India

Hero MotoCorp finally gets a podium finish at Dakar Rally

Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters – Hero MotoCorp, has created history becoming the first ever Indian manufacturer team to finish on the podium of the legendary Dakar Rally. Hero MotoSports Team Rally was formed in 2016 and it participated in its first Dakar Rally in 2017. Over the years, the team has achieved multiple podiums, wins and stage wins at top rally-raids across the world. In its fifth year at Saudi Arabia, the 2024 edition of Dakar Rally was undoubtedly the toughest so far – longer stages, extreme terrains, and confusing navigation right from the start. Two new formats of racing were also introduced by the organizers to add more spice – a marathon stage early on in the race, and a 48H chrono stage during which the competitors were split across several bivouacs – away from their teams, and surviving on bare minimum essentials. As many as one-third of the competitors who started the race retired from the rally across the 14 days of grind. To get to a Dakar podium is no small feat – a thousand things need to be right, and yet, each kilometer of these many thousands can destroy a result with a tiny mistake. 8,000 kilometers at the world’s toughest rally conquered with a top-2 result – Hero has made it clear they’re here to stay. Ross Branch finished the Rally at the second place for the Hero Factory Team. His consistent performance over the 12 stages saw him at the first and second spots in the overall rankings throughout the Rally.

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Firing all barrels with Royal Enfield Shotgun 650

Even with production at the company’s Oragadam factory outside Chennai running flat out for six days a week, there are waiting lists everywhere for the 650cc models such as Super Meteor, Continental GT and Interceptor —  as production struggles to keep up with demand. Yet Royal Enfield’s parent company Eicher Motors (albeit RE accounts for 92% of its overall turnover) just reported a huge 54.70% increase in net profit last November for the second quarter of its business year, with turnover up 17% on the back of a 13% increase in Royal Enfield sales. The 650cc models have catapulted the Indian manufacturer into a leading role in the global middleweight motorcycle market. This desirable problem of meeting motorcycle sales demand is expected to worsen with launch of 2024 Shotgun 650. In U.K., base model Sheetmetal Grey color will cost £6,699 including 20% tax, while the Plasma Blue and Green Drill variants are priced at £100 more, the Premium model in Stencil White costs £6,899. In comparison, 2024 units of the Super Meteor 650 start at £6,799, and in America, it starts at US$6,999. If Royal Enfield keeps such narrow margins with U.S. pricing, you can expect something just above $7k. At fairly low 9.5:1 compression ratio it denotes a low state of tune, most likely to ensure it runs well even on poor-quality fuel in delivering a claimed 51.6 mpg. Rigorous testing regime conducted simultaneously in India, Europe, the USA and the UK are unique to Royal Enfield. You will have a motorcycle that has been there and done that in the real world and not just under “test conditions” Media test riders have praised the tremendous improvement in handling and performance over Super Meteor 650. Shotgun is a incredibly good motorcycle, providing an unexpectedly high level of performance along

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Hero MotoCorp announces streetfighter juxtaposed to Harley-Davidson X440

Hero ‘Maverick’ is the upcoming streetfighter, positioned against Harley-Davidson X440. It will also go up against the popular Yamaha MT lineup. Hero and Harley-Davidson are working together but who will win in their respective sales volumes? Hero MotoCorp is the exclusive distributor and service provider for Harley-Davidson in India. Together they built and launched the X440 last year to good pre-booking numbers. The forthcoming Hero Mavrick will share identical foundational elements, such as the trellis frame and the 440 cc oil-cooled, single-cylinder engine. However, it will undergo several modifications to distinguish itself more distinctly from its American counterpart. While Harley-Davidson X440 is categorized as a roadster, the forthcoming Mavrick will be positioned as a streetfighter. It all starts with a cool name. That’s how marketing and branding works. I bet Hero MotoCorp will sell a lot more of these Maverick bikes than H-D’s X440 bikes—- no doubt inspired from a ‘Top Tom’ movie of the same name. If Hero MotoCorp don’t show an advertisement featuring airplane pilots, aspiring owners will probably be disappointed. These will also compete well against existing Yamaha lineup including Yamaha MT-15. Bajaj Pulsar is still a well-known common model and Hero now has its Karizma ZMR as well as Maverick to rival Bajaj. * * * * Subscribe to be in the loop of all things on two-wheels, click to roll. Free weekly newsletter. Once a week, no spam, nothing but motorcycle related content.

