The Economic Times, 27.05.10
Bajaj Auto's latest offering,the new Discover 150 DTSi claims to have mastered the art of balancing mileage and performance,which are two determining factors in the entry-level 150cc segment.Varad More brings you the first impressions of this power-commuter !
Last year Bajaj Auto hit the high note with its Discover 100 DTS-Si entrylevel motorcycle,which not only raked in solid sales figures but also helped the company in further establishing the Discover brand across the country.In order to capitalize on the on-going momentum of the Discover brand,Bajaj Auto has launched the new bigger Discover 150 DTSi staying in tune with the value-for-money aspect of the brand with a corresponding price benefit.This latest entrant from Bajaj Auto is not only lavishly feature-packed but it also offers a fine mix of fuel economy and performance to go along with its power-commuter image.
Styling on the biggest Discover is in-line with its smaller siblings - the allblack engine and frame coupled with identical body panels and the same-old bikini fairing upfront.The graphics on the tank and body panels are revised making the bike look more contemporary as well as giving it a slightly more robust look.Apart from these,Bajaj Auto has not tampered with the exteriors of the Discover 150 DTSi in order to stay committed to the Discover design genome.
There is a lot more to the new Discover 150 DTSi than just mere sticker jobs.The potency of the bike lies with its increased engine capacity as well as improved handling dynamics thanks to its longer wheelbase and wider rear tyre that gives it the sure-footedness often kept limited to premium motorcycles.These handling benefits make for a much planted feel and comfortable riding experience,especially for commuters who have considerable distances to clock on daily basis.The saddle is comfy,large and wide for long hauls while the overall riding position is suitable for riders of different physiques.Add to that the light front-end and raised handlebars,and it makes the Discover a breeze to put through tight spots on our crowded city streets.
This flickable nature of the Discover 150 can be largely attributed to its lightweight structure tipping the scales at just 121kg! Instead of using components from the sixyear old Discover family,the R&D team at Bajaj Auto decided to employ the more modern as well as lighter frame and engine from the now-discontinued XCD range.The 144.8cc motor is packaged inside a lighter engine bay has been taken from the XCD 135 that gives it a solid weight advantage,improving its overall efficiency.The Discover 150 has all the credentials that one would need to convince even the most aware buyer to turn his back over its rival heavyweights (pun intended!)
In its latest avatar with bumped up displacement,the engine produces 13PS of power at 7,500rpm and 12.75Nm of torque available low down from 5,500rpm.Power is transferred to the rear wheel via a 5-speed transmission with an alldown shift pattern that has very smooth and precise shifts.The lightweight single downtube cradle frame is assisted by a 130mm telescopic suspension upfront and twin gas-charged Nitrox hydraulic suspensions on the rear.
Available at hand from low down the rev-range,the power delivery is creamy smooth and precise.Rideability is a forte of the new Discover 150 DTSi as it does an exceptional job of running around the city at 30km/h slotted in 5th gear.Thanks to the urgent power delivery and wellconfigured gear ratios,the bike lurches forward with efficiency that is crucial for swift overtakes in the city traffic.The 12.75Nm of torque is also extremely helpful when carrying a pillion and it actually requires lesser dancing on the gear lever in order to keep the power handy.
Available as standard fitment,the front disc brake has superb bite and provides accurate feedback making it extremely easy and comforting to bring the Discover 150 DTSi to a halt swiftly without upsetting the motorcycle.Talking about standard fitments,Bajaj Auto has once again beaten its competition by offering supreme bang-forthe-buck on the Discover 150 DTSi with standard features such as an electric starter,alloy wheels,autochoke,maintenance-free battery and LED tail-lights at an affordable price-point.With an unbelievably attractive price tag of Rs.46,000 (ex-showroom,Delhi),the Discover 150 DTSi is cheaper than most 125cc motorcycles available in the country today but offers much better equipment and superior overall performance.If you dont believe it,all you have to do is throw a glance at the comparison chart!
HMSI to invest Rs 500 crore
Business Standard, 26.05.10
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), a part of Japanese automaker Honda Motor, said it will infuse Rs 500 crore into its second two-wheeler manufacturing unit coming up at Alwar, Rajasthan, in a year's time.
"The second plant will have a capacity of 6 lakh units per annum and will be operational by the second half of 2011," HMSI President and CEO Shinji Aoyama told reporters here.
The second plant will cater to the growing demand for two-wheelers.
Production at the company's existing plant at Manesar, in Haryana, will be ramped up to close to 15 lakh units by the end of this fiscal.
HMSI said sales of its motorcycles will overtake its scooter sales in the country in the next fiscal, as there is strong demand for them.
The company, which sold 12.7 lakh two-wheelers in 2009-10, expects to sell over 15 lakh units in the current fiscal, of which 50 per cent are likely to be bikes.
