Love is in the air! Yes that is the entire month of February every year has become. While how much love actually floats in the air in February is actually not certain, an immense number of special events, discounts and offers certainly get showered during this time. While almost all companies in diverse business segments in India are showering various forms of special offers, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India is also taking the opportunity to offer some excitement to its esteemed customers.

Honda has launched a very innovative and engaging online contest on the day of love, Valentine’s Day on 14^th of February. This is also the first ever contest on the social media platform that revolves around the theme of Love for the Honda 2 wheelers.

Honda’s online contest is named “I Love My Honda” competition. This contest is open to all the Honda 2 wheelers customers all across the country. The Honda 2 wheelers consumers can freely participate in this cool contest by simply posting a picture of themselves with their precious Honda 2 wheeler and completing a slogan of the “I love My Honda because…”. The slogan should reveal the owners’ love towards his or her Honda motorcycle or scooter and why the person loves the vehicle so. This cool and peppy contest is specially conducted revolving around Valentine’s Day and thus concludes on 16^th February, 2014.

The I Love My Honda contest is purely online and is conducted utilizing the social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

During the I Love My Honda contest, the users of these social media platforms can vote for their best liked pictures as well as posts online. The top 5 entries with the best pictures and posts will be rewarded by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Private Limited with specially designed Honda merchandise and attractive gift hampers.

While speaking on the launch of this love for the 2 wheelers contest, the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, Mr. Y.S Guleria said that the company is very pleased to offer an opportunity to the company’s valued customers to express their love for their favorite Honda 2 wheeler. The day of love, Valentine’s Day has a special place in the hearts and minds of the youngsters of the country and being the fastest growing 2 wheeler company in India at present, the company felt that it is a very good opportunity to engage with the company’s customers. Also today’s generation is very active on social media and love to interact in the same, and thus this competition is held on their favorite social media platforms as well to offer full engagement. Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India is certain that its customers will simply love this opportunity and will actively participate in this exciting contest.

All the love struck Honda 2 wheeler owners can participate in the “I love My Honda” contest on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and get a chance to win great gifts.

Japanese luxury car major Honda has started its motorcycle business in Bangladesh. Honda has a motorcycle business partnership in Bangladesh, which goes by the name Bangladesh Honda Private Limited, and the company has started selling motorcycle models from the house of Honda in Bangladesh from 27^th of December. Earlier this year before the commencement of motorcycle sales in the country, Bangladesh Honda Private Limited commenced the localized production of the motorcycle model CD80 in the month of October. The locally produced as well as the imported Honda motorcycle models will be sold by the official Honda motorcycle dealers in Bangladesh.

Bangladesh Honda Private Limited has recently set up two official Honda motorcycle dealers, one of which is located in Tangail, while the other is situated at Jamalpur. The company commenced the sale of six motorcycle models in Bangladesh on 27^th of this month, through the authorized dealers. These six models also include the locally manufactured CD80 as well as the Dream Neo, which is imported from Honda’s Motorcycle business unit in India.

Apart from the sales of the Honda motorcycles, Bangladesh Honda Private Limited will be also offering an extensive range of services that include the sale of spare parts, after sales services and regular maintenance of the motorcycles in order to cater to the various requirements of the Honda motorcycle consumers in Bangladesh. Honda also has plans to increase the dealership network in Bangladesh with the opening of several other new outlets soon enough. The company wishes to expand its footprint in the motorcycle industry of Bangladesh by offering various other new Honda motorcycle models via the newly set up Honda dealers in the future.

Honda had started its joint venture in the form of the Bangladesh Honda Private Limited in association with the Bangladesh Steel and Engineering Corporation back in the month of December 2012. The joint venture was formed to offer superior motorcycle products in Bangladesh which offer a complete package of high speed, fuel efficiency, affordability as well as lesser CO₂ emissions. Bangladesh is considered to be a budding motorcycle market which is expected to develop at a faster pace and Honda wishes to expand in this developing market.

Bangladesh Honda Private Limited is going by the basic notion of starting small and growing big, and is striving to expand its wings further with the passage of time with the aim to have a commendable position in the growing motorcycle market.

Bangladesh Honda Private Limited says that it is fully devoted to increase the overall satisfaction level of the Bangladeshi motorcycle consumers to the highest level possible with the production and supply of high quality and complete package of value 2 wheelers as well services surpassing the customers’ expectations.

