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 when the interests were sold to Mahindra

Mahindra

Mahindra may refer to:In People*Mahinda, the son of Emperor Ashoka and proponent of Buddha's teachings in Sri Lanka*Anand MahindraIn Companies* Mahindra Group...

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The brand Kinetic Honda is remembered for its legacy 2-stroke scooters (which were in fact based on the Honda NH series

Honda NH series

The NH series of Honda scooters was sold worldwide beginning in 1983, in 50, 80, 90, 100 and 125cc versions. All models have an air-cooled two-stroke engines with CDI ignition. All models except the Lead 50 have leading link front suspension, electric and kick start, and a fuel gauge. The Lead 50...

), with continuously variable transmission

Continuously variable transmission

A continuously variable transmission is a transmission that can change steplessly through an infinite number of effective gear ratios between maximum and minimum values. This contrasts with other mechanical transmissions that offer a fixed number of gear ratios...

and electric start, first in India when it was launched (in 1984), and the only in India until the late 1990s.

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)
• 2005: Kinetic 4s (113.5cc, 4-stroke)

World records

The Kinetic Honda holds three World Records:

• 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+
• 1991/92: Crossing of Sahara Desert with a fuel consumption same as a small car

+Source: Guinness Book of World Records