In the Indian two-wheeler market, Honda is synonymous with the extremely popular Activa family scooter, which has been ruling the roost since its debut over two decades ago. While the bulk of Honda’s business comes from its commuter bikes and scooters, the company is gearing up to introduce a slew of premium, larger-capacity models in India in the coming years. One such product is a 160cc adventure scooter codenamed K4LA.
So far, in this category, we have only two products available in our market: the surprise success that is the Yamaha Aerox 155 and a recent homegrown entrant, the Hero Xoom 160. Honda’s entrant in this space is likely to be based on the the international-spec ADV160, and people in the know say it is expected to come to India by 2026.
- Honda ADV160’s engine makes 16hp, 14.7Nm of torque
- It weighs 133kg and has a 780mm seat height
- It has a single-channel ABS, runs on 14/13-inch wheels
The ADV160 is powered by a liquid-cooled, 157cc, single-cylinder engine that produces 16hp at 8,500rpm and 14.7Nm of torque at 6,500rpm. When the Honda ADV160 launches in India, it will be one of only three scooters in this displacement class with a modern liquid-cooled engine, the other two being the Hero Xoom 160 and the Yamaha Aerox 155.
Since the ADV160 uses an underbone frame, there is no storage space available on the floorboard, just like on the Aerox and the bigger Xoom. That said, the ADV does have 27 litres of storage available under the seat.
The underpinnings are pretty straightforward, with a 31mm telescopic fork and twin shock absorbers, both supplied by Showa, handling suspension duties and a 240mm front disc as well as a 130mm rear drum handling braking duties. The ADV also comes standard with single-channel ABS, like its rivals from Hero and Yamaha. One thing to note is that the ADV160 runs on a 14/13-inch (F/R) wheel setup, unlike the 14-inch units at both ends on comparable rivals.
With a 780mm seat height and 165mm of ground clearance, the ADV160 should be approachable enough for Indian riders and capable of tackling our road conditions. At 133kg, the ADV160 is 7 kilos heavier than something like a Yamaha Aerox 155, but it is 9 kilos lighter than a Hero Xoom 160. However, at 8.1 litres, it holds more fuel than either of the aforementioned two.
It remains to be seen if this scooter gets a unique styling package for our market, something that Honda frequently does with its other products that are also available overseas. The ADV160 is also a decently feature-rich scooter, with its feature set comprising a digital dash, keyless ignition, start/stop tech, all-LED lighting, an adjustable windscreen and a USB charger.
In the Philippines, the ADV160 is priced at ₱1,66,900 (approximately Rs 2.50 lakh), which is slightly higher than its comparable rival, the Yamaha NMax 155, which costs ₱1,51,900 (approximately Rs 2.28 lakh). There’s no telling how the company will price the ADV160 in India since it shares very little with any other Honda model sold here.
With inputs from KETAN THAKKAR
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