Honda launches 110 cc Dream Neo Motorcycle at Rs 43,150

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India has begun its assault for No. 1 position in India's massive 2 wheeler market.

The Dream Neo is the company's cheapest offering with the base version coming with kick start, drum brakes and wire spoke wheels for Rs 43,150 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The Dream Neo with electric start, disc brakes and 6-spoke alloy wheels tops out at Rs. 47,240 (ex-showroom, Delhi). 

This 109cc commuter plays it safe in terms of design with a small bikini fairing and twin-pod instrument console (the very same layout pioneered by the Splendor all those years ago!). Honda has priced the Dream Neo at just Rs. 200 more than Hero's Splendor. The 100 - 110cc mass motorcycle segment commands nearly 50% of the Indian 2-wheeler market.

The bike's 109cc air-cooled 4-stroke engine comes with the company's new "Honda Eco Technology" (HET). It develops 8.25 BHP (@ 7,500 rpm) with 8.63 Nm torque (@ 5,500 rpm). Fuel economy is a claimed 74 kpl under ideal test conditions. The engine is based on Honda's existing Dream Yuga motor. The wheelbase length is 1,258 mm while ground clearance is rated at 179 mm. The rear wears a 5-step adjustable suspension. Tyres are tubeless on all variants, except the base. 

Honda is eyeing total 2-wheeler sales of 39.3 Lakh units by 2014 (an increase of 43%). Honda is also increasing the number of dealerships to 2,500 by the end of the year (from the 1,950 it has currently). 

Competition in the future will arrive from Yamaha who is working on a motorcycle priced at USD 500 (rather at odds with the brand's premium image in the Indian market). In the near term, the Dream Neo will pose a significant threat to entry level commuter bikes from Hero, Suzuki and TVS.