Hero MotoSports Team Rally has signed Argentine Franco Caimi as its fourth rider.

In 2004, Franco became the youngest rider in enduro history to win a gold medal at the age of 16. He has won two Latin American championships, three national championships each in Argentina and Chile and six gold medals at the gruelling International Six Days Enduro.  

At the prestigious Dakar Rally, Franco won the Rookie of the Year title once in 2017 with an eighth-place finish and obtained the same result again – at the 2020 season.

Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the team is set to commence its Road to Dakar 2022 with the upcoming Andalucia Rally scheduled from May 11-16, 2021 at Villamartin, Spain. This will also be the first outing for Franco in Hero MotoSports colours.

Hero kicked off 2021 with an impressive performance at the Dakar Rally with two of its riders – Joaquim Rodrigues and Sebastian Buhler – posting their best-ever Dakar standings finishing at the 11th and 14th positions respectively.

The team’s campaign in 2020 was disrupted by the Covid-19 enforced restrictions; however, as motorsports activities gradually resumed across the globe, they had two very productive outings in the Andalucia Rally and the BAJA Portalegre, winning the latter, with Sebastian Buhler and Joaquim Rodrigues securing the 1st and the 2nd place respectively. With this win, Sebastian was crowned the winner of the FIM BAJA World Cup, giving Hero MotoSports Team Rally their first BAJA World Cup win. 

Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “We are excited to kick off the Road to Dakar 2022 campaign with a strong addition to our team. Within a short span of time, Hero MotoSports Team Rally has created a differentiated position for itself and we are glad to appeal to talented riders like Franco. It is definitely a big boost for us. Currently, we are prepping up for the Andalucia Rally and are extremely excited to have Franco represent the Team. We wish him good luck for a successful journey with Hero Motosports Team Rally.”  

Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “It's an honour for me to be associated with Hero MotoCorp, which has a rich heritage and has achieved great significance in the rally sport. I am extremely thrilled to join the team and thank them for bestowing their faith in my abilities. The team has been delivering impressive performance over the years and I look forward to riding alongside some of the best and promising riders in the sport.” (MT)

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Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has introduced a vibrant new dual-tone colour for its sporty 125cc scooter – Suzuki Avenis.

The scooter is now available in new Metallic Matte Platinum Silver No. 2 / Glass Sparkle Black colour, in addition to the existing Glossy Sparkle Black / Pearl Glacier White, Glossy Sparkle Black / Pearl Mira Red, and Glossy Sparkle Black.

Mechanically unchanged, the Suzuki Avenis continues to be powered by a BS6 OBD-2B-compliant 124.3cc, all aluminium, 4-stroke, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine that is BS6 OBD-2B compliant, which produces 8.7 PS @ 6,750 rpm and 10 Nm @ 5,500 rpm.

It is equipped with Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) technology for a balance of performance and fuel efficiency. The scooter comes with front box with USB socket, external hinge-type fuel cap, long and comfortable and sporty step seat and 21.8L large under-seat storage. Further, the Avenis features a telescopic front suspension, Combined Brake System, large 12-inch front tyre and a side stand interlock system.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “At Suzuki Motorcycle India, we focus on offering products that reflect the evolving preferences of riders. The new colour on the Avenis adds a bold twist to its sporty personality and gives our young customers another exciting way to express their style on the streets. With this addition, we continue to enhance the appeal of Avenis while keeping the excitement alive.”

The Suzuki Avenis is priced at INR 91,400 for the Standard Edition, while the Ride Connect Edition is priced at INR 93,200 (both ex-showroom Delhi).

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Bengaluru-based electric vehicle company Ather Energy has reported a strong start to the FY2026 with an increase in sales and market share. The company sold 46,078 units in the first quarter, a 97 percent YoY increase, which was accompanied by an 83 percent rise in total income to INR 6.72 billion.

The company's financial performance showed improvements in margins, with Adjusted Gross Margin increasing by 117 percent YoY. The EBITDA margin improved to -16 percent, narrowing losses to INR 1.06 billion, while losses after tax for the quarter were INR 1.78 billion.

Ather Energy's market share grew to 14.3 percent nationally, up from 7.6 percent in the same quarter of the previous year. The company maintained its leading position in South India with a 22.8 percent market share and expanded its presence in Middle India, where its share grew to 10.7 percent.

The company attributed the growth to demand for the Ather Rizta model and the expansion of its retail footprint, which saw the addition of 95 new Experience Centres during the quarter. This brings the total number of centres to 446. Ather also continued to invest in its charging network, which now has 4,032 points across India, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Tarun Mehta, Executive Director and CEO, Ather Energy, said, “We have had a phenomenal start to this financial year, led by Rizta’s success and a strong expansion of our retail footprint. We were No.1 by market share in South India this quarter and are now scaling up quickly across Middle India, which has ramped up faster than expected. Over the next quarters, there will be a larger footprint expansion in the Northern markets. This quarter saw significant growth in our margins, demonstrating our strong focus on profitability. Even as we expand pan-India, our ASP has held steady, and our market share continues to grow.”

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TVS Motor Company, a leading manufacturer of two-wheeler and three-wheeler has launched a new design platform – TVS Indus Design Honours.

The platform aims to nurture design talent and promote innovation, which focusses on meaningful, inclusive and supports India’s diverse landscapes, lifestyles and people.

The company shared that the term ‘Indus’ draws from the Indus Valley Civilisation, one of the world’s earliest and most advanced societies. TVS Motor aims to blend India’s rich design heritage with a progressive, forward-looking mindset

Amit Rajwade, Vice-President – Design, TVS Motor Company, said, “Design is the bridge between imagination and impact. With TVS Indus Design Honours, we are creating a platform where the next generation of designers, thinkers and creators can reimagine Indian mobility as an original, culturally rooted expression of who we are and where we’re headed. This initiative reflects TVS Motor’s commitment to design-led innovation and sustainable mobility. This platform intends to promote Design among the Indian youth and nurture talent from both design and non-design backgrounds to help shape not just how we move but ignite the global conversation on the future of mobility.” 

The platform is open to all Indian residents including students, young professionals and design enthusiasts.

The challenge for the 2025 edition is theme-based, drawing inspiration from four distinctive regions — Thar, Sahyadri, Kutch and Mumbai.

Interested individuals can submit their entries that propose mobility concepts spanning monowheel, two-wheeler and three-wheeler formats, while incorporating environmental, social and cultural relevance. The challenge officially opens for registrations today, with the deadline for submissions set for 6 October 2025.

The entries will be evaluated by an expert jury comprising leading names from the world of design and mobility. The entries will be judged on originality, contextual relevance, user-centricity and feasibility. The top three winners will receive cash prizes up to INR 500,000, with additional recognition through a Viewers’ Choice award and opportunities for internship consideration with the TVSM Design Team.

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, has inaugurated its premium motorcycle sales and service outlet the Honda BigWing Ring Road, in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

The new facility will cater exclusively to Honda’s premium motorcycle buyers. The company’s premium portfolio is led by BigWing Topline, which covers the entire premium motorcycle range (200cc – 1800cc) in top metros, and BigWing, exclusively for the mid-size motorcycle segment (200cc – 750cc) in other cities. Its range of motorcycles include the Hornet 2.0, NX200, CB350, H’ness CB350, CB350RS, CB300F, CB300R, Rebel 500, NX500, CB650R, CBR650R, XL750 Transalp, Hornet 750,  X-ADV, Hornet 1000 SP and the flagship Gold Wing Tour.

With this the company now has over 150 BigWing touchpoints across India. The new BigWing dealership features a black and white monochromatic theme.

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