[man_of_steel]

Honda has officially(?) announced the commence of production of the CBR650f in India by 2015!


Picture courtesy. MCN

Source: http://firstbiz.firstpost.com/corpor...ia-105361.html

We announce that (from) next year Honda will start making CBR -650 in India. By this, we will not only open up the skill of our existing manpower but it will also showcase the Honda India's manufacturing quality to the world," HMSI Vice-President Y S Guleria told reporters here on the sidelines of a foundation stone laying ceremony for its upcoming plant at Vithalapur in Ahmedabad district.

I sincerely hope that it is a genuine official statement!

[Silverflash]

Good news, and hopefully this move will force Kawasaki's hand when it comes to manufacturing capability in India for their sixers.

[the13thtee]

That's great news, if true. The prices will definitely get cut down by a good percent if manufactured and assembled in India. I saw a Honda 1000 rr Fireblade a couple of days ago in Delhi. I wonder how much money the guy must have shed to ride that beast. Loved it though !

[ani_meher]

India made 650 is really a good news. Hope the price stays below 4L. Considering how much the CBR250 undercuts Ninja250/300 (comparing it to US prices), it is not too wild an expectation by seeing the price of Ninja650 here.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

India made 650 is really a good news. Hope the price stays below 4L. Considering how much the CBR250 undercuts Ninja250/300 (comparing it to US prices), it is not too wild an expectation by seeing the price of Ninja650 here.

By that extrapolated equation, by my now shaky school mathematics, the CBR 650 should come in at around under 3.5 lacs.

My reasoning:

The non ABS CBR 250 is 1.8 lacs to the Ninja 250 (also non ABS, so apples and apples) at 3 lacs (before the 300 was launched).

So if the Ninja 650 is 5.5 lacs, then the CBR 650 should be approximately 3.3 lacs.

Of course I am purposefully neglecting the number of cylinders in the entire equation, and just taking cc to rupees as a simple calculation.

[dreamseller]

Originally Posted by ani_meher

India made 650 is really a good news. Hope the price stays below 4L. Considering how much the CBR250 undercuts Ninja250/300 (comparing it to US prices), it is not too wild an expectation by seeing the price of Ninja650 here.

Wish life was that simple! Apart from the fact that the Ninja 250 churns out 33PS to the CBR's 26PS, the former is also a twin cylinder. By the same equation, the Ninja 650R produces 72PS from it's inline twin whereas the 650F produces around 87PS from it's i-4. Now let's do the maths again, watsay?

Originally Posted by ebonho

By that extrapolated equation, by my now shaky school mathematics, the CBR 650 should come in at around under 3.5 lacs.

I laughed for a whole minute before I could come back to normalcy. And Doc, for someone suffering with an URTI, this laugh is painful!

Anyway, this is old news I reckon. HMSI has been saying this since the Auto Expo. This, and the fact that they are bringing the twin cylinder 400/500. They're probably having a competition on who wins this game: Honda, Mahindra (Mojo) or Yamaha (R25/R3).

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by dreamseller

I laughed for a whole minute before I could come back to normalcy. And Doc, for someone suffering with an URTI, this laugh is painful!

Sorry for causing you discomfort bro. Maybe a few violent coughs would help loosen the really tencious deep seated phlegm and help you hawk it out easier as a result.

That said, I actually was not trying to be funny, and was comfortably wafting along on my own magic dream carpet. An in line 4 middle weight at Ninja 250 pricing - why not?

What brought me crashing painfully down to terra firma was not the realization of the number of cylinders and the premium Honda would doubtlessly pry mercilessly from my white knuckled tightly clenched fist.

But the fact that this was going to be a comparatively anemic 600+ cc inline 4 at "only" 87 bhp. I was not hoping for CBR 600RR matching figures (ok I'm shamelessly lying here, but ignore all the same and humor me). But at least close to if not tipping over the 100 bhp mark.

Sadly no. Will be a stonker of a bike nonetheless. Just being a greedy old explosive gaseous eruption.

[man_of_steel]

True that performance figures are on the low (err..lower) side! But the way I see it, it might be the only 'immidiate affordable' (highly relative term) inline-4 for me!

I am not a great fan of speculations, but I would like to let Honda (if your bots are tracking this thread) know that I am shamelessly looking forward for a price tag of 4-4.5 Lakhs or much lower!

[dreamseller]

Originally Posted by ebonho

Sorry for causing you discomfort bro. ....... Just being a greedy old explosive gaseous eruption.

I feel you, Chief! But I reckon increasing the power would have a waterfall effect on the other budget components: the telescopic forks, the twin spar steel frame or the two-piston non-radial mount brakes. For the majority of bikers though, it seems like a good package. At least on paper.

I totally agree to one fact though: they will charge a premium on everything, right from the cost of the bike to the attitude meted out by the ASC.

P.S. I don't think anything other than a middle-weight thumper (the KaTooM) is going to satiate you.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by dreamseller

P.S. I don't think anything other than a middle-weight thumper (the KaTooM) is going to satiate you.

Good and valid points bro.

I agree on wanting the 690 as my primary bike. Everything else right now is a stop gap.

My predicament is that I have sold my baby Duke 200, and do not have a serious bike for now. The used 390s in the market have still not seen the expected fall in prices with the advent of the RC. And I am loathe to lose money every year, buying and selling newer bigger KTMs, waiting for the 690 to come.

If it eventually does. When it eventually does.

So while I agree my heart is honestly not into any other bike for the moement (even the 390 would be a stop gap), one should and must keep an open mind ....

[GKR9900]

Hi guys,
I came upon this bit of news while surfing the net

http://www.rushlane.com/honda-cbr-65...-12134373.html

Is it really true? I mean, a 4 cylinder 650cc motorcycle is going to be produced in India?
If so, it will be the next big thing after the RC twins, even better!

I have searched all over the internet for more news.Some sites claim it to be locally assembled only, while others claim local production.Can anyone please confirm?

[Aditya]

Honda is expected to price the locally assembled CBR 650F under Rs. 10 lakh. If the bike receives a favourable response, the company will consider the local assembly of more high performance models.

Link to Team-BHP News Article

[Silverflash]

Originally Posted by Aditya

Honda is expected to price the locally assembled CBR 650F under Rs. 10 lakh. If the bike receives a favourable response, the company will consider the local assembly of more high performance models.

Link to Team-BHP News Article

And some people were dreaming about 4L price points...

That being said, under 10 lakh could mean anything. 9+ lakh sounds unreasonably pricey to me, but then again, this is Honda. Don't really need logic to do what they want with pricing. And it isn;t like they have too much competition right now in this category.

Hoo boy. 10 lakh? I'll pass, I think. If I'm dreaming, I can dream of an India-assembled Ninja.

[ebonho]

Originally Posted by Silverflash

Hoo boy. 10 lakh? I'll pass, I think. If I'm dreaming, I can dream of an India-assembled Ninja.

I simply hate whoever it is who took the decision to phase out the Duke 690 and put their faith in as yet undeveloped and untried 500 and 800 cc twins.

[Silverflash]

Originally Posted by ebonho

I simply hate whoever it is who took the decision to phase out the Duke 690 and put their faith in as yet undeveloped and untried 500 and 800 cc twins.

Yeah, that struck me as strange too. Why would they want to phase out what is probably THE iconic big single hooligan and replace it with twins? Doesn't compute.

Has there been any further word on that after the initial statement by KTM? I'm kinda hoping they backtrack on it. If even one run of 690s happens, I'm jumping, and the wife will be handled somehow.