The company said it will be launching its 'VFR 1200' motorcycle in the country soon. The bike, which falls in the imported fun segment, will be priced even higher than its CB 1000RR model, which costs Rs 12.5 lakh.
HMSI regional manager A K Vaish said the company has so far sold 100 high-end fun bikes in India.
On HMSI's export plans, Aoyama said, "In the last fiscal, we sold about 80,000 units in the overseas markets and this fiscal, we are targeting 1.10 lakh units."
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), a part of Japanese automaker Honda Motor, said it will infuse Rs 500 crore into its second two-wheeler manufacturing unit coming up at Alwar, Rajasthan, in a year's time.
"The second plant will have a capacity of 6 lakh units per annum and will be operational by the second half of 2011," HMSI President and CEO Shinji Aoyama told reporters here.
The second plant will cater to the growing demand for two-wheelers.
Production at the company's existing plant at Manesar, in Haryana, will be ramped up to close to 15 lakh units by the end of this fiscal.
HMSI said sales of its motorcycles will overtake its scooter sales in the country in the next fiscal, as there is strong demand for them.
The company, which sold 12.7 lakh two-wheelers in 2009-10, expects to sell over 15 lakh units in the current fiscal, of which 50 per cent are likely to be bikes.
The company said it will be launching its 'VFR 1200' motorcycle in the country soon. The bike, which falls in the imported fun segment, will be priced even higher than its CB 1000RR model, which costs Rs 12.5 lakh.
HMSI regional manager A K Vaish said the company has so far sold 100 high-end fun bikes in India.
On HMSI's export plans, Aoyama said, "In the last fiscal, we sold about 80,000 units in the overseas markets and this fiscal, we are targeting 1.10 lakh units."
TVS Racing aims high
The Hindu, 26.05.10
BANGALORE: TVS Racing, which is now celebrating its silver jubilee, aims to sweep all titles this season, said Mr. Arvind Pangaonkar, General Manager, Research and Development wing of TVS Motors, at a media meet here on Wednesday.
It has indeed been a chequered journey for Team TVS Racing since it made its bow on the two-wheeler racing scene two decades ago, with its newly developed 50cc engine mopeds (TVS 50). It knocked down the dominant Suvega from the perch and since then has gone from strength to strength, winning a series of titles in the motocross, supercross, hill climb, rally and drag events with newer and faster bikes such as Supra, Shogun, Fiero Apache and Apache RTR.
Every top rider in the country of the past including Shyam Kothari, Ashok Raja, Ravi Thirumale, Thirumala Roy, Jagat and Anita Nanjappa and present top riders like C.S. Santosh, Pramod Joshua, P. Karthik and Harry Sylvester, have contributed immensely to the team's success.
“Our team's strength doesn't rely on talent alone, we constantly improvise with our R & D, and making our bikes better and better”, said Pangaonkar.
TVS Racing will participate in all major events in the country this season, which starts with MRF National supercross event at Bangalore on May 30.
BANGALORE: TVS Racing, which is now celebrating its silver jubilee, aims to sweep all titles this season, said Mr. Arvind Pangaonkar, General Manager, Research and Development wing of TVS Motors, at a media meet here on Wednesday.
It has indeed been a chequered journey for Team TVS Racing since it made its bow on the two-wheeler racing scene two decades ago, with its newly developed 50cc engine mopeds (TVS 50). It knocked down the dominant Suvega from the perch and since then has gone from strength to strength, winning a series of titles in the motocross, supercross, hill climb, rally and drag events with newer and faster bikes such as Supra, Shogun, Fiero Apache and Apache RTR.
Every top rider in the country of the past including Shyam Kothari, Ashok Raja, Ravi Thirumale, Thirumala Roy, Jagat and Anita Nanjappa and present top riders like C.S. Santosh, Pramod Joshua, P. Karthik and Harry Sylvester, have contributed immensely to the team's success.
“Our team's strength doesn't rely on talent alone, we constantly improvise with our R & D, and making our bikes better and better”, said Pangaonkar.
TVS Racing will participate in all major events in the country this season, which starts with MRF National supercross event at Bangalore on May 30.
Bajaj eyes 50% growth in FY11
Deccan Chronicle, 26.05.10
Bajaj Auto aims to touch a monthly sale of three lakh motorcycles starting May and hopes to increase its sales by 50 per cent this fiscal.
"We are looking at 50 per cent growth. Last year, the average sales were 2.09 lakh per month. From May our average monthly sales will be three lakh units as we have already crossed 2.85 lakh bikes in April," Bajaj Auto CEO (two wheeler) S Sridhar told reporters here.
The company is looking forward to sell premium Austrian KTM bikes in India from 2011-12.
