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Bajaj Triumph motorcycle launch in 2022

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Bajaj and Triumph will introduce new affordable motorcycles in India and abroad under a new partnership. Bajaj Auto and Triumph Motorcycles have formally announced their new partnership to produce a range of mid-size motorcycles and platforms for the Indian and global markets. The decision was initially announced back in 2017, but the formal agreement was signed only now. The partnership will see a positive impact in either brand’s future business in India as well as abroad. The long-term partnership agreement follows a non-equity approach under which both brands retain their intellectual property rights. Beyond the operational side of the business, motorcycle enthusiasts have been eagerly looking forward to seeing what the partnership would introduce in our market in due course. Apparently, Triumph will introduce ‘big bike experience’ while Bajaj continues its expertise at making smaller-capacity motorcycles. Both brands will collaborate on the R&D of each motorcycle and platform, but manufacturing will be done solely at Bajaj’s Chakan facility for all global markets. Eventually, Bajaj will take over Triumph India and introduce the iconic British motorcycle brand to newer markets. This move will also make Triumph motorcycles much more accessible in the country and have an edge over other premium two-wheeler brands. The first-of-the-line products under the partnership will debut in the Indian market sometime in 2022. There is no news of a bigger-capacity multi-cylinder Bajaj motorcycle yet, but there’s no harm in expecting something of that sort. With the help of Bajaj, Triumph aims to penetrate further into major Asian markets that are currently dominated by the likes of Japanese motorcycles. In markets where Bajaj does not operate, Triumph Motorcycles will sell the upcoming mid-size products alongside its regular portfolio. Hence, Bajaj will open doors to a new market in major European nations where Triumph Motorcycles leads. On the other […]

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Aprilia 250 to 350cc motorcycles planned – To take on Royal Enfield

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by Abhinand Venugopal from https://www.rushlane.com/ Seeing the success of Royal Enfield in the 250-350cc segment, many motorcycle brands are planning entry with new products. Royal Enfield is arguably one of the most demanded names in the 350cc category in the Indian motorcycle market. For the same reason, many brands have come forward with their own range of compelling products to take on the Chennai-based motorcycle manufacturer. Now, the Italian automotive brand, Piaggio has revealed its plans to enter the same segment through its Aprilia sub-brand. Diego Graffi, MD of Piaggio, shares that the company has a lot of interesting in the Indian motorcycle market and sees untapped potential in the 250-350cc market. With Aprilia — the winner of multiple racing championships in the world — under its belt, Piaggio is confident that it can make a strong presence in the market, especially against the likes of Royal Enfield products. As per data, Indian two-wheeler sales have dropped by 15.74% to 1,28,64,936 units between April to November of the current fiscal year. In turn, Piaggio sales (predominantly, Aprilia and Vespa range of scooters) declined by 16.86% to 48,471 units. Out of the 7,73,855 motorcycles sold in the 250-350cc segment in the country within the same period, Royal Enfield contributed to almost 99% of the sales, at 7,64,012 units. For the same reason, it makes sense for Piaggio to introduce something that would be much more desirable than the market leader. Mr Graffi commented that this would take time, but is definitely in the plans. Royal Enfield products have a cult following in the country and some folks even see it as ‘the motorcycle’ over anything else on the market. The charm of a Royal Enfield is its classic styling that can simply overshadow its relatively poor output characteristics and chassis dynamics.

