New Bike Launches in India

Honda Motorcycles India has launched the Dream Yuga commuter motorcycle in Mumbai.

Powered by a 110cc engine delivering 8.6 PS @ 7500 RPM with a claimed mileage figure of 72 km/ltr, Honda states that the Dream Yuga is specially developed for Indian customers, keeping in mind their practical commuting needs. To this end, the bike’s engine is equipped with several innovative technologies like the ‘Honda Intelligent Ignition Control System’ which changes ignition timings to attain ideal combustion, leading to improved power output and efficiency.

The tubeless tyres / tuff up tube options, viscous air filter and maintenance free battery in the new motorcycle are also a first in this segment. The bike will be available for sale in three variants- Kick/Drum/Spoke, Kick/ Drum/Alloy and Self/ Drum/Alloy. The motorcycle comes in 5 colors: Black, Monsoon Grey Metallic, Alpha Red Metallic, Force Silver Metallic & Maple Brown Metallic. Prices start at Rs. 48,028 for the base variant while the mid variant will cost Rs. 49592, with the top end variant retailing for Rs. 51678 (all prices, ex-showroom, Mumbai).

Honda has also roped in Akshay Kumar, as their new brand ambassador and revealed their new TVC featuring the Bollywood star. Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Kumar said, “Honda as the World’s No. 1 motorcycle maker carries with it a legacy of customer oriented products from 50cc to 1800cc and goodwill of over 200 million customers worldwide. I am deeply impressed by Honda’s vision and proud to associate with this young and vibrant brand that is innovative, technologically advanced and committed to society.”

When you have a bike that’s made in India and gets exported to another country, it’s an impressive accomplishment.

Bajaj Auto have started exporting KTM (made in India) motorcycles to Japan, the home of motorcycle giants like Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki.

The first batch of the 125-cc KTM bikes was sent from the Chakan plant, near Pune, earlier this month. Bajaj Auto hold a 47 per cent stake in KTM and previously KTM did not have motorcycles in this segment, but are now sourcing the KTM 125-cc from Bajaj Auto for the world market. It’s definitely a milestone in the Indian automotive industry. Congratulations to Bajaj Auto!

TVS has roped in chirpy actor Anushka Sharma, as the brand ambassador for its popular gearless scooter, Scooty.

The scooter is mainly targeted at younger, college going girls, and Anushka’s effervescent personality would add to the brand’s appeal.

Talking about the association, H S Goindi, President Marketing, TVS Motor Company said that Anushka was an immediate choice for the TVS Scooty brand as she is well known for being spunky with her distinctive style and is an icon for young girls in India. She is seen by young women as one who is living her goals of being vivacious, independent and successful. He added that the company is confident that this association will further enhance the popular TVS Scooty brand.

Anushka association for the brand goes back to 2005, during her modelling days, when she had done an ad campaign for TVS Scooty. TVS offers the Scooty Teen for Rs 33,884 and Scooty Pep at Rs 44,500 (OTR, Pune).

The company had announced earlier this year that it will be launching two motorcycles and two scooter this year. The first product is expect to be a 125-cc motorcycle.

Similar to the upgrade Mahindra 2-Wheelers gave to the Duro, transforming it in to a more refined Duro DZ, the company is now ready to do the same with the Rodeo gearless scooter. The spruced-up Rodeo will be christened as Rodeo RZ and is now purported to be more efficient, smooth and also powerful than the older version.

The current Rodeo is powered by a peppy 125-cc engine that churns out 8.11 PS of power and 9 Nm of peak torque. The scooter has a small fuel tank with a capacity of 4.5-litre, which give an approximate range of under 200 kpl. It is a fun to ride scooter with features like front loading fuel tank and telescopic front forks.

The Rodeo RZ is scheduled to be unveiled on June 7th, 2012, and we hope the current price of Rs 50,436 (on road, Pune) will remain unchanged.

 

 

The Korean company splits up with Garware Motors

 

This news might come as a blessing in disguise to Hyosung fans. Garware Motors has sold its stake in Hyosung JV to the DSK Group, a prominent real estate developers also known for their Toyota dealerships in Maharashtra. Company insiders have revealed that Sachin Kulkarni, son of D.K. Kulkarni, Chairman, DSK Group, will be holding the reins of the new partnership.

This foray by DSK in the Indian two wheeler market, will be quite interesting to watch, given their vast experience in the automotive industry and significant capital that the company can invest in this partnership. We feel that they can make a big difference by restructuring the pricing strategy, especially since the company is about to launch the new GT250R this month. Currently, the company’s two-wheeler line-up includes the GT650R, GT650N and ST7 in India which are priced between Rs 5-7 lakh bracket.

The reason for Garware Motors selling its stake in Hyosung Indian operations is not yet known officially, with various speculations making the rounds. The official statement is expected to be released tomorrow.