To penetrate rural India.
After outwitting its former partner Hero Motocorp in the scooters segment, Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India (HMSI) is planning a new commuter bike that will be positioned below its current Dream series of bikes to compete with India's largest two-wheeler manufacturer on the motorcycles front as well.
An allegedly leaked image played out by Motorbeam shows that the new commuter bike will come with flatter panels, an elongated seat, and spoke wheels. While the flatter panels and the wheels must allow HMSI to cut back on costs to a certain extent, the elongated seat will appeal to the rural audience to a great extent.
Reports began to come in late last year when the company was said to be producing a low-cost bike with local R&D and some inputs from HQ in Japan. The Dream series offered by HMSI at present consists of three models - the Dream Yuga, the Dream Neo, and the CD 110 Dream. Globally speaking, Honda makes low-cost bikes for the South African market priced around $600 (INR 38,000). In its development stage at present, reports state the bike is said to be out in a year's time.
HMSI recently enjoyed a mega-sales day when it sold 41,000 units in a single day.
2015 Honda Dream Neo - Image Gallery (unrelated)
[Source - Motorbeam.com]
