The all-new Honda middleweight ADV has
been leaked via patent images. The Japanese two-wheeler giant has been working
on the 4-cylinder adventure bike for quite some time now. It can be seen in the
patent images that Honda’s upcoming middleweight ADV has been designed to
crunch many miles on the tarmac rather than explore uncharted territories off
the road. The motorcycle features a sporty design. It has an angular
half-fairing that seems to be an integrated part of the fuel tank. There are
cast wheels that are more suitable for road use than off-roading. The bike also
has street tyres. There is a large windscreen to keep the windblast in check.
Another sporty feature of the Honda
middleweight ADV is the 4x2 exhaust system. There is also a single-sided
swingarm. Other features include a single-piece tubular-type handlebar with
knuckle guards, radial front brake caliper, USD front forks and an aggressive
front end.
In-line 4-cylinder engines aren’t that
popular in adventure motorcycles for various reasons. They have large
dimensions and are bulky. The ADVs have to be narrow and as lightweight as
possible to handle unexpected obstacles encountered in off-road terrains. Also,
the high-revving nature of the in-line fours make them more suited for street
or road-going motorcycles as ADVs need better low and mid-range performance.
But since, the Honda middleweight ADV appears to be more road-biased, slapping on an
in-line 4-cylinder mill would be alright. Specifications of this powerplant
aren’t known at the moment. It is being speculated that it could be the same
unit that the Japanese company uses in the Honda CBR650R but in a different
state of tune. However, the possibility of the company developing an all-new
engine for its upcoming middleweight ADV can’t be ruled out.
