Honda’s Royal Enfield Classic 350-rival recalled in US

- Honda Rebel 300 recall issued

- Affects close to 1,500 units

- Unlikely to be launched in India

Honda has issued a recall for its cruiser motorcycle, the Rebel 300 in the USA. The motorcycle goes up against one of India’s highest-selling motorcycle- the Royal Enfield Classic 350, which is also sold in the States as well as the Meteor 350. 

The recall issues by Honda for the Rebel 300 addresses concerns with the crankcases of nearly 1,500 units sold between 15 September and 17 November 2022. And this stems from misapplied paint on the inner surface of the engine crankcase’s plug hole. 

While it is no issue when the motor is cold, once the temperature rises, the paint softens resulting in the crankcase plug slipping and potentially causing an oil leak. This could further lead to the oil spreading on to the rear tyre and increase the risk of a crash.

To solve the issue, Honda will replace the right crankcase of all affected motorcycles free of cost. Now, the Rebel 300 is an interesting motorcycle. It uses the same engine as the CB300R sold here, however, in a laid-back cruiser styling. But with the H’ness CB350 and CB350 RS sold here, it is unlikely that Honda will introduce the Rebel 300 in India.