Just a few days after it unveiled the bike at the Auto Expo, Honda has launched the X-Blade in the Indian market. The bike is positioned between the Honda CB Unicorn 160 and the CB Hornet 160R to grab an extra share of the growing 160cc premium commuter segment. It finds its biggest rival in the TVS Apache RTR 160. So, how do the rivals fare against each other?
Design and features
The Honda X-Blade is based on the same platform as the CB Hornet. However, the bike sports a sharper design language as compared to the latter. The bike sports an LED headlamp, a first for the segment. It also gets a muscular tank, edgy tank shrouds, taller fly screen and an underbelly cowl. The rear section is slightly-raised and the tail lamp is redesigned that lends the bike a sporty appeal.
The bike gets a fully-digital instrument cluster, similar to the one on the CB Hornet. However, it now gets a gear-position indicator and service due indicator in addition to all the basic information. Honda has equipped the bike with a hazard-light switch in place of the engine kill switch, while installing the latter would cost almost the same. With a fuel tank capacity of 12-litres, the X-Blade gets a kerb weight of 140kgs.
The TVS Apache RTR 160 also gets sporty styling cues with the aggressive headlamp unit that gets LED DRLs, LED tail lamp, sculpted fuel tank, and sharp underbelly cowl. However, the overall design is not as sharp as the X-Blade. The instrument cluster includes an analogue tachometer along with a digital display. Apart from the basic information, the blue-backlit display also shows a lap timer and the last three 0 to 60kmph timings. The TVS Apache RTR gets a larger 16-litre fuel tank and is lighter with a kerb weight of 137kg.
Cycle parts
The X-Blade rides on 17-inch alloy wheels that are shod with 80/110 and 130/70 section tyres for the front and rear respectively. It gets telescopic front forks and a preload adjustable monoshock at the rear. Braking duties are taken care of by a 276mm disc brake and a 130mm drum brake for the rear. Surprisingly, Honda does not offer a rear disc brake or CBS, even as option.
The TVS Apache RTR 160 gets a 90/90 tyre in the front and a thinner 110/80 tyre for the rear. It also rides on 17-inch alloy wheels like the X-Blade. The Apache RTR 160 uses telescopic forks upfront and gets gas-filled, 5-step adjustable twin-shocks at the rear. While the bike gets a smaller 270mm disc brake at the front and a 130mm drum unit at the rear as standard, TVS offers a 200mm rear disc as optional.
Engine
The X-Blade is powered by Honda’s 162cc single-cylinder air-cooled engine that produces 13.93bhp at 8500rpm and peak torque of 13.9Nm at 6000rpm. This engine is mated to a five-speed gearbox.
The Apache RTR 160 is powered by a single-cylinder air-cooled, 160cc engine which produces a higher 15.2bhp of power at 8,500rpm and 13.1Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. This motor comes mated to a five-speed gearbox.
Pricing
Honda has priced the X-Blade at Rs 79,000, slightly higher than the standard variant of the TVS Apache RTR 160 which retails at Rs 78,215. Pricing for the Apache RTR 160 go up to Rs 81,544 for the rear disc, ‘Matte Red’ variant. Meanwhile, an updated version of the Apache RTR 160 has been spotted a couple of times and is expected to be launched in the first half of this year.
All prices ex-showroom, Delhi.