Bangladesh is a developing country with an approximate population of 150 million people. The country’s motorcycle industry recorded the sale of 200,000 units in the year 2012, and with a steady growth the country’s motorcycle demands are expected to increase much more in the coming years.

The Honda Bravo is a 100 cc, 4-stroke Underbone type motorcycle manufactured as well as designed by Honda for the Philippines market. The engine as well as the frame of this motorcycle is identical as the Honda Wave 100 which is sold in Thailand. However, both these bikes differ in their plastic body casings. The Honda Bravo belongs to the Honda XRM family, which is also manufactured and designed by Honda in Philippines. The Bravo is powered by an aluminum Powertrain.

Before launching the Bravo in Philippines, Honda keenly observed the Filipino biker’s habit of introducing minor modifications in their motorcycles. Most of the times, the rider modifies their motorcycle as soon as the new unit has rolled out of the dealership store and they have purchased it. What Honda observed was that most of the motorcycle users install different aftermarket components available readily at cheap prices at their choice of a dealer store.

Most motorcycle users start with replacing the ‘stock’ buts and bolts of their newly purchased motorcycle unit and substitute it with colorful ones. Apart from the nuts and bolts, some other commonly replaced parts are side mirrors. Body stickers, muffler, rims, tires and the handle bar. Also, these users have a penchant of replacing the side stand of the motorcycle as soon as they have purchased it. They usually replace the stock side stand with a stainless-finish or colored version available in the after market. Honda also observed that Filippino riders even replace the rear grab. They also found that many a times, this comes off on its own and the user does not replace it with a new one.

Thus, Honda carried out extensive observations of the actual market and queried several buyers of the Bravo as well as existing users of bikes. Based on their feedback and comments, it made a note of specific components that are commonly removed from the stock unit of the motorcycle. It made use of this crucial market data to come up with a motorcycle that provides the user the required freedom to modify it as they wish to.  They developed the Bravo motorcycle keeping these cues in mind. The user could install his choice of a side stand for the Bravo and even remove the rear grab if he wished to. Also, the Bravo enabled the user to modify many other components of their bike.

Thus, Honda was able to pass on the benefits of cost reduction to the end customer. The retail price of the Honda Bravo came down to P39,900. By offering the Honda Bravo at a surprisingly low price, buyers of this motorcycle were able to benefit from reduced down payment as well as pocket-friendly monthly installments.

However, if Honda had decided to retain the stock components that are usually removed during the modification binge, the Honda Bravo price would have steeply increased and would have been similar as the Wave 100, a fully equipped, Drum-type motorcycle which comes at a price tag of P43,000.

The Honda Shine is one of the top-selling motorcycles launched by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India. This motorcycle first hit Indian roads in the year 2006. The Shine is a 125 cc bike and delivers decent performance on Indian roads. As per Honda’s figures, the Shine accelerates from 0km/h to 60 km/h in not more than 5.30 seconds and attains a top speed of around 95 to 100 km/h. The Honda Shine price in India is Rs. 52, 035.

In the styling department, the Honda Shiny does not come across as sporty and aggressive as the Glamour. Glamour is yet another hot selling motorcycles from erstwhile Hero Honda. However, Honda Shine caters to a slightly different audience than the Glamour. The Honda Shine is designed perfectly for the office going commuter, who desires neat and plain looks. College students would not find the Shine appealing. The Honda CBF Stunner which is powered by 125 cc engine as well finds enough popular with the young crowd owing to its trendy and sporty looks.

The Honda Shine delivers decent performance. Many users have stated that the bike starts vibrating when the speedometer crosses the 60 km/hour mark. However, one should keep in mind that the Shine is a 125 cc motorcycle and not a 150 cc bike. Even at low speeds, the bike offers exceptional acceleration. The Shine delivers a mileage of 50 kmpl plus and it has the capability of delivering a higher mileage if the right air pressure is maintained in the bike’s tires and regular servicing of the bike is done.

The Honda Shine delivers impressive handling and the seat is ergonomically designed. This makes it comfortable to ride even all day long. Gearing happens to be one of the striking features of Shine. The Shine boasts of user-friendly Gearing and there is no need to shift gears frequently. It is easy to ride at very low speeds without requiring down shifting. This ensures that riding the Shine on congested city roads is as convenient and comfortable as ever.

