After Heading Polaris Industries India for the last nine years, MD Pankaj Dubey has anounced his resignation.
Archives for April 2020
Okinawa Hikes Dealer Margins
While the country is in lockdown, electric scooter manufacturer Okinawa are looking to lend a hand to their distribution network by increasing dealer profit margin.
Satisfying a Need for Speed: The 5 Fastest Bikes of the Past Year
As a journalist I am lucky enough to experience the cutting edge of motorcycle technology on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the current lockdown situation means that no new bikes have been ridden lately but, to keep you guys interested, we’ve put together a countdown of the fastest bikes we’ve ridden over the past year.
Yamaha and Honda to Resume Production
Yamaha Motor India and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) have taken the requisite permissions from the government and plan on resuming production soon.
Ducati, MV Agusta and Piaggio Group Resume Operations
Many factories of Ducati, MV Agusta and Piaggio Group have reopened now that the COVID-19 cases have flattened in some parts of Europe.
Kawasaki Electric Motorcycle Teased
At EICMA 2019, a Kawasaki electric motorcycle was introduced in prototype form and it seems to be nearing completion because the Japanese manufacturer has put up a video of the motorcycle being ridden on a racetrack. [Read more…]
2020 Yamaha Bolt Cruiser Launched in Japan
The Japanese motorcycle manufacturers have launched the 2020 Yamaha Bolt cruiser in Japan starting at ¥979,000 (Rs 6.95 lakh).
May 2020
Coping with Difficult Times
Although we have been under a countrywide lockdown for the past
month and a half, we have made an attempt to keep you abreast of whatever little is going around the world. There has been bad news in the last month, starting with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The world of motorcycle racing lost Tony Rutter, a seven-time Isle of Man TT winner and four-time world TT-F2 champion.
The pandemic has thrown the whole world out of gear with most countries going into total or partial lockdown. That means no production and no prospect of sales. The manufacturers will be able to survive this lockdown but the vendors and dealers will find it difficult to sail through on account of the financial crisis. After all, they have to pay their employees’ salaries and rent for their premises, etc. In the absence of production and sales, things are going to be extremely difficult.
There may be a silver lining to the dark cloud once the lockdown is lifted. The way we live will change with social distancing becoming a way of life. People will have to stop using public transport where, for the most part, they are packed like sardines and start relying more on personal transport. This will boost two-wheeler sales.
The government needs to support the manufacturers by allowing a reduction in the GST as well as by allowing them to sell all the BS4 stock. If this is not done, there might be a lot of repercussions. The industry was already in the throes of a slowdown even before the virus struck.
This month we will not be printing the magazine; it will come to you only in the digital format. Even if we were to print the magazine, it would not be possible to circulate the copies in the present situation. As of now, please stay at home and stay safe.
Aspi Bhathena
Editor
Ducati India Defer Extended Warranty Price Hike
Extended warranties for Ducati India motorcycle owners were set to become more expensive this month, but the Italian firm has put this price hike on hold till the 1st of June.
MV Agusta Set to Resume Operations
MV Agusta have issued a statement that they are ready to resume work at their headquarters and factory in Varese, Italy, with stringent new precautions in place.
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