Honda Aims To 100 Per cent Localise Its Premium Portfolio

The first bike to make the cut could be the CB300R

Honda India's strategy for 2020 not only involves tapping into the mid-displacement segment but also includes trying to localise the majority of its premium products. Essentially, the current crop of Honda motorcycles which are imported as CKD units may be localised completely to bring down costs. 

The Japanese manufacturer isn’t planning to jump the gun though. It will closely analyse the market first and see how it responds to change. The very first product to go through localisation could be the CB300R which currently retails at Rs 2.42 lakh. The BS6 update is likely to push the price even further. Manufacturing the bike locally may help the brand price it competitively in the ever growing 250-300cc space. 

Next up could be the Forza 300 which shares the same engine as the CB300R, followed by Honda’s 500cc lineup. This includes the Rebel 500, CB500F, CBR500R, and the CB500X. The rather simple parallel-twin engine configuration used in these bikes could be easier to manufacture locally. 

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Having said that, localisation comes with its own set of problems. It's tough to find the right suppliers who're capable of manufacturing components that adhere to the brands’ strict quality standards. The process is time-consuming, so we aren’t expecting Honda to make any drastic changes anytime soon.