Honda has filed a trademark for the CL300 new-retro scrambler in Thailand. And while rumours about the larger CL500 have also been swirling around for the past few months, Honda had filed a patent for it in 2019.
- Both CL scramblers will be based on their Rebel counterparts
- Could be unveiled towards the end of this year
Honda CL300 and CL500: underpinnings
Internationally, both these neo-retro scramblers seem set to utilise underpinnings from their Rebel counterparts. Patents for the CL500 filed by Honda in 2019 showed how the Rebel 500 cruiser’s componentry could be adapted to suit this specific model which sports a scrambler aesthetic.
The smaller CL meanwhile could exist in two different versions, depending on the market it finds itself in. Certain Asian markets still have the Rebel 250 on their showroom floors (because of peculiar licensing norms in those countries), which could indicate a potential CL250 in those markets. While European and American markets that have the Rebel 300 will most likely get a CL300 based on it.
What all this means is that the CL300 will be powered by a 286cc, single-cylinder liquid-cooled motor (which powers the CB300R in India), while the CL500 will get the 471cc, parallel-twin liquid-cooled engine from the CB500X. Earlier design patents for the CL500 show a traditional old-school scrambler aesthetic, with a bold, square-ish fuel tank and a long, flat bench-style seat. Both bikes should sport similar designs.
The filing of the CL300 trademark in Thailand shouldn’t come as no surprise, as both, the Rebel 300 as well as the bigger Rebel 500, are manufactured over there.
Honda CL300 and CL500: India launch
Where India is concerned, things are a bit unclear at the moment. We have only one model each from Honda’s international 300cc and 500cc line-ups – the CB300R and CB500X. While both of them are very nice motorcycles, they are priced on the expensive side and have therefore put themselves into a niche. Considering Honda hasn’t yet brought other existing bikes in these two line-ups to India, the chances of the CL scramblers arriving are slim at the moment. But India has shown a liking for this genre of bikes, so a launch here isn’t completely out of the question.
Things should be more clear once the bikes are officially unveiled, which should take place towards the end of this year.
Would you pick these scramblers over rivals from Yezdi or RE? Let us know in the comments section below.