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Bajaj made Triumph motorcycles launch in 2022 – Will also be exported

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by Nithyanandh Karupp from https://www.rushlane.com Could be called Bajaj Avenger 400 / 500 upon launch in India. Over the years, Bajaj Auto has created a solid export operation which has proved to be quite useful when the domestic market undergoes a rough patch such as the ongoing one. About 40% of Bajaj Auto’s production is shipped out of the country to around 80 markets worldwide. With its partnership with British sportsbike brand Triumph, Bajaj is looking to further improve those export statistics. The Pune-based two wheeler maker had announced a non-equity partnership with Triumph Motorcycles in August 2017 and is currently in the process of finalizing the finer details of the agreement. Things should start materializing from end-2019 and we are expecting the first product to be born out of this partnership to be ready in the next 3 years. Bajaj will take the responsibility of manufacturing the products at its facility in a cost effective manner while its British partner will be in charge of engineering and development. Needless to say, the platforms developed under this partnership will spawn both Bajaj and Triumph branded motorcycles. The made-by-Bajaj Triumph compact displacement motorcycles will be exported to several markets including the US, Europe and Japan. This was revealed by Rajiv Bajaj at a recent event in Delhi. With small displacement sportsbike segment steadily gaining popularity across the world, adding Triumph to its production portfolio is expected to boost Bajaj’s already strong export operations significantly. Details regarding body styles and displacements of Bajaj-Triumph products are still under wraps but expect them cater to sub-500cc category. With the KTM Duke and RC ranges, Bajaj Auto has successfully demonstrated its capability to manufacture compact premium motorcycles that can hold their own in international markets. With well established vendor base and know-how of premium product

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Mahindra buys 100 percent stake in Peugeot Motorcycles

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by Nabanita Singha Roy from https://www.rushlane.com The brand will launch 7 products in the next two years. Mahindra Two Wheelers acquired 51% equity stake in Peugeot Motorcycles in 2015 in a bid to establish its presence in the European scooter market. In addition to investing 13 million pounds (Rs 109 crores) in purchasing the shares owned by the French automaker Groupe PSA, the Indian conglomerate invested a further 15 million pounds to empower Peugeot’s product development. Mahindra Two Wheelers Europe has announced that it will acquire complete ownership of PMTC for an undisclosed amount. Since the initial investment, Peugeot Motorcycles has been showing positive momentum. The brand’s Kisbee 50 cc moped emerged as the best selling model in its segment in Europe while the flagship Metropolis three-wheeled scooter is enjoying increasing demand in both its home market and in China. The newly launched Peugeot Urban GT maxi-scooter is also doing well in its target markets. By acquiring 100% stake in the French scooter brand, Mahindra is hoping to drive further growth in Europe and select Asian markets. The company has also announced that Peugeot will introduce seven new products by 2021. As a part of license arrangement with PMTC’s erstwhile parent company, Mahindra will continue to use the Peugeot branding on scooters. The Peugeot design team will continue to be involved in designing of the two wheelers. With European countries looking at ways to decongest the city centers, more and more urban commuters are expected to switch to two wheelers. Fresh investment in Peugeot Motorcycles at this point of time is expected to help the brand increase its market share in Europe and expand into new markets. Having complete control on the operations would help Mahindra Two Wheelers take strategic decisions without any opposition. For example, the company could decide

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UM halts India operations

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The American bike maker has halted production at its Kashipur plant in Uttarakhand and the joint venture with Lohia Auto looks to be strained. Following reports of several UM motorcycle showrooms shutting down in India, it is learnt that American bike maker United Motors has stopped its operations in India and that the joint venture with Lohia Auto looks to be strained. With this, it joins the list of automakers to exit India which includes General Motors and MAN Truck & Bus AG. The last UM product launched was the Renegade Commando Classic, priced at Rs 1.89 lakh in September 2017. The long-drawn slowdown in the two-wheeler industry seems to have hit the company hard and production at its Kashipur plant in Uttarakhand seems to have stopped. Understandably, UM motorcycle dealers of are getting furtive, given that there are no new product launches expected any time soon. Also, it appears that UM is facing a financial crisis globally and reports say that the company has shut its operations in China. In an interaction with our sister publication, Autocar Professional, Ayush Lohia, CEO, Lohia Auto Industries, explained, “Our JV with UM Motorcycles was of a 50:50 nature. UM Motorcycles is currently not able to invest any money in India and thus the Kashipur plant in Uttarakhand is not manufacturing any of the UM motorcycles.” UM motorcycles were built with 40 percent localised parts and 60 percent imported bits. While most of the local suppliers are based in North India, the imported parts were being sourced from Indonesia, Thailand and a few other countries. Ayush Lohia confirmed that all the supplies for the last UM motorcycles produced have been paid for and no new parts are to arrive at the plant. However, Lohia says not all hope is lost in the JV

