Perfect two-wheel ride for traffic congested cities

Honda Philippines Inc. (HPI) celebrity brand ambassadors, Coco Martin and Yassi Pressman (3rd and 4th from left) are joined by HPI executives (from left), Jomel Jerezo,GMof Motorcycle Business Planning Department; Susumu Mitsuishi, president; Hiroyuki Yasunaga, EVP, Manufacturing Division; and Beth S. Alejandro, AVP for Finance.

Photo by Charles E. Buban

Those who are looking to transition to two wheels but feel a bit intimidated by the complexity of gear shifting must be feeling lucky as Honda Philippines, Inc. launched last Saturday the All-New Air Blade 150, an innovative sporty looking automatic bike (AT) that promises to make urban riding fun, stylish and of course, less complicated.

The leading motorcycle manufacturer in the country, believes that even though the overwhelming majority of motorbikes in the country use manual transmissions, Honda Philippines believes there is a growing segment of the market that prefers models that don’t require any shifting or clutch operation.

“For a young professional trying to beat the traffic or a millennial who enjoys riding around the city with friends, this AT motorbike is a must-have, as it serves to be a cutting-edge in sporty design, features advanced technology, allows easy handling not to mention, safe and convenient buddy-riding (i.e. ride sharing). In Honda Philippines, we believe that the joy and freedom of mobility is best experienced with friends, which is why we conceptualized the All-New Air Blade 150 with shared riding in mind,” said Susumu Mitsuishi, president of Honda Philippines, Inc. during the launch held at Market! Market! in Taguig City.

Completely redesigned for its 5th iteration, the P109,000- All-New Air Blade 150 boasts an LED dual headlamp assembly with turn signals placed over the headlamps, Smart Key feature, as well as a fully-digital instrument cluster. Its 22.7-liter under seat storage features a lamp and even a Power Socket for recharging devices and smartphones.

Powered by a 150cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder, four-stroke engine, the All-New Air Blade 150 generates maximum 13hp and a peak torque of 13.3 Nm. This engine also comes equipped with Intelligent Low Friction technology (reduces friction and vibration during acceleration) and Honda’s idling-stop system (a technology that automatically switches off the engine during brief stops and thus, saves fuel).

As added safety, this AT motorbike has a front-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) which prevent wheels from locking up during sudden brakes. The All-New Air Blade 150 is said to return a mileage of around 47km/l, which means it should be able to cover over 200 kilometers on a full tank (4.4-liter capacity).

“The All-New Air Blade 150 is perfect in high traffic areas. This automatic motorbike will be much better choice if you ride in the big cities since it’s less tiring as there’s no need to change gears and operate the clutch every few seconds. This model will provide you with convenient and relaxing ride for you and your riding buddy,” assures Mitsuishi.

The All-New Air Blade 150 comes in three unique colors: Matte Galaxy Black Metallic, Candy Caribbean Blue Sea, and Candy RossRed. It will be available at all Honda’s dealerships by March 2020 so Mitsuishi suggested reserving now at any Honda dealership (for more details about other Honda products and promos, follow them at their Facebook page, Honda Philippines, Inc. and Instagram page, @hondaph_mc).