In the Q4 period of 2009-10, the market share of Bajaj increased to 27 per cent from 17 per cent in the corresponding period, Sridhar said.
Talking about the Bajaj-KTM project, Sridhar said the bikes, which would have a minimum price of Rs one lakh, would be launched in 2011-12 after Europe.
In India it would be sold only under the KTM brand through Probiking outlets, Sridhar said.
Bajaj holds close to 36 per cent in KTM Power Sports AG.
The motorcycle industry has been registering a healthy growth of 15 per cent, which is 80 per cent of the two-wheeler market.
Bajaj Auto aims to touch a monthly sale of three lakh motorcycles starting May and hopes to increase its sales by 50 per cent this fiscal.
"We are looking at 50 per cent growth. Last year, the average sales were 2.09 lakh per month. From May our average monthly sales will be three lakh units as we have already crossed 2.85 lakh bikes in April," Bajaj Auto CEO (two wheeler) S Sridhar told reporters here.
The company is looking forward to sell premium Austrian KTM bikes in India from 2011-12.
In the Q4 period of 2009-10, the market share of Bajaj increased to 27 per cent from 17 per cent in the corresponding period, Sridhar said.
Talking about the Bajaj-KTM project, Sridhar said the bikes, which would have a minimum price of Rs one lakh, would be launched in 2011-12 after Europe.
In India it would be sold only under the KTM brand through Probiking outlets, Sridhar said.
Bajaj holds close to 36 per cent in KTM Power Sports AG.
The motorcycle industry has been registering a healthy growth of 15 per cent, which is 80 per cent of the two-wheeler market.
Bajaj Auto sees no cost threat
Business Standard, 26.05.10
The country's second largest bike-maker Bajaj Auto today said that the rise in input costs, for commodities such as steel and rubber, was unlikely to eat into the profit margins of the firm due to a shift in consumer preference towards more expensive offerings.
Bajaj While claiming that the two-wheeler major was cushioned against dramatic price fluctuations through standard half-yearly contracts for major input requirements, S Sridhar, Bajaj Auto Chief Executive Officer (2-Wheelers) explained that the majority of sales were taking place in the mid-priced section.
"Unlike last year, when the size of the entry-level market was larger, this fiscal consumers have been shifting towards the higher (priced) category. As a result, the margins are better. We have been able to benefit from our portfolio," Sridhar said.
The country's second largest bike-maker Bajaj Auto today said that the rise in input costs, for commodities such as steel and rubber, was unlikely to eat into the profit margins of the firm due to a shift in consumer preference towards more expensive offerings.
Bajaj While claiming that the two-wheeler major was cushioned against dramatic price fluctuations through standard half-yearly contracts for major input requirements, S Sridhar, Bajaj Auto Chief Executive Officer (2-Wheelers) explained that the majority of sales were taking place in the mid-priced section.
"Unlike last year, when the size of the entry-level market was larger, this fiscal consumers have been shifting towards the higher (priced) category. As a result, the margins are better. We have been able to benefit from our portfolio," Sridhar said.
BS-III-compliant Splendor+ likely to cost more
Business Standard, 25.05.10
With the final notification on new emission norms coming in two months late, Hero Honda Motors India is finally upgrading its largest selling model, the Splendor+, to make it BS-III compliant and thereby, eligible for sales in top 13 cities. However, the new Splendor+ will come with a higher price tag.
“We welcome the final notification on implementation of BS-III emission norms for two-wheelers by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, as the industry had been waiting for clarity on the subject from the government. We had started production of BS-III-compliant Splendor+ even before the final notification came, and BS-III-compliant-Splendor+ is being made available in all the 13 cities with immediate effect,” a spokesperson at Hero Honda Motor India said.
While the company refused to share the revised prices, it is estimated that the new Splendor+ will be dearer by Rs 500-1,000.
Hero Honda sells more than one million Splendor+ a year, 25 per cent of its total annual sales. The brand also accounts for 13 per cent of total motorcycles sold in the country.
Some Hero Honda dealers across 13 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, have stopped selling Splendor+ since April 1, as the road transport authorities refused registration of BS-II-compliant Splendor+ due to lack of clarity on the implementation of BS-III emission norms for two-wheelers, resulting in huge revenue loss.
“There is no communication from the company on the upgraded Splendor+. Since the transport authority in Delhi refused to register earlier Splendor+, with effect from April 1, we have suffered a loss in sales of nearly 150-200 bikes a month,” a Delhi-based dealer of Hero Honda Motor India said.
Assuming an average sale of 150 units of Splendor+ at an average price of Rs 40,000 a month, the 100 dealers of Hero Honda across 13 cities lost around Rs 120 crore in April and May.
