Honda Motorcycles this week introduced one of the most important motorcycle launches of the year happened, the Indian unveiling of Honda’s new fuel-efficient and low maintenance 110cc motorcycle model, the CB Twister.

Honda sells a million motorcycles a year in India, and next year expects to sell 220,000 Twisters, based on its similar looks to the company’s CBR1000RR flagship motorcycle. The Twister’s low maintenance, ridiculous fuel economy (164 U.S. mpg and 197 U.K. mpg) and a price of just US$900, will make this new introduction a killer in the market.

Targeting the younger generation, the CB Twister features a design from the school of large-capacity European motorcycles. The CB Twister is equipped with a low-friction, high mileage, highly efficient air-cooled 4-stroke single-cylinder 110cc engine, which complies with India’s emissions standard (BS-III) that will take effect in April 2010.

India is the world’s second largest motorcycle market (behind China) with sales this year expected to top 8.6 million units, of which the 110cc category accounts for half.

The bike is the product of Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI), a wholly-owned Honda subsidiary in India, and not from Hero Honda, Honda’s local JV company, which owns the lion’s share of the Indian motorcycle marketplace.

The Twister is scheduled to go on sale in India at the end of February 2010 and will be seen for the first time in public at the Auto Expo 2010 to be held in New Delhi, India beginning January 5, 2010. (www.honda2wheelersindia.com/)