The Shine’s dashboard has all the basic features you would expect. The ODO meter and the Speedometer sit on the left side of the dashboard while the fuel gauge with its three indicators- neutral, signal and high beam find place on the right side. The indicator lights have been aesthetically designed and are quite bright which makes them easily visible even in daylight.

The Honda Shine does not disappointment even on safety and comfort front. It comes equipped with foot rest, Telescopic Fork Suspension front,  optional disc brakes towards the front, self start, drum brakes at rear, pass light, low fuel indicator and many other exciting features. The Honda Shine is fitted with premium quality cushion seats to ensure your ride is completely comfortable. The riding experience offered is truly joyful and smooth.

The Honda Shine is available in a wide range of exciting colors like Geny Gray Metallic, Black, Force Silver Metallic, Monsoon Gray Metallic and Rebel Red Metallic.

The Honda CBR 500 debuted nearly a couple of years ago and it took the learner bike market by storm in every sense. The Honda CBR is high-tech and smart and comes at an attractive price of 5490 dollars. Honda proved to be quite an upset for Kawasaki, which was having a good run with the Ninja 250 R. After Honda launched the CBR 500, Kawasaki was forced to slash the Ninja 250 R’s price by a staggering 1000 dollars. Later, Kawasaki entered the competition with renewed vigor by launching the Ninja 300 R and once again, started dominating the learner bike segment, even though it launched the new Ninja at a faintly higher price as compared to what Honda was asking. KTM will soon join the party  with its 7000-dollar  stunning 390  Duke.

In India, the Honda CBR 500 is available at a starting price of Rs, 3, 78,000. The ergonomics of the CBR 500 are slightly inferior to the 600 RR. Even the 500 R’s performance does not approach that of the 600 RR. Much like other sport bikes, even the 500R is nearly soft-all around.  It is not entirely a bad thing for this sports bike, if you happen to a new rider. The CBR 500R’s suspension is indeed soft.  The Honda CBR 500 is comfortable to ride on freeways and quite rough on canyon roads. The bike saves you from some nasty blows and hits owing to the 41 mm forks and the linkage rear shock. For medium-speed, a casual ride, the CBR 500 delivers a decent performance.

The Honda CBR 500 comes fitted with Dunlop Sportmax tires that provide a tenacious grip and make for ideal choice for this sports bike. The tires push the 500 R to a great extent and one can then easily judge the suspension’s limitation. The Honda CBR 500 R will not wallow exactly but it renders a marshmallow like riding feel and its robs off the responsiveness and road feedback that a typical rider would look for when riding very aggressively. The turn-in offered is quite predictable, owing to relax rake of 25 + degrees. The Honda CBR does not do anything that you have not expected. A demanding rider would certainly be left asking for more.

The Honda CBR 500’s engine is quite soft. It is fuel-injected perfectly and the 471 cc twin, liquid cooled, DOHC Powertrain feels as smooth like silk. The engine does not provide a lot of torque, which makes acceleration quite comfortable. Post the linear midrange, there a slight performance bump when it revs more than 7000 RPM and subsequently, the engine quickly signs off.

The engine is a twin sibling and does not quite rev high. The motor does not come  very responsive or intimidating at any point. The motor offers good acceleration and is designed to ensure the rider is completely in control.

The Honda CBR 500R 2013 is a fun bike to ride in town. It weighs only 429 pounds and is surprisingly light. The 55.5-inch wheelbase provides excellent maneuverability.

For several years, Honda has had a successful stint in the two-wheeler segment in India. Not long ago, the Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer has reworked on the formula for most of their 109cc scooters and they now claim to offer an exceptional mileage of 60 kmpl for Dio, Aviator and the Activa. Recently, Honda also launched the new Activa, the Activa i.

Visually, the only change one can notice on the new Activa is a small-sized HET badge seen on the left side panel which differentiates from the outgoing model. Honda Eco Technology, abbreviated for HET, is what Honda says that makes all the three scooters highly fuel efficient on Indian roads. All the three are automatic scooters and offer exceptional performance in terms of mileage and drive quality.

