Kinetic Honda
| Industry | Automobile |
|---|---|
| Fate | Acquired |
| Successor(s) | Mahindra & Mahindra Limited |
| Founded | 1984 |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Headquarters | , India |
| Products | Scooters and Motorcycles |
| Parent | Firodia Group |
Kinetic Honda was a joint venture between Kinetic Engineering Limited, India and Honda Motor Company, Japan. The JV operated during 1984 - 1998, manufacturing 2-stroke scooters in India. In 1998, the joint venture was terminated after which Kinetic Engineering continued to sell the models under the brand name Kinetic until 2008[1] when the interests were sold to Mahindra.
The brand Kinetic Honda is remembered for its legacy 2-stroke scooters (which were in fact based on the Honda NH series), with continuously variable transmission and electric start, first in India when it was launched (in 1984), and the only in India until the late 1990s.
[edit] Model History
- 1984: Kinetic DX (98cc, 2-stroke, single mirror, black plastic finish)
- 1984: Kinetic EX (98cc, 2-stroke, single mirror, black plastic finish, no indicators(replaced by black blocks), limited colour versions)
- 1994: Kinetic ZX (98cc, 2-stroke, double mirror, wind shield, more graphical stickers, grey plastic finish)
- 1995: Kinetic Marvel (99cc, 4-stroke, double mirror, wide shield, more graphical stickers, red, white and blackish blue plastic finish) The best awarded scooter of that year and comfortable sitting like sitting in a sofa.
- 2001: Kinetic ZX Zoom (110cc, 2-stroke. Otherwise as the ZX) [2]
- 2005: Kinetic 4s (113.5cc, 4-stroke) [3]
[edit] World records
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This section may contain wording that merely promotes the subject without imparting verifiable information. Please remove or replace such wording, unless you can cite independent sources that support the characterization. (September 2010) |
The Kinetic Honda holds three World Records:[citation needed]
- 1989: Travelling to highest motorable road-Khardungla
Ms. Shyla Yoganand, a housewife and her husband Mr. R.Yoganand a banker from Pune rode two individual kinetic honda scooters to the top of Khardungla pass in 1989. They were recognised by the Guiness book of records as the 'first woman', the 'first man' and the 'first couple' to have taken a normal 'civilian' scooter to the highest motorable point in the world. Kinetic celebrated this achievement on Indian television during the 1990s by sponsoring a weekly program on 'Guiness records'.
- 1990: Day & night non-stop riding for 1001 hours+[citation needed]
- 1991/92: Crossing of Sahara Desert with a fuel consumption same as a small car [4]
+Source: Guinness Book of World Records
[edit] References
- ^ International Business Times, 31 July 2008, "Mahindra & Mahindra buys Kinetic Motor for Rs.110 crore, forays into two-wheeler market" by Surojit Chatterjee.
- ^ "Kinetic ZX Zoom" technical specifications[dead link]
- ^ "Kinetic 4s" technical specifications[dead link]
- ^ "Kinetic 4S Road Test". Dilip Bam.
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