New Bike Launches in India

After the initial announcement at the Auto Expo last month, Suzuki Motocycles India has now launched the Swish 125 automatic scooter in India with a price tag of INR 45,431(ex-showroom Delhi).

Like its name indicates, the Swish 125 features a 125cc four-stroke engine, borrowed from the Access 125 scooter, that produces 8.7PS of maximum power and a peak torque figure of 9 Nm.

Visually, the Swish looks like a younger and sportier scooter, compared to the slightly-dowdy looking Access 125. The graphics and paint scheme also attenuate this youthful image, and should prove popular with the college-going generation. Suzuki is initially doing a soft launch, in select cities, and the full launch is tentatively scheduled around the end of March. The Japanese subsidiary will also be launching the Hayate 115cc motorcycle in April this year.

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) commenced the second phase of production operations at their second two-wheeler production plant in the Tapukara Industrial Area in Rajasthan.

This will help the company to expand its production by another six lakh units per annum, giving it a cumulative production capacity of 28 lakh units per annum. The Japanese automobile major has invested more than Rs 1,000 crore in the second plant and doubled the annual production capacity. The second assembly line is flexible enough to manufacture both scooter and motorcycle models, which includes the Activa, CB Twister and CB Shine, at this plant in addition to the existing Manesar plant.

Honda’s third plant in the vicinity of Bengaluru was announced in 2011 and it is scheduled to become operational in the first half of 2013, with an annual production capacity of 1.2 million units. This capacity expansion plan will increase HMSI’s total annual production capacity to four million units.

India’s entry-level performance bike segment is abuzz with new models from different two-wheeler manufacturers.

Kawasaki, Honda and Bajaj have introduced the Ninja, CBR250 and Pulsar 200NS, respectively, to the country’s enthusiasts, who have appreciated the bikes and set the cash registers ringing. It’s Garware Hyosung’s turn now to exploit the surging demand with the GT250R.

The company is expected to launch the 250-cc performance bike in a couple of months, the bookings for which will open in May 2012. The bike will be identical to the GT650R, except for a smaller motor which will churn out 28.89 PS and 22.68 Nm.

The company will leave no stones unturned to make the 250 a success and will also offer tempting finance schemes to woo buyers. A naked version of the bike, called the GT250, will be launched soon thereafter. The biggest challenge for the Korean bike-makers will be to price the GT250R competitively in view of the massive import duties and taxes it attracts. Most of the 200-cc to 250-cc bikes are priced well under Rs 2 lakh, except the Ninja 250R, which costs close to Rs 3 lakh.

The competition is becoming fiercer in this segment and we hope other manufacturers also join the fray.

The wait is over… The mania begins again as Bajaj readies to launch the new range of Pulsars this Monday, January 30th 2012

Bajaj is also timing the launch of the new Pulsar series in a way that it commemorates the Pulsar brand’s 10 years of existence. The new range of bikes are based on the same platform as the KTM Duke and also retains the popular DTS-i twin spark system. The bikes will now be lighter and faster than before, so remember ‘Safety First’. The front braking unit will probably be provided by Bybre, the same employed on the KTM 200 Duke. Carrying the sporty, street-bike DNA will be two-step seat, underbelly exhaust similar to the KTM and new alloy wheels designed to keep the weight low for better performance.

Price and other details will be revealed during the launch on Monday. Till then, watch this space.

Check out the official Pulsar website – click here

The legendary British bike maker will roar into India with seven of its products in 2012

We have been waiting for a long time for Triumph to enter the Indian market. In 2008 we revealed
Triumph’s Indian ambition and now, almost four years later, the British company has finally
revealed its plans for India. Firstly, the company will be assembling some of its bikes in India to
make them affordable for the Indian consumers. For this the company is hunting for a site to set up
an assembly facility. Secondly, we Indians will be getting to taste bikes like the Iconic Bonneville,
the modern day British racer – Daytona 675, the multi purpose Tiger 800, the awesome Speed
Triple and the monster of a bike – Rocket III. We may also get the Sprint and the Speedmaster.
Bikes like the Tiger 800 and Daytona 675 are expected to be assembled here in India however, there
is no official conformation from the company yet. Triumph will be present at the 2012 Auto Expo
with the afore mentioned bikes and we expect the bikes to hit the dealerships by mid-2012.

