Honda increase intention on India as market trends shift

The Indian arm of Japanese powerhouse Honda have used a recent conference in New Delhi to reveal a 10-strong line-up of new motorcycles and scooters set to be built in the country.

Part of a focus to expand Honda’s presence in that market, the range was revealed on July 24 and included everything from an electric QC3 scooter, to the twist-and-go ADV160 – designed to run on up to E85 fuel.

On top of this was a single-cylinder CB500 retro, powered by a 501cc air-oil cooled engine and dressed in spoked wheels, a ribbed seat, and twin shocks to deliver some authentic 70s charm.

Likely chasing some of the space left by Royal Enfield’s now discontinued 500 singles range, it sits above the firm’s CB350, CB350C and CB350RS family – also built in India. The £3999 GB350S, seen in the UK since 2025, is produced in Japan.

Market availability for each of the new machines is yet to be confirmed, however a retro of this kind could likely slot nicely into the UK range – sitting alongside or replacing the £5699 CL500 parallel twin, which shares its mainframe with the CMX500 Rebel cruiser.

This is further supported by the impressive reception the smaller GB has received on our market, with June 2026 figures alone released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) revealing 212 new registrations across the month – making the 350 the UK’s best-selling bike in the 126-500cc engine category.

When approached, a spokesperson for the UK arm of the business would not be drawn on future models.

The new model expansion is said to reflect the Indian market’s growth from predominantly utilitarian practical transport, into a more varied, leisure conscious two-wheeled landscape – with some of the new machines receiving the brand’s E-Clutch technology that removes the need to use the left lever when stopping or pulling away.

According to figures released by Honda in early 2025, the brand produce around 20 million two wheelers a year, with the Asian market – including India, Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam accounting for around 85% of global sales.

“Indian customers today are looking for products that complement their lifestyles as much as their mobility needs,” Honda’s Director of Sales and Marketing, Mutsuo Usui said.

It follows a statement released by Honda back in March 2026 that confirmed plans to add a third production line to their second Indian factory in Tapukara in a bid to up capacity to 1.34 million bikes before March 31, 2027.

Their four plants in the country have an annual capacity of more than six million bikes, with India also chosen for a special ceremony on May 22, 2025, to mark Honda’s 500 millionth motorcycle rolling off a production line.

“India remains one of Honda’s most strategic global markets,” President and CEO of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Tsutsumu Otani said following the new model launch. “This 10-product portfolio offers a wide range of mobility solutions.

“This not only allows us to bring Honda’s global technologies closer to Indian customers but also reinforces India’s role as an important manufacturing and export hub within Honda’s global operations, while maintaining the quality, reliability, and safety that define Honda.”

The MCN take

This is an unsurprising move from Honda. Markets like India are big business and with a growing appetite for leisure-focussed machinery, there is plenty of money to be made. I wouldn’t be surprised if more manufacturers invested in such a way.