The Karnataka High Court’s Division Bench has ruled in favour of Boman Irani, Co-Founder of Classic Legends, confirming his rights over the trademark ‘Yezdi’.

The ruling overturns a previous Single Judge order and marks a victory for Classic Legends, makers of Yezdi, Jawa and BSA motorcycles, and a Mahindra Group company.

The Court observed that the registrations for the brand ‘Yezdi’ obtained by Irani are valid and comply with the Trade Marks Act. The ruling confirmed that Ideal Jawa’s prolonged non-use and failure to renew trademark registrations amounted to abandonment. Ideal Jawa had stopped production in 1996 and was liquidated in 2001, failing to renew the trademark registrations for over 15 years.

In contrast, the Court noted that Irani worked on reviving the brand and lawfully acquired the requisite trademark registrations in 2013-14. He co-founded Classic Legends in 2015 with Anupam Thareja and the Mahindra Group.

Boman Irani, Co-Founder of Classic Legends and Chairman and MD of Rustomjee Group, said, “The verdict feels much more momentous than a fateful personal victory for my family’s legacy. It reaffirms that the perseverance in keeping heritage brands alive never goes unrewarded. The honourable court and judges have supported our efforts to renew Yezdi through innovation and lawful means. I know my father would have wanted me to blaze a trail with brand Yezdi, which has been a part of me since my childhood, and I thank the Indian judicial system for recognising our efforts in carrying forward the legacy for future generations.”

Anand Mahindra, Chairman, Mahindra Group, said, “The honourable Karnataka High Court judges have brought their astute understanding to a case which will redefine India’s IPR legal disputes. It will discourage unwarranted and unfair hurdles to trademark ownership. The verdict proves that sincere efforts to keep alive legacy brands are worth pursuing and vindicates the winning spirit that Boman and Anupam bring to Classic Legends’ mission of reviving Yezdi.”

Anupam Thareja, Co-Founder, Classic Legends, said, “We have honoured Yezdi’s true challenger spirit in reviving the storied brand. We had complete faith in the Indian judicial system, and our trust stands vindicated as the honourable judges have affirmed our rightful ownership of brand Yezdi. We will continue with the same spirit and ensure Yezdi roars back into the hearts of India's modern motorcycling community."

The Court dismissed all pending applications, set aside the earlier order, and allowed all appeals by Irani and Classic Legends.

The judgement highlights the need for active stewardship in preserving brand heritage. The Court observed the following points:

• Ideal Jawa had stopped using the Yezdi mark in 1996, allowed registrations to lapse, and took no steps to protect it; the mark had no surviving goodwill.
• Common-law rights for trademarks exist only through their continued use.
• Both Ideal Jawa and the Official Liquidator (OL) were inactive in using or renewing the trademark.
• The OL cannot claim ignorance of the trademark’s existence when Yezdi was Ideal Jawa’s sole business.
• With no business for 30 years, no renewal, no use, no protection, and the trademark not even mentioned in asset sales, goodwill was extinguished.
• The dues owed to Ideal Jawa in liquidation have no connection to the value of its trademark. The OL cannot equate alleged debts with trademark value.
• Trademarks are intangible rights dependent on use and renewal. Unlike physical property, they do not inherently persist.

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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers in the country, has announced pricing and opened bookings for the Honda XR300 L and Honda XR300 Rally. The announcement follows the initial unveiling of both models in July 2026 as part of the company's product expansion plans.

The XR300 L is priced at INR 183,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru, while the XR300 Rally is priced at INR 208,000 ex-showroom Bengaluru. Effective from 5 October 2026, bookings for both models have opened across the manufacturer's BigWing dealership network and online platform for a reservation amount of INR 5,000.

Both motorcycles are powered by a 293.5cc air-cooled engine equipped with an oil cooler; both variants come with torque control systems, rear suspension setups, front and rear disc brakes, switchable dual-channel ABS and an assist slipper clutch.

The XR300 L is designed for mixed city and off-road use and is offered in Extreme Red and Shasta White colour options. The XR300 Rally features bodywork designed for wind protection during long-distance riding, along with a TFT instrument cluster with smartphone connectivity.

The Rally variant is available in Extreme Red and True Black options. Both models form part of the manufacturer's domestic production initiative for local and export markets.

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Triumph Motorcycles, one of the leading premium motorcycle manufacturers, has expanded its lineup in India with the launch of the Bonneville T40, T40 Black and T4 models, with pricing starting at INR 279,999 ex-showroom, Delhi, while the latter is priced at INR 254,999 ex-showroom, Delhi.

