Latest Bike News

Second TVS assembly line in Africa

August 7, 2013 by Team Bike India Leave a Comment

In a statement issued by company officials Indian two-wheeler brand TVS stated that its in plans to setup an assembly line in Uganda. TVS Motor Company has been present in the two wheeler segment in Uganda for about a decade and has around eight dealers offering sales and services. The Chennai-based firm is one of the largest exporters of two wheelers and three wheelers from India.

Speaking to the media TVS Motor Company President, K N Radhakrishnan, said the company has reaffirmed its commitment to the Ugandan customer with the opening of its distributor Yuvaraj International Uganda Ltd. He also added that the company also intends to launch two new motorcycle models during this period.

While addressing his views to the media Radhakrishnan said, “Uganda is a market with a large potential for two wheelers and with commencement of the assembly line and introduction of new products, we plan to reach 25 per cent market share within a year of commencing operation with our new distributor.”

Story: Sayem Parvez Syed

Two-wheeler sales decline 0.14% in July 2013

August 5, 2013 by Team Bike India Leave a Comment

Though overall the two-wheeler industry saw a slowing trend, some manufactures reported strong sales. Here’s a gist from the industry.

Hero MotoCorp sold a total of 4,87,545 units in July 2013, up by 0.7% from 4,84,217 units in July 2012. The company recently launched operations in Kenya, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast and propose to commence operations in Peru in August 2013. The company also announced an investment of Rs 152 crores ($ 25 million) for a stake of 49.2% in its US-based partner Erik Buell Racing.

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) clocked a total of 2,87,177 units in July 2013, its highest monthly sales ever. Of this, motorcycle sales were 1,47,635 units (up by 35%) and scooter sales were 1,39,542 units (up by 8%). For April-July 2013, motorcycle sales rose by nearly 24% while scooter sales were up by 9.6%. HMSI now occupies the second position overall (domestic sales plus exports) and has a domestic market share of 24%.

Bajaj Auto sold a total of 2,46,828 motorcycles in July 2013, down by 20% from 3,08,858 in July 2012. For April-July 2013, motorcycle sales fell to 11,06,878 units, 14% lower than 12,91,481 units in the same period last year.

TVS Motor recorded total sales of 1,46,671 units in July 2013, down by 7.1% from 1,57,954 units in July 2012. Within this, motorcycle sales were up by 8% to 57,886 units from 53,355 units, and scooter sales were down by 9.7% to 36,900 units from 40,895 units. Exports grew to 20,140 units from 17,092 units in July 2012.

Yamaha Motor India reported a growth of 57% in sales during July 2013 as compared to the corresponding period last year. The company sold 37,494 units in July 2013 as against 27,858 units sold in July last year in the domestic market thereby registering a domestic sales growth of 35%. In the Export markets the company sold 20,657 units in July 2013 as compared to 9,135 units in the same month last year achieving a growth of 126%. The overall sales stood at 58,151 units in July 2013 while 36,993 units were sold in July 2012, thereby registering a 57% overall growth.

Story: Gaurav Nagpal

Welcome back, Chief!

August 4, 2013 by Jim Gorde Leave a Comment

The wait is over! Indian have finally revealed their 2014 Chief! The all-new model, unveiled at the legendary Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and christened the Indian Chief Vintage, brings together generous proportions and an engine powerful enough for it to get a move on in a hurry. The styling is unmistakeably Indian and exemplifies the company’s heritage while also being clear about how far they’ve come to get to this day.

The new Chief Vintage looks everything it set out to be. The signature big, swooping front fender comes complete with the head ornament; loads of chrome swathe not just the front end, but pretty much everywhere you look. The 111-cubic inch Thunder Stroke V-twin too has been detailed exceptionally and looks like an integral part of the design, contributing in no small part to the chrome party. The brown leather seats complete with tassles and the rear saddle bags add a nice touch of contrast while being styling elements that simply look just right on the modern-day recreation of this iconic motorcycle. Indian Motorcycle will also offer a number of accessories to personalise you Chief Vintage, and if the past is anything to go by, we expect, there will be the ultimate version of the bike, the Chief Roadmaster!

The Chief Vintage is a large power cruiser whichever way you look at it. At over 2634mm long and running a wheelbase of 1730mm, it is a large motorcycle. It weighs a typically big cruiser-ish 379 kg and packs fat rubber front and rear. The dual disc front and single disc rear brake setup features ABS, while the 20.8 litre fuel tank ensures you don’t run out of juice any time soon. Now you may be wondering what gives it its grunt. With wide smiles we are happy to report the arrival of the all-new 111-cubic inch (1,811cc) Thunder Stroke V-twin, which makes a yet-undisclosed power figure and a commanding 161.6 Nm of torque from just 3,000 revs. An overdrive six-speed transmission (five-speed on the Chief Classic) transfers the power to the rear via a carbon-fibre reinforced belt drive.

The 2014 Indian Chief line-up begins with the Indian Chief Classic, priced at $18,999 (Rs 11.3 lakh approx), the Chief Vintage is priced at $20,999 (Rs 12.5 lakh approx) and the Chieftain, their full-on touring model, bears a tag of $22,999 (Rs 13.7 lakh approx). The motorcycles are indeed stated to arrive in India soon. Their prices of course, will be more or less just about twice the numbers above.

Story: Jim Gorde

Triumph coming to India by November 2013

August 1, 2013 by Team Bike India 1 Comment

The iconic British motorcycle marque Triumph will soon be seen on Indian roads, as the company has just confirmed plans for a launch by November 2013. Speaking about the plans, Paul Stroud, Director Sales & Marketing (Global) for Triumph emphasised the importance of India for the company’s global strategy, and said that 2013 was a very important year for them. He mentioned that they had carefully studied the Indian market and were confident about their timing and efforts to provide a complete Triumph experience.

The company also announced the appointment of Vimal Sumbly as the Managing Director for India. Before Triumph, Vimal worked with Bajaj Auto Ltd as the General Manager Sales, and has nearly 16 years of work experience in automobiles. Vimal, an ardent biker himself, will take the lead on sales development and growth of Triumph in India.

Commenting on his new role, Vimal said that he was delighted at joining Triumph and believed the brand has a well-thought-out strategy for the Indian market. He reemphasised their commitment to develop “truly iconic motorcycles” that were distinctive in terms of looks, design and performance.

Triumph will be assembling some of its models in India at the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) facility, currently being completed at Manesar in Haryana. The company is scouting for dealer partners at various strategic locations in India to ensure the widest enjoyment of the Triumph experience. The company plans to provide genuine parts and after-sales services as well as authentic merchandise and accessories to cement this experience.

Story: Gaurav Nagpal