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Classic Legends to get USD 105m investment

Mahindra and Mahindra, along with others to invest USD 105 mn in Classic Legends The bestselling ‘Scorpio’ car manufacturer will invest USD 105 million along with existing shareholders and new investors, Mahindra said in an exchange filing.This will be over the course of next two to three years. Mahindra owns 60% of Classic Legends, which manufactures two-wheelers such as Jawa, Yezdi, and BSA. This is while investments in premium motorcycle segment in India is heating up with Harley-Davidson and Triumph partnering domestic companies, Hero MotoCorp and Bajaj respectively. Classic Legends has so far not made any inroads into this segment that is still largely dominated by Eicher’s Royal Enfield motorcycles. * * * * Invest in freedom, check out the membership options for Bandit’s Bikernet; click to know more.

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Royal Enfield Showcases Electric Himalayan at EICMA

Royal Enfield presented its first ever electric vehicle design concept at the EICMA 2023 in Milan, Italy. This is a new phase in the history of an iconic 122-years old company. Royal Enfield Electric Himalayan Testbed debut represents the company’s commitment to a sustainable adventure and exploration. Royal Enfield has re-invented and re-imagined its motorcycles and branding well-enough in the past and now with a vision of an electric tourer it is heading boldly into an unknown future. “This motorcycle is only just a part of a much bigger sustainable ecosystem of exploration and adventure that we are working on in the Himalayas. From green charging pit-stops, to our responsible travel initiative, from creating self-sustaining communities to collaboration with UNESCO to preserve the intangible cultural heritage of the Himalayan region, there are a lot of initiatives we are passionately driving” says B Govindarajan, CEO of Royal Enfield. Although the price is unknown, it is speculated that the EV version of Himalayan will cost twice as much as the top-end variation of their most-expensive model– seemingly making it unreachable to the masses, just like it’s namesake mountain range peaks. * * * * Stay updated, stay ahead of the curve…with Bikernet Free Weekly Newsletter, click to get going!

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TVS overtakes Yamaha’s Market Capitalisation

TVS overtakes Yamaha’s Market capitalisation to become third-largest two-wheeler maker in the world. The market capitalisation (Mcap) of Chennai-based (India) TVS Motor has surged 37% to $9.2 billion over the past six months, as per Bloomberg’s data. In contrast, Yamaha Motor saw an Mcap erosion of $1.6 billion from its August highs. Only seventeen months ago, TVS Motor Company was less than half the size of Yamaha Motor Co. Now, it has overtaken the Japanese two-wheeler giant in terms of market valuation. Investors continue to bet on a revival in both domestic and export markets, and TVS seemed the horse of choice, symbolic of its logo. BTW, Indian two-wheeler manufacturers make up four of the top five companies in the world. Bajaj Auto tops the list with a Mcap of $19 billion, followed by Eicher Motors with an $11.5 billion Mcap. Hero MotoCorp ranks fifth with a market valuation close to $8 billion. Additionally, TVS Motors has gained dominant position in EV scooters, and has managed to gain market share in every segment over the last few years. TVS makes the 310cc BMW engines and motorcycles sold in India. TVS also owns the Norton brand. US-based Harley-Davidson ranked seventh with an Mcap of $4.3 billion, three Chinese manufacturers are featured among the top ten two-wheeler makers in the world. * * * * * * * * Stay on top of the two-wheeled world, subscribe to Bikernet.com free weekly newsletter

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Royal Enfield offers Assured Motorcycle Buyback Program

Royal Enfield is now offering an opportunity for buyers to get assured resale value for the purchase of their new motorcycle. This is made possible with Enfield’s new ‘Assured Buyback Program’. The two-wheeler giant has partnered with OTO Capital for the buyback program, promising guaranteed buyback value of up to 77 percent depending on customer’s selected tenure. Flexible purchase tenures spanning from 1-3 years are on offer, ensuring customers up to 45 percent lower EMIs with guaranteed buyback value as per the ownership period. OTO Capital is offering a cashback incentive at the end of the tenure in a first-of-its-kind initiative. Enfield is calling it a seamless ownership experience. Customers have the option to either trade in their existing motorcycle for a new RE offering or return their motorcycle when their choice of tenure ends. Apart from this, lower EMIs will translate to a lower cost of ownership for customers. Commenting on the launch, B Govindarajan, CEO – Royal Enfield, said, “At Royal Enfield, we always prioritise the customer. Right from the stage of motorcycle conception and development, all the way to designing in-store and in-use consumer experiences, we always endeavour to create what consumers want. The Assured Buyback Program shows our commitment to making motorcycle ownership more seamless, more accessible and more fun for potential riders. Offering a first-of-its-kind, innovative solution, this programme is designed as a promise to consumers for complete peace of mind, so they can absolutely enjoy a pure motorcycling experience with Royal Enfield.” For now, Royal Enfield Assured Buyback Program will be available in 12 cities including Delhi, Ghaziabad, Noida, Lucknow, Jaipur, Bhopal, Indore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Chennai. This scheme will later extend to other cities in the future. Refer: https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/finance/assured-buyback/ * * * * * * * * * * * *

