Honda x Blade
The Honda X-Blade! The name reminds me of these Beyblade toys which was a big favourite of mine while growing up. Plus, Honda always had an affinity for the word ‘blade’. Yes, I am referring to the CBR1000RR which also sells as the Fireblade in some countries. But no, there is no connection here. The Honda X-Blade is a simple 160 cc commuter motorcycle while the Fireblade is a full blown sportbike with mental performance. Done with the ‘blade’ references, let’s start with the review already.
X marks the spot
Usually, if a manufacturer has two or three models in the same segment (Honda has the Unicorn 160 and the CB Hornet 160R), there are usually a lot of shared body and cycle parts. But we are happy to say that with the exception of the cycle parts, the Honda X-Blade gets brand new body-parts. The side panels, the fuel tank, the headlamp unit and the instrument console are all different. And that is a good thing. Honda has its heart in the right direction.
The design of the Honda X-Blade sets it apart from the other bikes in its segment
The design, well, it is quirky! The X-Blade definitely looks very different than any other motorcycle from the 150-160 cc segments. The crown jewel in the design, if we could call it so, will be the headlamp. Honda calls it the ‘Robo-face’ headlamp and we dare not disagree with them on that. It does attract attention on the road. And when a 160 cc bike does that, it’s saying something! Apart from that, the chiselled fuel tank with faux carbon finish on top surrounding the fuel cap, only adds to the sporty demeanour. The fit and finish of the bike along with the materials used is better than the current crop of Honda motorcycles.
Does the engine meet the X-pectations?
The X-Blade gets the same engine as the CB Hornet 160R, which is a 162.71 cc single-cylinder engine. The engine on the X-Blade makes 13.93 bhp at 8,500 rpm and peak torque is rated at 13.9 Nm at 6,000 rpm. In comparison, the CB Hornet 160R makes 14.9 bhp at 8,500 rpm and 14.5 Nm of torque at 6,500 rpm. This is just about 1 bhp and 0.6 Nm less than what the engine on the Hornet makes. But the point made here is the fact that the X-Blade makes almost the same amount of torque at 500 rpms less, which means accessing the torque becomes easier.
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