Honda has big plans with the CB-series and has trademarked the name ‘GB500’ in the US, according to reports. Now, one may ask what’s the connection? The CB 350 range sold in India carries the ‘GB’ badge in select markets, and the news of Honda trademarking a larger displacement means that we can see a CB500 in India soon. Here are more details.
Honda CB500 — What to expect?
Honda initially launched the H’ness CB350 to compete with Royal Enfield, specifically the Classic 350. This platform also gave birth to the CB350 RS and the CB350. With sales not doing as expected by Honda, the company could be looking at expanding its portfolio.
A larger portfolio means more sales, especially looking at Royal Enfield and the multiple 650cc models that have become popular in the US and UK, which are key markets for Honda as well. Now, whether Honda has taken the decision to build a larger capacity CB is something Honda has thought about or just following Royal Enfield’s footsteps, is again a mystery.
As of now, there are no details about the 500cc powerplant that Honda is planning to use, and whether that will be a large single or a twin is also a mystery. However, if Honda is looking at competitive pricing, a large single makes sense as the latter will be expensive. Until further developments, stay tuned for all the news about Honda’s upcoming GB500.