Bajaj Auto to step on the gas from October

Bajaj Auto will ramp up production of its Pulsar and Discover bikes over the next quarter before going flat out from October. “This is the period when we will see the big burst in volumes happening, and at a completely different performance level,” Mr Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, told Business Line. Despatches of the new Pulsar 200NS and Discover 125 ST (sports tourer) have just begun and the company expects the momentum to accelerate in the coming months. TARGETED PRODUCTION For the current fiscal, Bajaj Auto has targeted production of five million bikes and commercial vehicles from its three facilities. The Pulsar and Discover range, which includes the two new tech-loaded siblings, will account for a lion’s share of these numbers. Both bike brands have been a critical part of the brand-led growth strategy and played a key part in the Bajaj Auto revival story since 2009. They are now expected to take the story forward thanks to a “stronger tailwind” which was not quite present three years ago. “Our motto is simple: if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it. The Pulsar 200NS and Discover 125 ST are all-new bikes with the best in technology, but there will be no change in the brand strategy,” Mr Bajaj said. The Pulsar, though, remains the core of this business model. Launched in 2001, it has seen a host of different versions since right up to the present 200NS. It was the trailblazer in the sports segment where it continues to be the market leader. It was from the Pulsar that the Discover was born in 2004 as the commuter alternative. According to Mr Bajaj, the Pulsar is akin to “the sun in the Bajaj Auto galaxy” and the pivot to the overall strategy which now includes KTM. “The Discover is the commuting version and the best bet for those aspiring to own a Pulsar,” he said. Yet, it took a failure like the XCD to recognise the potential of the Discover and position it as the flagship brand in the commuter segment. From the days of 20,000 units per month, its numbers have grown six times as much. Going forward, the company believes Discover volumes can exceed 200,000 units each month over a period of time. According to Mr Bajaj, there will be no change from the focus on motorcycles even while the gearless scooter business is growing rapidly and attracting more participants in the process. “I don’t see anybody who competes the way we do. In the world of generalists, we are the specialists and intend to stay that way,” he said.