Metro develops tubeless tyres for motorcycles with Continental

Metro Tyres develops and designed tubeless tyres for motorcycles with Continental AG of Germany in technical collaboration.  Metro tyres, initially will manufacture tyres from its state-of-the-art Ludhiana plant where it has invested Rs.30 Crore for upgradations and capacity expansion. Metro has earmarked another investment of Rs.50 Crore to be invested in the Manesar (Gurgoan) Plant for their tubeless tyre Venture.

Metro tyres are looking at OEMs and Export Markets for their tubeless tyres in the wake of the growing Indian Two-wheeler Industries, more in specific, the High End Motorcycles. Metro senses a huge demand for tubless motorcycle tyres here.

The overall 10-12 percent growth in motorcycle sales and around 29 percent growth in export sales are together paving way to create this demand for tubeless tyres. Metro supplies its tyres to Continental for the overseas market, while the domestic market already has the OEM development for the 250cc category bikes.

The company has capacity to produce 2 lakh motorcycle and two-three wheeler tyres and tubes per month, which will be escalated to 5 lakhs tyres and tubes per month post Manesar expansion. Metro is looking at a turnover of Rs.600 crore by 2012 and aims to be a 1,000 crore player in the next 4 years.

Jamming the brakes on all rumours doing the rounds about Yamaha joining hands with Mahindra 2-Wheelers

, the Japanese company released an official statement  which says, “Yamaha Motor denied media reports of its business partnership with Mahindra 2Wheelers and announced that it is committed to the Indian market and plans to make investments in capacity expansion as well as new product development.

Adding to the whole issue, India Yamaha Motor CEO & MD, Mr. Hiroyuki Suzuki said, “We are not looking for business partnership with any company. Our Mid-term plan is on track and we will be making sizeable investments for new product development, sales & service network strengthening and capacity expansion over the next few years.”

Guess that’s the end to a spicy buzz conjured by the rumour mills.

TVS Motor Company to expand its operations in Eastern India

The Commerce and Industry Minister, Government of West Bengal, Mr. Partha Chaterjee, today handed over to TVS Motor Company and Mahabharat Motors Manufacturing Company, the in-principle permission granted by the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation Limited for the demerger of the two wheeler business of Mahabharat Motors Manufacturing Company, into a separate company through the court process of demerger. After the demerger, TVS Motor Company will invest in this new venture subject to approval that may be required by law and Government Regulations.

TVS Motor Company, which had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Mahabharat Motors Manufacturing Company, West Bengal in 2008, will thereby take a larger role in the demerged company and facilitate stronger presence in the eastern region of the Indian market. It may be recalled that as per the MOU, which was signed in 2008, TVS Motor Company was to provide technical support for the manufacturing facility. In addition, TVS Motor Company was to train personnel as per the quality procedures and standards followed at its other assembly plants. The manufacturing facility was created in accordance with the MOU and commercial production commenced in September 2010.

TVS Motor Company will retain the existing staff and workers of Mahabharat Motors Manufacturing Company and it expects to manufacture initially around 1000 motorcycles per month. TVS Motor Company will also use this facility as a hub to service West Bengal and North East markets. TVS Motor Company currently has three world class manufacturing facilities within India in Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh to manufacture two and three wheelers.

Piaggio plans to redefine the scooter market in India with the new Vespa range

A few months back, Bike India broke the news of Italian two-wheeler conglomerate Piaggio relaunching the Vespa brand in India. And now, reports of sightings around the Piaggio plant in Pune suggests that the first scooter from the iconic Vespa stable to be launched in India will be the LX 125.

From its markedly retro design to the styling of its headlamps and horns, the LX 125 scooter bears all the characteristic Vespa design cues. Unlike most Indian scooters, but in keeping with the international Vespa tradition, there is no spare wheel at the back, just a minimalistic chrome grab rail instead. According to our sources, alloy wheels (both five and three spoked) and disc brakes are available, although it is not clear whether if they will be a part of standard equipment.

In its second Indian outing, Piaggio plans to peg the Vespa brand as a lifestyle brand that will be targeted solely at the fashion-conscious urban customer. Bring it on, we say.