The HET is not a new constituent altogether and is not even a new approach. On the other hand, it is an optimization of the present components. With the HET, the mechanical efficiency of these three scooters is greatly increased which invariably leads to better fuel efficiency. Honda has also worked on the combustion which has been enhanced with an optimized inlet port and an innovative spark plug. Friction is also greatly reduced owing to lighter materials, offset crank, enhanced bearing oil seal and a low tension piston ring.

Honda has also optimized the mechanicals and ratios of the V-matic drive. However, these modifications do not seem to have a major impact on the torque and power figures which are nearly the same. Prospective buyers can now book the active online as well. For this, they will have to visit the Honda new Activa website or the dealer website from where they wish to buy the scooter. Online booking is hassle-free and time saving and also allows you to read customer reviews not just for the bike but also the dealership that is selling the bike online.

The new Activa handles and rides identically as the outgoing model. However, there is a distinct enhancement in the smoothness offered by the refurbished transmission. The mileage figures have changed significantly as well. On city roads, the new Activa offers a mileage of 55.55 kmpl while on highways, the scooter returns of mileage figures of 67.42 kmpl.

The new Activa makes use of the same forced-air cooled, four-stroke, 109.2 cc HET engine which powers the other scooters. The engine generates a peak power of 8 bhp revving at 7500 RPM. The HET has been designed to decrease fuel consumption, reduce friction as well the total weight of different engine parts. The new Activa is an automatic scooter and also makes use of variator-driver transmission system and delivers impressive mid and low-range performance that offers effortless and comfortable commute on city roads. The new Activa is much popular online and buyers now prefer booking it online.

Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer has had a successful stint in the Indian two-wheeler industry. For several years, it partnered with Indian two-wheeler company, Hero to manufacture some of the best selling two-wheelers, catering to a wide range of buyers spread across different segments. After Hero Honda split, Hero MotoCorp and Honda separately manufacture two-wheelers in the country.

Not long ago, Honda introduced the Dream Neo, a 110 cc bike to appease the volume –oriented commuter segment. The Dream Neo has been intelligently priced by Honda at Rs. 43, 150. Thus, the Dream Neo has been Honda’s cheapest ever two wheeler to have been launched in India.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India  is a wholly owned subsidiary of Honda. With the launch of the Dio, the 110 cc scooter, HMSI consolidated its position in the highly competitive two wheeler segment in India. Indeed, Honda bikes have amassed a lot of fame as they are popular with men and women of all age groups and with a wide range of products, Honda has a two-wheeler for everyone. With network expansion and launching new products, HHMSI is aiming to grow nearly 150 percent in terms of sales in the 100-110 cc two-wheeler segment in India. Honda bikes are sold available under exchange offers and there is a growing market of buyers who purchase Honda bikes under various exchange schemes.

Dream Yuga is one of the most popular Honda bikes that sells like hot cakes with different exchange schemes. The Dream is an entry-level series from Honda and the Dream Yuga is definitely the flag bearer. The Dream Yuga is powered by a 110 cc powertrain and if Honda’s claims are to be believed, then the Dream Yuga delivers a mileage of 74 kmpl.

We are all aware the Honda was in a joint venture partnership with Hero MotoCorp in India. After the split, both two-wheeler manufacturers have been separately marketing their products. Currently, Hero has the cheapest ever motorcycle in the country, the HF Dawn. The HF Dawn is sold at a starting price of Rs. 36, 000 (ex-showroom Delhi price).

Not long ago, Honda’s contemporary Yamaha announced that they have their hands full with developing the cheapest motorcycle in the world and claimed that it would be priced nearly 500 dollars in India. Yamaha also stated that they will set up their fifth global research and development unit in India.

Dream Yuga from Honda is the second small capacity bike in the country after it launched the CB Twister. For those who are not aware, the Dream Yuga’s looks and appearance are heavily inspired from the CB Shine. Honda positioned the Dream Yuga as a bike for the masses. It features a basic styling and some of the equipment include fuel gauge, odometer, speedometer, twin pod instruments which are kept simple and easy to use. The headlights are of superior quality and offer good illumination during the night time. Indeed, there are several exchange offers for Honda bikes like the Dream Yuga, CB Twister and many others even as the competition continues to intensify in the volume-based two wheeler segment in India.