The bike’s four-stroke, air-cooled and single-cylinder engine has been termed ‘Optimax’ and is broadly a scaled down version of the Unicorn power plant. Power output is 10.3bhp at 7500rpm, a full bhp lower than its direct competitor - Bajaj’s Discover. It's rubber-damped alloy-cylinder is built to permit beneficial tumble-flow character, which allows burning of a leaner mix.

As on the Unicorn, there’s an offset crankshaft to minimise piston and cylinder friction, while the cylinder head is cast with twin-air channels that aid prompt cooling. The heel and toe shift operated gearbox is four-speed and shifts all up. Honda claims that the bike should deliver more than adequate power in the lower end of the power band. Honda engineers have been smart and given the bike slightly taller gearing ensuring that the bike manages to get higher speeds at lower engine revolutions.