Only a few days back we brought to you the detail about the new 400cc twin engine meant for Asian markets including India. Now more details have emerged on the bike which would be using the new powerplant. The new 400cc bike will most likely spawn a variety of styles to cater to every need and taste. Just like the 500cc range, also revealed recently, the 400cc bikes will have a fully faired, part faired and naked variants. The first model to hit the streets in India may be called the CBR400R. The naked version would most likely be introduced later with the CB400 tag. A half faired model of the bike named CB400F, similar to its CB500F cousin may also arrive here in due course.
The new 400cc twin is essentially on the 500cc twin engines revaled by Honda a couple of months back. The parallel-twin liquid cooled engine has the same 67mm bore as the 5o00cc unit, but the stroke has been downsized to 56.6mm. The change, in effect will lend a reviver, and more peaky character to the engine which should suit a sporty, aggressive riding style rather well. However, the engine will be tuned to deliver seamless, linear power delivery, much in the fashion of the CBR250R.
The new400cc twin engine from Honda
While no official statements have been made about the power output figure for the new 400cc twin, the expected peak output is 42PS or thereabouts. The new engine will share its cases, clutch and other mechanical bits with the bigger capacity unit.
The 400cc CBR will take the fight to the KTM 390 Duke and the new Pulsar 375 which would be based on it. Currently, Honda rules the roost as regards affordable performance bikes in India, and the Japanese company would like to retain its leadership position in terms of both specs and sales. Still early days to talk about the price of the new bike, but an OTR price of Rs 3 lakh should not be entirely impossible to achieve.
What according to you should be the right price for the fully faired CBR400R version of the new 400cc Honda? Do share your views with us via comments.
Honda should save money and face by not launching the 400. There are alternatives, already in the market with serious performance at much cheaper cost. They should launch it only if they are fully committed to this market and have what it takes to meet or exceed customer expectation, like some other manufacturers. Gone are the days Honda takes this market for granted.
KTM is litreally done a good job with single cylinder. There singles are smooth and cheap duke 390 will cost somehwere around 2 lacs and will produce 45 bhp!! Now that VFM.
Does this mean the CBR500R isn’t coming? And we get this 400 instead at some future unknown date? Even Honda is milking the market for all it worth with these smaller increments in displacement. I am sure they will bring that 500 as an upgrade in a couple of years. The twin will be much more expensive to produce and they will have a hard time pricing it competitively against the KM390.
Meanwhile, the KTM390 is well placed to mop up the market with its earlier and near certain launch date.