First introduced by Piaggio in India with the Vespa range, the trend of retro-styled scooters has gone wild in recent years. In fact, Yamaha and Suzuki too joined the bandwagon with the launch of the Fascino and the Access 125, respectively. The tuning fork brand has been able to balance the Fascino with superb styling and appropriate pricing, while the Suzuki Access 125 boasts a premium appeal. In order to stay in sync with the latest trends in the scooter segment, Honda seems to have patented the Metropolitan in India, and it might just be Honda’s answer to all the aforementioned scooters.
Speaking of the Metropolitan, the curvy-looking scooter features a distinctive silhouette, carefully incorporated circular body inserts and instruments. The smooth flowing lines are well accentuated with chrome details and that takes one back in time. In the international market where Honda retails the Metropolitan, the scooter is available only with a 50cc fuel-injected four-stroke single-cylinder motor. For India, the manufacturer might use the Activa’s much appreciated 110cc engine that is known for its refinement and reliability. Other cycle parts such as suspension and brakes will mostly be carry fowarded from the current Metropolitan.
When introduced in the Indian market, the Metropolitan will be placed below the Activa 125. The retro scooter will compete in the 100cc segment of gearless scooters and face competition from the likes of the Yamaha Fascino, the TVS Jupiter and the Hero MotoCorp Maestro Edge.
Source: Zigwheels.com
