Honda is going to reveal the replacement of CB Trigger at its Revfest today. The new Hornet 160R is the third attempt of the company in the same bike segment after two failed attempts with Unicorn Dazzler and CB Trigger. The Hornet badge will be used in India for the first time and the company hopes that it brings some success with it.
Hornet 160R will have the same 163 cc engine of the Unicorn which produces 14.5 bhp and 14.6 Nm of torque. The bike will go up against Yamaha FZ and Suzuki Gixxer which are currently the market leaders in the bikini fairing segment. Success is not guaranteed for Hornet 160R as all its predecessors have disappointed despite having refined and powerful engines. What lacks in these Honda motorcycles is stylish looks which the FZ and Gixxer have in abundant. The manufacturer needs to understand that a lot depends on the looks of the bike in India.
Hornet is going to be the fourth bike that the company is going to launch at its fest. The other three will include upgraded CBR150R and CBR250R along with an all new CBR650F. The Hornet also wears the “R” badge which in Honda’s language means that its ECU can be remapped to create a better throttle response and acceleration. Though the bike looks better than CB Trigger, it still seems to lack the panache which its competitors go about with. It might not attract onlookers gaze and that has been a problem for Honda.
Like most Indian bikes below the 5 digit mark, this one also has fake air inlets and pictures suggest that it will be available with the option of rear disc brakes. The exhaust pipe is similar to CBR150R and CBR250R but has been minimised. If you look at it from front, you will remember the bike it replaces.