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Cleveland motorcycles shutdown India operations

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by Satya from https://www.rushlane.com Cleveland is the 2nd American motorcycle brand, after UM, to leave India in recent time. Amidst persistent downturn in auto sector and a slowing economy, Cleveland Cyclewerks has discontinued India operations. While an official confirmation is yet to be provided, a report from Express Drives said that the company’s assembly plant in Pune has not been operational for last eight months. Several factors seem to be responsible for Cleveland Cyclewerks’ exit from Indian market. Primary among them include the relatively high cost of its motorcycles and the company’s inability to comply with new safety norms such as mandatory ABS. The company was also not able to deal with negative perceptions related to its use of Chinese parts. Unlike other brands in this segment such as Royal Enfield, which have a rich history dating back to several decades, Cleveland Cyclewerks was a relatively unknown brand in the Indian market. The company was launched in 2009 in United States and its business model is quite simple. Most of its motorcycles use chassis from other motorcycle makers and low cost components from Taiwan and China. The choice of engine is usually Honda. Cleveland Cyclewerks had made its debut in India at 2018 Auto Expo and had subsequently launched two motorcycles, Ace and Misfit. While Ace was positioned as a retro-modern scrambler, Misfit derived inspiration from a cafe racer. Both these bikes were imported in India as CKDs and assembled at the company’s facility in Pune. Both bikes utilized a 229 cc, air-cooled engine that generated max power of 15.4 hp and max torque of 16 Nm. This was less than even lower capacity motorcycles. Ace and Misfit were launched at a starting price of 2.23 lakh. This is more expensive than Royal Enfield Classic 350, their main rival. These

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Royal Enfield enters South Korea

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The iconic British motorcycle manufacturer arrives in Korea with its first flagship store, commencing its full operation, including after sales, spares and service. Cult motorcycle maker, Royal Enfield on Friday has announced its entry into South Korea, with Vintage Motors (Kiheung International) as its official distributor-partner in the country. The iconic British motorcycle manufacturer arrives in Korea with its first flagship store, commencing its full operation, including after sales, spares and service, the company said in a statement. Vimal Sumbly, APAC Business Head, said, “Our focus is to sustain and expand our reach in International markets especially in Asia pacific region. Royal Enfield has seen consistent growth in the APAC region with a 20% year-on-year growth. Korea is an important chapter in the growth story and we are thrilled to commence business here. We fully committed to focus all our energies on becoming part of the fabric of this country’s rich motorcycling culture.” This strategic announcement is in line with Royal Enfield’s focused international thrust of leading and expanding the global mid-sized motorcycle segment (250-750cc). Pablo Lee Jr, CEO, Kiheung Motors said, “Royal Enfield motorcycles will offer Korean two wheeler riders an opportunity to upgrade to a robust long-distance, leisure riding culture with its modern-classics machines, that are brilliant for long rides on the highway at the same time perfect to commute in heavy traffic in the city”. Royal Enfield enters South Korea, with line-up of three of its widely popular models featuring single-cylinder engines currently up to 500 cc: Bullet (500cc), Classic (500c), and Himalayan (410cc).

