Honda SP160, the sportier Honda Unicorn revealed

If you enter a Honda motorcycle dealership today, you will be greeted by four scooters which include the Honda Activa, Honda Dio, Honda Activa 125 and also the Honda Dio 125. Taking charge of the motorcycle lineup will be the Shine 100, Honda CD110 Deluxe, Honda Livo, Honda Shine 125, Honda SP125, Honda Unicorn, Honda XBlade, Honda Hornet 2.0, and the Honda CB 200X. That makes it nine motorcycles and that’s without taking into account the big bikes. But if you look closely, you will notice the omnipresence of the SP brand along with 160cc offerings. Honda believes that there is room for more and as a result, is now going to offer a sportier 160 motorcycle which they call the Honda SP160.

Honda SP160: Design

The SP160 is based on the Honda Unicorn. But on the face of it, there is no resemblance. The front end is dominated by a large fairing that houses full-LED lights. The winkers on the other hand have remained halogen units. The centrepiece of the SP160 though happens to be the fuel tank. It holds 12 litres of petrol and comes with shrouds which give it that sporty demeanour. Needless to say, it looks good. The instrument panel on the other hand is an all-digital affair and houses the speedo, tacho, tell tales, fuel gauge and even readouts for fuel economy etc. the engine gets shrouds too and also is made of metal. They sure look durable. The seat is a long unit which can easily take two adults. The side panels are kept simple and gel well with the overall theme. The tail light though is an all-LED unit and looks properly snazzy. The SP160 comes with alloy wheels shod with sporty-looking MRF Zapper tyres.

Honda SP160: Engine and chassis

As mentioned earlier, the Honda SP160 is based on the Honda Unicorn and as a result the basic chassis remains the same. However, Honda has slightly repositioned the rider’s footpeg to give it a sportier riding position. However, it is nothing too aggressive and overall the triangle remains comfortable and suitable for everyday rides. Ground clearance offered is 177mm.

When it comes to the engine, the SP160 is powered by a 162.71cc single, which offers 13.21bhp and 14.58Nm of torque which is identical to the Unicorn. Power is sent to the rear wheel using a 5-speed gearbox. Honda will offer the SP160 in two variants. The first one is a dual-disc option and the second is a single-disc version. Single-channel ABS remains standard.

Honda SP160: Price

Honda has announced that the SP160 will be available at Rs 1.17 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi and it will sit above the Honda Unicorn which is priced at Rs 1.09 lakh, ex-showroom, Delhi. The Unicorn and SP160 then will co-exist.