The new models feature traditional styling elements, including a teardrop fuel tank, round headlight, twin rear shock absorbers and spoked wheels with aluminium rims. The motorcycles are available in two-tone schemes with hand-painted coach lining and peashooter silencers. The bikes offer an accessible ergonomic setup, featuring a low seat height that can be reduced to 770 millimetres with an accessory seat.

All three variants are powered by a 350cc iteration of Triumph's TR Series engine. The engine produces 29 PS of power at 7,000 rpm and 31 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm, tuned to deliver low-end torque and a distinct exhaust note.

The T40 and T40 Black feature a four-inch circular TFT instrument display with smartphone connectivity, including map navigation, phone and music controls. The models also come equipped with five ride modes, cruise control, cornering ABS and cornering traction control. The Bonneville T4 includes a colour LCD with turn-by-turn navigation, selectable ride modes, and dual-channel ABS.

Steve Sargent, Chief Product Officer, Triumph Motorcycles, said, “The Bonneville is one of the most significant motorcycles in Triumph's history, so introducing a new model carrying that name comes with a responsibility to get it right. From the outset, our ambition was not simply to create a smaller Bonneville, but to create a motorcycle that delivers the style, character and ownership experience riders expect from a genuine Bonneville. Bringing that experience to more riders is strategically important for Triumph, particularly as lower-capacity motorcycle categories continue to grow around the world."

"Working closely with Bajaj, we challenged ourselves to retain the details and qualities that make a Bonneville special, from the proportions and finish to traditional touches such as hand-painted coach lining, while also introducing a level of technology and rider-focused innovation not previously seen in this category. The result is a motorcycle that stays true to the values that have defined the Bonneville for generations while opening the experience to even more riders.” Sargent added.

The company has begun online bookings for the motorcycles starting 7 October 2026. Deliveries for the Bonneville T40 and T40 Black are scheduled to begin in the second week of November 2026, while deliveries for the Bonneville T4 will commence in the second week of January 2027.

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Aprilia India has launched its SXR GT scooter lineup, introducing the SXR GT 125 hp-e and SXR GT 175 hp-e models to expand its product offerings in the country. The SXR GT 125 hp-e is priced at an introductory rate of INR 109,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e is priced at INR 129,999 ex-showroom, Maharashtra.

The scooters are powered by air-cooled single-cylinder engines. The 124.45 cc engine produces 7.8 kW of power at 7,400 rpm and 10.4 Nm of torque at 6,200 rpm, while the 174.7 cc engine delivers 9.76 kW at 7,200 rpm and 14.14 Nm of torque at 6,000 rpm.

Both scooters feature three valves per cylinder, electronic fuel injection, electric starting, and compliance with BSVI OBD II Stage B regulations and E20 fuel blends. The chassis setup incorporates 14-inch wheels fitted to both models.

Suspension is handled by telescopic front forks and a dual-effect hydraulic shock absorber with five-position adjustability at the rear. Braking relies on a 220 mm front disc brake paired with a 140 mm rear drum brake, with the 125 cc variant utilising a combined braking system and the 175 cc variant employing an anti-lock braking system.

The SXR GT 125 hp-e is available in Matte Black, Glossy Azzurro, and Glossy White colour finishes, while the SXR GT 175 hp-e comes in Metallic Blue, Matte Black and Matte Green. Both models have gone on sale across Aprilia dealerships in India.

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Royal Enfield and the Madhya Pradesh Tourism Board (MPTB) have commenced a two-year partnership spanning 2026 to 2028 aimed at promoting responsible riding, travel and cultural tourism across the state.

The collaboration was initiated with the flag-off of a flagship motorcycle expedition in Bhopal, attended by Dr Ilayaraja T., Secretary of Tourism for the Government of Madhya Pradesh and Managing Director of the MPTB; Dileep Kumar Yadav, Managing Director of the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC) and Amitabh Pandey, Director of the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS).

The inaugural 1,520-kilometre expedition, taking place from 1 to 10 October 2026, involves 20 participants riding the Bullet 650 motorcycle. The route connects wildlife reserves, heritage sites and regional highways, covering Bhopal, Pachmarhi, Pench, Kanha, Bandhavgarh, Panna and returning to Bhopal. A closing event scheduled for 9 October 2026 in Bhopal will mark the completion of the ride.

Over the two-year agreement period, Royal Enfield and the MPTB plan to expand the initiative to include heritage rides, off-road trail explorations and curated motorcycling routes across Madhya Pradesh.

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