In Asian countries like the Philippines, scooters and underbone motorcycles reign supreme. Lauded for their affordability, practicality, and most of all, maneuverability through the country’s densely populated cities, these bikes vastly outnumber cars. Given their popularity, it’s no surprise that big manufacturers have developed a range of scooters and commuters specific to the Southeast Asian market.
Take Honda, for example. When it comes to scooters and underbone motorcycles, Honda is one of the best-selling brands across Asia thanks to its wide selection of models that are priced competitively. The newest addition to its lineup has just been introduced in the Philippine market, and it’s called the Winner X. This model plays in the premium entry-level segment, and competes with bikes like the Yamaha Sniper 155 (also known as the Exciter 155 in other markets).
It’s sort of an amalgamation of a scooter and a small-displacement naked bike in the sense that it offers similar practicality and maneuverability as a scooter, with a sporty and engaging ride like that of a naked sportbike. It’s easy to see this from the bike’s styling, as it flaunts sporty, angular bodywork with a fascia that sort of reminds you of the CBR sportbike, provided you squint your eyes quite a bit. Over on the sides of the bike, the bodywork flares, giving the illusion of size – it almost makes it look like it has winglets.
On the performance side of the equation, the Winner X is powered by a 149cc, liquid-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine with a decent output of 15.4 horsepower at 9,000 rpm and 13.5 Nm (10 pound-feet) of torque at 7,000 rpm. Power is sent to the rear wheel via a six-speed manual gearbox, surprisingly equipped with a slipper clutch for smoother gear changes. Other tech features include optional ABS, a digital instrument cluster, as well as a full-LED headlight for optimum visibility in low light conditions.
Pricing and availability-wise, the Honda Winner X carries an MSRP starting at 123,900 Philippine pesos, or about $2,213 USD, putting it in the premium commuter segment. The top-tier variant called the Winner X ABS Racing is equipped with ABS and a sporty, race-inspired livery. This model carries a price tag of 131,900 Philippine pesos, or about $2,356 USD. It’s worth noting that the Winner X is also available in other neighboring Asian markets such as Vietnam, Indonesia, and Thailand.
