers from Honda India Talent Cup and the national championship will be racing on NSF 250R in a separate series running parallel to existing national championships. Motorsports has a bright future in India and Honda will continue to take such steps to support racing talent.”
The Honda NSF 250R uses a 249.3 cc, single-cylinder, DOHC engine that is developed by Honda Racing Corporation (HRC) in 2011. The fuel-injected, liquid-cooled motor produces a maximum power of 47.6 bhp at 13,000 rpm while generating a peak torque of 28 Nm at 10,500 rpm. The engine works in sync with a 6-speed gearbox.
The new engine on Honda NSF 250R was developed to replace the two-stroke Honda RS 125R. The motorcycle has a dry weight of 80 kg, which provides an incredible power-to-weight ratio to the bike. The introduction of NSF 250R will mark the first instance for Indian racers to compete and race in a thoroughbred Moto3 class race machine.
Also Read: New Honda CBR250RR showcased at GIIAS 2018
Commenting on the introduction of NSF 250R, Mr. Prabhu Nagaraj, Vice President, Brand and Communications, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. said -
“Setting a new benchmark, the highly successful NSF 250R starts a new chapter in Indian motorsports. Acknowledged globally as a stepping stone for young champions, NSF 250R will be a huge step up for Indian riders. Riding experience on a purpose-built racing motorcycle will help them gain competitive edge bringing them at par with international racing at an early stage of their career.”
