Triumph Unveils 7 New Models for 2011

If you're a fan of Triumph Motorcycles, you'll be pleased to know that Triumph just unveiled 7 new models, the largest new product lineup in the company's 109-year history, at the International Motorcycle Show in Long Beach. Triumph also introduced their new CEO of the North American division, who has worked with both Harley-Davidson and Buell Motorcycles, Greg Heichelbech.

“Triumph is one of a couple motorcycle manufacturers that can boast both an incredible heritage and state-of-the-art engineering and design," said Heichelbech." But Triumph is the only motorcycle manufacturer that has this unique, iconic brand and also has successfully created a product line that caters to a very wide variety of customers.”

Honda CBR 250R India Bookings Starts from March 2011

All those who were waiting for Honda CBR 250R can now relax as the bookings will be officially starting from March 2011 coming year in the Indian market. It has been officially declared that the bookings open from March 2011. So hard core Honda fans can braise themselves up because Honda is about to give them what they wanted.
Cheerzzzzzzzz !!
Honda’s new baby CBR 250R will most likely be available with a price tag of 1.50 – 1.75 Lakhs (Ex-Showroom). The bike will be available in two variants ABS and Non ABS; both these versions will also be present for the people to book and try their hands on this amazingly powerful bike. The difference in price of both the versions of CBR 250R is speculated to be around 20,000.
News also has it that the bookings for the CBR 250R will be made against a cash payment of 15,000 INR.

Honda not obsessed about going after number one position

Honda Motor Company, which is among the leaders in two-wheeler markets all over the world, has just split from the joint venture with Hero group which had gave a strong five million units to add to its numbers in the Asean region. But now the company’s subsidiary Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI) has to start the lone march but the company insists it is not behind any numbers or top position yet.

Bajaj to bring more Ninjas Variants

Bajaj Probiking, the country’s second-largest motorcycle maker Bajaj Auto’s retail chain of premium motorcycles, is contemplating bringing more high-end variants of Kawasaki Ninja to the Indian market, including a 600-cc model. “Details are being worked out,” said its head (sales) Gaurav Rathore.
Bajaj Probiking currently retails about 5,000 high-performance bikes per month, including Ninja 250R, Pulsar 220-cc and Avenger 220-cc, from its 32 showrooms across the country.
“Within one year of launch, Ninja 250R recently crossed the sale of its 1,000th unit in the country, of which Andhra Pradesh accounted for 100 units including 70 from our authorised dealer Sri Vinayaka Bajaj in Hyderabad. We are looking at a similar sales target next year too,” Rathore told mediapersons here on Sunday.
The Indian market for super-sports bikes (prices ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 13 lakh) is currently pegged at 150 units per month. “We may bring the Rs 12-13 lakh range bikes in future,” Rathore said, while declining to comment further.

Yamaha launches 998cc FZ1 and 153cc SZ-R

All set to give the year 2010 a spectacular finish, India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd has unveiled two new bikes- 998cc FZ1 and 153cc SZ-R.

Commenting on the occasion, Hiroyuki Suzuki, CEO & Managing Director, India Yamaha Motor said, “India is one of the key markets for Yamaha and we have been constantly shifting gears to transform the market from utility to pleasure & lifestyle. Yamaha offers innovative designs, sporty looks and premium features across models as part of its strategy to give consumers a new thrill in biking. After the successful launch of our superbikes and 150 cc bikes in the Indian market over the last 3 years, we are adding two new bikes to our portfolio corroborating Yamaha’s continued commitment to provide world-class products to its consumers”.

Hero Group to use Honda brand till 2014 but on conditions

The successful partnership of 25 years between Delhi based Hero group and the Japanese company Honda Motor will finally come to an end but there has been several speculations over the fate of Hero group now that it will have go to the market alone o its brand with the strong association of motorcycle brand with Honda.

Now it has been reported in the business daily Business Standard that Hero Group is believed to have won rights to use the Honda brand till 2014-end. The report mentions that as the final draft of separation between the Hero Group and Honda Motor Company gets readied, concerns are being raised on the Indian company's ability to promote and sell its indigenous products in the long term, while managing the added burden of royalty payouts to the Japanese company.

Hero and Honda to finally say good bye to each other and end the joint venture

It had been one of the few joint venture success stories in Indian automobile market. Hero group and Honda which started in 1984, is now said to be the world’s largest two-wheeler seller. But there has been reports of JV being revoked from both the sides for some days now.

According to agency reports, it was mentioned that Japanese company Honda Motor Co plans to sell its stake in India's top-ranked motorcycle maker, Hero Honda Motors and instead focus on its wholly owned subsidiary in the country. According to the Japanese Nikkei business daily

It was reported that the Japanese automaker may earn some 100 billion yen (1.2 billion dollars) from the sale of its shares in Hero Honda, founded in 1984 with India's Hero Group.

Honda keeps mum on the issue of Hero group

Japanese auto giant Honda which has a successful partnership with Hero group to script growth chart with Hero Honda in Indian market is now reportedly keeping mum on the rumored split in the Joint Venture. Honda holds 26 percent in the Hero Honda but Honda has now an independent two-wheeler arm in India competing directly with Hero Honda products.

According to agency reports, Honda had stated that meeting two-wheeler demand in India is the biggest challenge for the company. The report quoted Honda Motor Co President and CEO Takanobu Ito as saying "Two wheeler market in India is growing at a scorching pace of more than 30 per cent. Therefore, if the market keeps growing at this pace, I believe, the bigger worry is, for any company, no matter how quickly they expand, it will be difficult to keep pace with the growth of the market.’’

Suzuki motorcycles register a healthy 77 percent sales rise

Riding on the demand for its 125 cc motorcycle SlingShot, two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle India has reported a 77 per cent growth at 25,439 units sold in November compared to 14,393 units in the same month last year, according to agency reports.

"We have received very good response from the market to all our products...We are committed to continue this growth momentum in future," Suzuki Motorcycle India Vice President (Sales and Marketing) Atul Gupta said in a statement.

Suzuki Motorcycle India, a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation of Japan attributed the growth to good response from recently launched bike series-SlingShot. The company also sells Access range of scooters and has four offerings in the premium bike segment including the most popular superbike Hayabusa in the Indian market as a brand enhancement initiative.

Mahindra two wheelers sales up at 125 percent in November

Mahindra two wheelers sales up at 125 percent in NovemberMahindra & Mahindra’s two wheeler arm has reported a healthy growth for the month of November. The company’s two-wheeler sales jumped 125 per cent to 15,854 units in November from 7,020 units in the same month last year. The company had launched its entry level commuter bike `Stallio’ and also announced a premium motorcycle 300 `Mojo’ to be launched early next year.

According to the company statement, during November, the company sold 1,706 units of motorcycles. Total cumulative sales during April-November jumped 262 per cent to 1,07,888 units from 29,778 units in the same period last year.

“Consumers have reposed their trust in the Mahindra two-wheeler brand and this is borne out from the momentum that is reflected in our monthly sales figures. We are currently in the process of ramping up production to meet demand,” the company President (Two-Wheeler Sector), Anoop Mathur, said it was reported.

Mahindra which has global ambitions has already announced that it will participate in the next year’s MotoGP edition of 125 cc class thereby taking the Mahindra name global.