The Honda XBlade marks the Japanese manufacturer’s attempt at attracting the youth. We recently rode the bike and came back impressed with its refinement and sprightly power delivery. Here is a photo gallery of the Honda XBlade –
The XBlade gets loud styling influenced by the CB Hornet 160R. The body is full of edges and creases which make it stand out in a crowd.
The headlamp is the most eye-catchy element of the XBlade and integrates LED units. Even the tail lamp design follows a similar theme.
The sharp fuel tank and the extensions give the XBlade a muscular look. The single-piece seat is wide and comfortable.
The fully-digital instrument cluster gets a new design, although you can say that it looks too cluttered. It has the added functionality of a gear position indicator.
The styling might draw inspiration from the Hornet, but the XBlade is based on the platform of the CB Unicorn 160. This gives it the best of both worlds.
The engine is refined and there are hardly vibrations even as you get close to redline. It displaces 159cc and churns out 13.9bhp and 13.9Nm of torque.
The engine is mated to a five-speed transmission. The gearbox is notchy and you encounter a false neutral every now and then, but the ratios are well spaced out.
The XBlade rides on conventional telescopic front forks and a preload-adjustable rear monoshock. It gets 17-inch alloy wheels at both ends.
The brake setup consists of a 276mm disc up front and a 130mm drum at the rear. A rear disc, CBS or ABS are not available even as an optional extras.
Priced at Rs 80,161 (ex-showroom), the XBlade is available in a single variant. As for colours, there is an option of three matte and two gloss paint schemes.