In fact, to minimise the impact, dealers in cities like Kanpur and Agra, where the transport authorities registered some vehicles even after April 1, are now pitching for Splendor NXG and Passion Pro. “Since the RTO is not registering the older Splendor+ anymore, Passion Pro is gradually taking its space because customers are not willing to wait indefinitely for upgraded Splendor+,” a dealer in Kanpur added.
With the final notification on new emission norms coming in two months late, Hero Honda Motors India is finally upgrading its largest selling model, the Splendor+, to make it BS-III compliant and thereby, eligible for sales in top 13 cities. However, the new Splendor+ will come with a higher price tag.
“We welcome the final notification on implementation of BS-III emission norms for two-wheelers by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, as the industry had been waiting for clarity on the subject from the government. We had started production of BS-III-compliant Splendor+ even before the final notification came, and BS-III-compliant-Splendor+ is being made available in all the 13 cities with immediate effect,” a spokesperson at Hero Honda Motor India said.
While the company refused to share the revised prices, it is estimated that the new Splendor+ will be dearer by Rs 500-1,000.
Hero Honda sells more than one million Splendor+ a year, 25 per cent of its total annual sales. The brand also accounts for 13 per cent of total motorcycles sold in the country.
Some Hero Honda dealers across 13 cities, including Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai, have stopped selling Splendor+ since April 1, as the road transport authorities refused registration of BS-II-compliant Splendor+ due to lack of clarity on the implementation of BS-III emission norms for two-wheelers, resulting in huge revenue loss.
“There is no communication from the company on the upgraded Splendor+. Since the transport authority in Delhi refused to register earlier Splendor+, with effect from April 1, we have suffered a loss in sales of nearly 150-200 bikes a month,” a Delhi-based dealer of Hero Honda Motor India said.
Assuming an average sale of 150 units of Splendor+ at an average price of Rs 40,000 a month, the 100 dealers of Hero Honda across 13 cities lost around Rs 120 crore in April and May.
In fact, to minimise the impact, dealers in cities like Kanpur and Agra, where the transport authorities registered some vehicles even after April 1, are now pitching for Splendor NXG and Passion Pro. “Since the RTO is not registering the older Splendor+ anymore, Passion Pro is gradually taking its space because customers are not willing to wait indefinitely for upgraded Splendor+,” a dealer in Kanpur added.
From June 1, tax up, vehicles costlier
From June 1, tax up, vehicles costlier
Indian Express, 25.05.10
Prepare to pay more for owning a car in Delhi from June 1.
The Delhi Cabinet on Monday decided to raise the registration fee (or road tax) on luxury cars and two-wheelers. The decision comes at a time when the government is mulling a congestion fee and charging citizens who own more than two cars, to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in the Capital.
According to the revised road tax rates, the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit held that two-wheelers that cost up to Rs 25,000 will be charged the existing two per cent but two-wheelers that cost above Rs 25,000 will now attract four per cent tax. The rate for cars priced up to Rs 6 lakh has been doubled to four per cent, while it has gone up to seven percent for those that cost between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.
Retaining the tax structure for public utility vehicles like auto-rickshaws and taxis, officials said the increase for non-luxury cars and two-wheelers is minimal.
“This is meant to discourage the use of private vehicles in the city,” Dikshit said.
With neighbouring states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh charging taxes between one per cent and three per cent, Transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said the government has increased the taxes after taking the existing rates into account.
“One cannot get a car registered from another state unless one is a bona fide resident of that state. Residents will have to bypass the law to register a car from another state,” Lovely said.
Indian Express, 25.05.10
Prepare to pay more for owning a car in Delhi from June 1.
The Delhi Cabinet on Monday decided to raise the registration fee (or road tax) on luxury cars and two-wheelers. The decision comes at a time when the government is mulling a congestion fee and charging citizens who own more than two cars, to help reduce traffic congestion and air pollution in the Capital.
According to the revised road tax rates, the Cabinet headed by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit held that two-wheelers that cost up to Rs 25,000 will be charged the existing two per cent but two-wheelers that cost above Rs 25,000 will now attract four per cent tax. The rate for cars priced up to Rs 6 lakh has been doubled to four per cent, while it has gone up to seven percent for those that cost between Rs 6 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.
Retaining the tax structure for public utility vehicles like auto-rickshaws and taxis, officials said the increase for non-luxury cars and two-wheelers is minimal.
“This is meant to discourage the use of private vehicles in the city,” Dikshit said.
With neighbouring states like Haryana and Uttar Pradesh charging taxes between one per cent and three per cent, Transport minister Arvinder Singh Lovely said the government has increased the taxes after taking the existing rates into account.
“One cannot get a car registered from another state unless one is a bona fide resident of that state. Residents will have to bypass the law to register a car from another state,” Lovely said.