Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), is currently the country’s leading scooter manufacturer with the evergreen popularity of the powerful Activa. However, the company currently does not have an enthusiast scooter to stand out against other sporty/maxi scooters like the Yamaha Aerox 155 and Hero Zoom 160 in India.
This may change soon as Honda has patented its ADV 160 sporty/off-road-y/maxi scooter in the country. This has sparked speculation in India, but going by the company’s patent history this could just be an IP (intellectual property) protection exercise. let’s take a closer look.
Honda ADV 160 patented in India
If you look at Honda’s patent archives in India, there is a trend of connecting the dots. Honda often patents global vehicle designs in the country, fueling launch speculation and getting enthusiasts excited. However, those design patents have become just an IP protection exercise to protect Honda’s IP in India.
In a sea of such patents, the latest patent is for Honda’s ADV 160 maxi/sporty scooter. This is a great looking, luxurious and edgy scooter from Honda with a non-step through format and a central spine, aimed at long distance travel and some trail riding capability, as the name ADV 160 suggests.
In markets like Malaysia, we could see a similar-spec scooter with a rear disc brake, as seen in the latest design patent. Prices in Malaysia start from RM 13,549 which is approximately Rs 3.26 lakh and it is offered in 5 colors – Grey, Matte Green, Matte Black, Red and White.
The overall design language is sensational and gives off a sophisticated and premium vibe while being sporty and aggressive at the same time. We get a twin pod headlight setup in the apron with LED DRLs, an adjustable windscreen, 30L luggage compartment under the seat, a large 8.1L fuel tank and more.
what to expect?
Seat height is 780 mm, ground clearance is 165 mm and curb weight is 133 kg, making it lighter than the Zoom 160, but heavier than the Aerox 155. It rides on 14-inch front and 13-inch rear alloy wheels, which are wrapped with 110-section front and 130-section rear tyres. Disc brakes are provided at both ends and there is also single-channel ABS.
In terms of features, the Honda ADV 160 gets a fully-digital instrument cluster, LED lighting, auto start/stop system, USB charger, traction control, Honda Smart Key with keyless go function and more. Powering the scooter is a 156.9cc single-cylinder SOHC 4V/cyl liquid-cooled engine, which produces 15.82 bhp of maximum power and 14.7 Nm of peak torque.