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Triumph recalls 1,000 motorcycles in India for minor upgrades

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Affected model include Headstock Tidy, Street Scrambler, Street Twin, Bonneville T100 and Bonneville T120. NEW DELHI: British motorcycle manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles Ltd has announced a recall of certain models, affecting around 1,000 motorcycles in India. Affected model include Headstock Tidy, Street Scrambler, Street Twin, Bonneville T100 and Bonneville T120. Changes and upgrades in indicator, main beam malfunction and a possible loss of engine power caused by the clutch cable contacting the main harness, resulting in damage to the wiring within the main harness will be carried out. “Any concerned customers are asked in the first instance to contact their local Triumph Dealer as soon as possible, who will be able to carry out all necessary work as required at no cost to the owner,” the company said in a statement.

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Harley-Davidson looks to consolidate position in big bike segment in India

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Last year, Harley-Davidson had reported sale of over 3,000 units in the country. New Delhi: American cult bike manufacturer Harley-Davidson Thursday said it aims to further consolidate its position in the over 1,600-cc segment in India, which it currently dominates with over 90 per cent market share. Economic Times Article: https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/two-wheelers/motorcycles/harley-looks-to-consolidate-position-in-big-bike-segment-in-india/68414005 The company launched its 1200-cc model Forty-Eight Special in India priced at Rs 10.98 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi) here. It currently has four models in its big bike (over 1,600-cc) portfolio in the country. “We definitely will be consolidating in the big bike segment,” Harley-Davidson India Managing Director Sajeev Rajasekharan told . Sales in the 1,600-cc plus bike segment in India currently stands at over 600 units annually. Rajasekharan said last few years have witnessed consistent growth in terms of big bikes; and the company has been able to maintain its leadership position. “We expect the market to grow from this year as the trends have been positive. More models are there and road infrastructure has been improving. There is more awareness and all these factors will trigger further growth in the market,” he added. Last year, Harley-Davidson had reported sale of over 3,000 units in the country. The company’s bikes are priced between Rs 5.33 lakh (Street 750) and Rs 50.53 lakh (CVO Limited). When asked about the time-frame for introducing small capacity bikes in India, Rajasekharan said there is “not much to share on that”. Last year, Harley-Davidson had announced plans to develop a 200-500 cc motorcycle through a strategic alliance in Asia which will be used to primarily fuel its growth in India. On introducing its Livewire electric bike, he said, “We would launch it in the US and Europe; and when infrastructure is ready, Harley would look at spreading out to other markets as well.” He

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Jawa and Jawa Forty Two deliveries to begin fourth week of March

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Classic Legends reintroduced Jawa Motorcycles in India on November 15, 2018, with three new models — Jawa, Jawa Forty Two and Jawa Perak. Both Jawa and Jawa Forty Two get the same 293 cc, liquid cooled, single cylinder, DOHC engine. The two models have been designed and developed from scratch. Jawa Perak is powered by a 334 cc, liquid cooled, single cylinder, DOHC engine. Jawa Motorcycles will begin the deliveries of its two new models — Jawa and Jawa Forty Two — from the fourth week of March. While Jawa is priced at Rs 1.64 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), Jawa Forty Two is available for Rs 1.55 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi). Mahindra & Mahindra’s subsidiary Classic Legends reintroduced Jawa Motorcycles in India on November 15, 2018, with three new models — Jawa, Jawa Forty Two and Jawa Perak. The online bookings for Jawa and Jawa Forty Two had commenced on the same day and closed on the midnight of December 25, 2018. With regard to Jawa Perak, which is priced at Rs 1.89 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi), it was announced that the bookings will open at a subsequent date. Now, Classic Legends’ co-founder Anupam Thareja has said that the deliveries for Jawa and Jawa Forty Two across the country will start from fourth week of March as per the booking queue. By third week of the month, there will also be 100 Jawa Motorcycles showrooms in the country. The moment of truth is here for #JawaMotorcycles. We were audacious and planned a 100 showrooms nationwide before starting delivery – that’s being done in record time by March 3rd week. Fourth week onwards, we will start delivery across the country as per the booking queue! – Anupam Thareja (@reach_anupam) March 12, 2019 Both Jawa and Jawa Forty Two get the same 293 cc, liquid

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