Honda SP 160

Honda’s new bike in the 160cc segment offers a decent family commuter outlook. It is based on the SP 125 and hence it carries a lot of design traits from it. The overall design also looks more or less like the SP 125 but the dimensions are bigger. It also offer bigger hardware like fat tyres, etc., to accommodate the new engine. The new Honda SP 160  looks very youthful and the overall design is more striking compared to its predecessor, the Honda Shine SP. At the front, the motorcycle gets a new all-LED angular headlamp with a blacked-out visor. The motorcycle looks quite sharp from the side profile. That’s because it gets sharp tank extensions along with dashing dual-tone graphics on the body panels. The Honda SP 160 also gets five-spoke alloy wheels and there are a lot of glossy black elements. The fuel tank extensions also make it look bulky and butch from the front. The company has given the SP 125 a lot of blacked-out elements to enhance the overall appeal of the motorcycle. At the rear, the new Honda SP 125 gets a halogen tail lamp and the indicators are also halogen units. The overall design of it is very generic and not as appealing as its rivals like the Apache RTR 160 4V or the Bajaj Pulsar N160. It comes in 6 colour options namely Matte Dark Blue Metallic, Pearl Spartan Red, Matte Axis Gray Metallic, Pearl Ignite Black, Matte Marvel Blue Metallic, and Pearl Deep Ground Gray.

The overall dimensions of the SP 160 are more or less similar to the SP 125. But, there are some changes to accommodate the bigger engine and new technical parts. The ground clearance of the new SP 160 is 177mm while its wheelbase stands at 1347mm. The high ground clearance makes it a simple and easy bike to use within the city limits. It offers a good support to the rider to take the bike over the undulated roads and big speed bumps as well as potholes. Also, the long wheelbase translates into a planted handling at high speeds like 80 kmph or above. But, due to its design similarities with the SP 160, it is hard to find the major difference between both of the bikes through the dimensions.

When it comes to the engines, nobody does it better than Honda. The powertrain on the SP 160 is a no different case either. The SP 160 is equipped with an air-cooled 162cc single-cylinder engine, the SP 160 delivers the same 13.5hp and 14.6Nm output as the Unicorn. This powerplant is shared with the XBlade as well, though the XBlade is tuned for slightly more power and torque. The performance figures align closely with the Pulsar P150 and Suzuki Gixxer and hence, pose as an alternative to these bikes. This power is mated to a 5-speed transmission. This gearbox is very sleek and precise to use. There are no false neutral during the upshifts or downshifts. Additionally, the refinement of this unit is the best in its segment. The engine remains very silent and even at the speeds of around 90 kmph, it do not feel very stressed. This engine is also BS6 phase 2 compliant. It also gets an Eco technology with the AGS motor which makes it smoother as well as enhances its fuel economy. SP 160 has a good mid-range but the low-end power is something that you’ll wish if it was more. The rivals like Apache offer better low-end torque in the starting gears. Once you the bike is on move, the mid-range find its way to help you in the traffic. The power delivery is very linear and the rider will not get tired due to the less vibrations. While Honda has not revealed its fuel economy until now, we suspect that it can easily deliver upwards of 40 kmpl if ridden sedately.

The SP 160 comes equipped with essential features, including a fully-digital LCD instrument console that displays information such as speed, odometer, fuel gauge, and gear position. Additionally, it offers convenient functionalities like an engine start/stop switch and a hazard switch, LED head and tail lamps, enhancing the overall riding experience. The SP 160 comes equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels with tubeless tyres. Additionally, to enhance the safety of the rider, there is a single-channel ABS offered as standard on it. The front brake is a petal disc with a 276mm rotor while the rear is a petal disc with a 220mm rotor. Both of these combined provide a good control to the rider. The braking in emergency situations is also well controlled. Thanks to the single-channel ABS, the SP160 offers good safety to the rider. Meanwhile, there is also an option to choose a single disc variant which has a drum rear brake. It costs lesser than the dual disc but it offers less braking power.