Honda has recently filed a design patent for an ADV bike which is based on the platform of the CB350 and interestingly the design plan looks quite similar to the now discontinued RE Himalayan 411, indicating the bike’s potential positioning by the brand to rival the likes of KTM 390 Adventure.
Royal Enfield made nothing less than history when it introduced the Himalayan 411 in the market as an affordable entry-level adventure machine which fulfilled the dream of a lot of riders. Looking at its success, it seems now that Honda also wants to get into the entry-level ADV segment, expecting to hit a home run too, especially with many people actually missing the old retro-styled Himalayan 411, which has been replaced by the Himalayan 450, not too long ago.
The design patents also include the scrambler version of the CB350 alongside the retro-styled Himalayan lookalike, both sharing the same tank and tail designs, but with different noses. The ADV bike also sports accessories like tank-mounted luggage racks and external crash bars, typical of the rugged nature of Adventure bikes.
Going by this information, the upcoming ADV will likely be powered by the 349cc, air-cooled, single-cylinder engine, which is used by the CB350. However, since these are only patent designs, the model will take a long time to leave the factory and hit the Honda showrooms. Once launched, the bike’s closest rival would be the Scram 411, if it continues to be on sale.
