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Honda to outsource low-displacement engine production to India

Manufacturing of engines in Honda’s new facility in Gujarat will begin in 2022.

EJ Punsalang EJ Punsalang on Dec 20, 2021
Honda Forza 250

Like it or not, the outsourcing of production by major motorcycle manufacturers has resulted in bikes being more affordable than they otherwise would be, if they were produced in their home countries. This is especially true for premium European brands such as KTM and BMW, both of which have outsourced production to China, and of course, the Philippines. 

The same can be said for even bigger companies like Yamaha and Kawasaki, who have also set up plants in neighboring countries such as Thailand and Indonesia. That being said, Honda has also begun outsourcing the production of its small-displacement engines to India. Specifically, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has recently opened a new manufacturing facility in Gujarat, India. Apart from satisfying local demand in India, the facility will also be responsible for producing engines for neighboring countries, such as China, Thailand, Japan, as well as Australia, Europe, and even the U.S. 

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At the moment, the engines slated for production consist of small capacity, single-cylinder engines found in commuter scooters and entry-level motorcycles. Engines with displacements of 250cc and up will see production in the Gujarat assembly facility, and will subsequently make their way into popular machines all over the world. We could soon be seeing made-in-India engines fitted to bikes like the Rebel 250 in Japan, Forza 250 in the European market, and maybe even the CRF300 range of dual sports expected to enter the Philippines in 2022. 

Once production begins in 2022, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) expects to manufacture 50,000 engines in the first year of production. As the global demand rises following the global pandemic, HMSI will look into further enhancing the facility’s capabilities to produce even more engines. Apart from this, the company will invest more into state of the art manufacturing technology to produce bigger, more powerful engines, as well as continue compliance with stringent emissions regulations such as India’s BS6 and Euro 5 emission standards. 

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