Honda’s Royal Enfield Thunderbird Rival Patented In India

The Honda Rebel 300 has been a successful product in several foreign markets. Honda is likely to introduce the cruiser motorcycle in India by the end of 2018 or 2019. It will be a premium alternative to the Bajaj Avenger lineup and also a fitting rival to the Royal Enfield Thunderbird 350.

The Rebel 300 sports a flowing design with minimalistic looks. The exposed trellis frame, flowing tank design and cruiser-style bucket seat enhance the appeal of the motorcycle. The Rebel 300 features a right mix of classic styling and modern equipment and will have an upper hand against the thumping Royal Enfields.

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The Rebel 300 draws power from a 286cc liquid-cooled, fuel injected single cylinder engine producing 27bhp and 26.9Nm of torque. The engine is coupled to a 6-speed gearbox. The Rebel 300 is based on the CBR 300R with identical components but with the cruiser design.

Honda is also expected to introduce the Rebel 500 at a later phase. The 500cc cruiser draws power from a 471cc parallel-twin engine producing 45bhp. Both the Rebel 300 and 500 sports identical bobber-style design.

The Rebel 300 features 41mm forks at the front and dual rear shock absorbers at the rear. Braking duties are handled by discs at both the ends. Honda will also offer ABS as an option. The overall build quality will be top-notch, which could be the selling point of the motorcycle.

DriveSpark Thinks!

The entry-level cruiser motorcycle segment is rapidly growing in the Indian market. Now, Honda is all set to introduce the Rebel 300 in the country to challenge the segment leader Royal Enfield. We expect Honda to introduce the Rebel 300 with a price tag of around Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.3 lakh. The Japanese automaker could also debut both the Rebel 300 and 500 at the 2018 Auto Expo in February.