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Royal Enfield launches rental program

Royal Enfield today launched “Royal Enfield Rentals” program to provide Royal Enfield motorcycles to individuals by partnering with motorcycle rental operators. These rentals will include more than 40 motorcycle rental operators across 25 cities and destinations in India, thus enabling explorers and enthusiasts to rent and ride over 300 Royal Enfield motorcycles. Mohit Dhar Jayal, Chief Brand Officer, Royal Enfield stated, “Our extended family of motorcycle rental and tour operators and mechanics have played a critical role in shaping our culture and mission of pure motorcycling. Alongside our efforts, the people of this extended ecosystem have built wider access and aspiration for our motorcycles.” This initiative will enable access for riders to rent a motorcycle anywhere in India. It will also enhance the level of support offered by the brand to all motorcycle rental operators who represent the backbone of Enfield ecosystem across tourist and rider destinations everywhere. * * * * Click & know more about Bikernet’s Free Weekly Newsletter

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Royal Enfield aims to roll out uniquely differentiated electric bikes: CEO

with inputs by PTI and https://economictimes.indiatimes.com Iconic motorcycle manufacturer Royal Enfield is investing for development of differentiated electric motorcycles in India, said CEO B Govindarajan. Interestingly, the company is also creating a supplier ecosystem around its Chennai-based plant, funded by a capital expenditure of INR 10 billion in the current fiscal year. Royal Enfield has commissioned a very capable team and has started commitment of very deep investments in terms of product development, product strategy and in the product testing and development area, he added. Further, the CEO noted that the company has made a strategic investment in electric Stark Future EV company and now teams from both companies are working well. “Currently, we have laid a robust long-term product and technology roadmap on electric vehicles and towards developing the supplier ecosystem – its our focus as of now,” Govindarajan noted. When asked about network expansion in the domestic market, Govindarajan said the company currently has about 2,100 retail outlets across India, a mix of studio stores and dealership outlets. * * * * * * * * * * * * Stay updated, stay ahead of the curve. Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter from Bikernet Blog for free.

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Harley-Davidson X350 showcased at Auto Shanghai 2023

* Smallest ever Harley-Davidson motorcycle * Build in association with China-based QJ Motor * Expected to be launched in India The X 350 is Harley-Davidson’s smallest motorcycle ever, developed in association with its Chinese partner, QJ Motor. After it was globally revealed a few weeks back, the X 350 has recently been showcased at the Auto Shanghai 2023 in China. The X 350 is unique yet handsome neo-retro offering with a design inspired by the iconic Harley-Davidson XR1200X. The bodywork comprises a round headlamp with a brushed aluminium bezel, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, an angular radiator cowl, and a stubby tail accommodating a single-piece seat. Underbelly exhaust instead of a side-slung unit completes its aspirational design. It is launched in three colour options – Dazzling Black, Joyful Orange, and Bright Silver. With a round semi-digital instrument cluster, a full-LED lighting system, and dual-channel ABS, it is powered by a high-revving, 353cc, inline twin-cylinder engine with liquid cooling and a six-speed gearbox. It churns out 36.2bhp and 31Nm of peak torque coming in at 7,000rpm. It gets 17-inch alloy wheels with upside-down forks and a monoshock. X 350 weighs about 180 kg and gets a 13.5 litre feul tank. In China, Harley-Davidson and QJ Motor have priced the X 350 at 33,388 CNY (approximately INR 3.94 lakh). Although it’s expected to come to Indian shores, the launch timeline is not known yet. (with inputs from Anuj Mishra from www.MSN.com ) * * * * * * * * * * * * Stay updated, stay ahead of the curve. Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter from Bikernet Blog for free.

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