By T Murrali

As India will be moving to the new emission regime from April this year, the manufacturing companies are fielding new models of new variants with BS-VI engines. India Yamaha Motor (IYM) has announced a slew of new brands, in line with its concept of ‘The Call of the Blue’ that carved out the ‘The Yamaha Uniqueness’ of product line-ups and experiences through the ‘Blue Square’ network. IYM has fielded four vehicles with several innovative features and technologies, with plans to create a strong network of dealers; nonetheless, it has still kept a conservative sales growth target of 4 percent.

In 2019, the company sold 624,000 units (with 40 percent scooters and the rest motorcycles), witnessing a 13 percent drop in sales over the previous year, matching the industry average. It exported 296,000 units during the year. For 2020, IYM has set a target of 650,000 units with the same break-up for scooters and motorcycles. This is just 4 percent more than last year’s sales. However, it aims to raise exports to 315,000 units.

Ravinder Singh, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Planning Group, Yamaha Motors India Sales Pvt Ltd, said, “We have been able to increase our market share in deluxe and premium segments and maintain it in the scooter segment (for Fascino), thanks to our focused brand strategy: ‘The Call of the Blue.’ Our success in 2020 will depend on creating a strong network and we have started working on this direction. ‘Blue Square’ is one such initiative.”

‘Blue Square’ 

‘Blue square’ is a unique concept intended to offer Yamaha’s racing DNA to exciting, stylish and sporty products and experiences. ‘The Call of the Blue’ started in 2018 expanded to products and experiences in 2019.

‘Blue Square’ is created as a destination for all two-wheeler enthusiasts. The concept was to expand the company’s uniqueness for fuelling the passion for riding in India featuring a wide range of riding gears and accessories along with the two-wheeler line-ups that deliver good driving experience. Yamaha Blue Square Showrooms will serve the excitement to grow into a popular culture by turning it into an aspiration for every young rider.

To a question on how ‘Blue Square’ will help the company to strengthen its market position, Singh said the company’s objective is to focus on youngsters. It launched the brand campaign ‘The Call of the Blue’ mainly to connect with the young customers. Now IYM is taking it to the next level with ‘Blue Square,’ which according to him is more of the brand connection, linking its BTL (below the line) activities. “From ATL (above the line) activities to BTL, we are connecting the customers and giving the experience of sporty and stylish vehicles, which is our core DNA, to the product.” The additional dealerships planned for this year will be primarily for ‘Blue Square’ outlets, he said. 

Many of the existing dealerships will also be upgraded to deal with its new introductions of 155cc motorcycle MT-15 and the 125cc scooters, the Ray ZR 125 FI and Street Rally 125 FI, and the iconic Fascino 125 FI. Shifting from the 110cc segment, IYM is strengthening its market in the 125cc scooter segment and the motorcycle line-up.

MT-15

Known for its balance of torque and agility, MT-15 has enhanced control postures and single-channel ABS. A special colour ‘Ice Fluo-Vermillion’ was also introduced. It received rave reviews in many countries for its distinctively aggressive appearance. The new BS-VI compliant MT-15 has a rear radial tyre. Its advanced design expressing torque and agility is popularised further by a minimal look, dynamic headlight, short tail and an overall finish that illustrates its unique style.

The new bike comes with VVA engine for nimble acceleration with model-specific ECU,  optimized secondary reduction gear ratio for snappy riding in town, A&S clutch for stress-free gear shifts, motard-like riding position with a great deal of freedom on a tight, concentrated silhouette, 282mm front disc brake with single-channel ABS for excellent stopping power. The advanced design expressing torque and agility is further accentuated by dynamic front face styling headlight, short tail with a vertical tail light and overall graphics and finish.

Ray ZR 125 FI, Street Rally 125 FI

The new scooters come with several new features, new engine technologies and are available in a range of new colours. The new Ray ZR 125 FI and Street Rally 125 FI are powered by a BS-VI compliant, air cooled, fuel injected, 125cc blue core engine that produces a power output of 8.2 PS @ 6,500 RPM and a torque of 9.7 Nm @ 5,000 RPM. The power output and economy are 30 percent and 16 percent higher respectively than the earlier scooters.

The styling concept is ‘Armored Energy’ which evokes the feeling of a powerful motorcycle laced to proportions, details, striking design and new technologies. The sporty, sharp-looking headlight is Class C-compliant while the Y-shaped LED position light adds greater originality to the design. The turn signals at the front and rear use individual mounting stalks like those used for motorcycles. The Ray ZR 125 FI is available in both drum and disc brake versions, and the disc brake version gets digital instrument cluster as a new feature. The new Ray ZR 125 FI is available in a wide range of colour variants including Dark Matte Blue, Metallic Black, Cyan Blue, Matte Red Metallic and Reddish Yellow Cocktail.

The new Street Rally 125 FI also fuses motorcycle elements with those of a scooter and scatters them throughout the design. Brush guards shield the rider's hands from oncoming airflow and add a sporty, adventure-influenced touch to the machine. It additionally offers fully digital instrument cluster, side panels designed to look like a rugged frame, block-pattern tyre, sporty coloured wheel stripes (front and rear) and side panels intended to look like metallic protectors. The new Street Rally 125 FI is available in two colours: Deep Purplish Blue Metallic and Sparkle Green.

Fascino 125 FI

The new Fascino 125 FI is powered by a BS-VI compliant, air cooled, fuel injected, 125cc blue core engine that produces a power output of 8.2 PS @ 6,500 RPM and a torque of 9.7 Nm @ 5,000 RPM. The power output and economy are 30 percent and 16 percent higher respectively than the earlier scooters.

Along with the new features and technologies, the visual impression of the new Fascino 125 FI rests on its classic European styling as it gets an all-new exterior design, higher quality bodywork, newly designed headlight, new gauges and other features that produce a feeling of elegance and status. The new scooter is designed to be a fashionable vehicle with styling that embodies strength, refinement and beauty along with classical touches. The vehicle is available in disc and drum brakes and a wide range of colour variants including Vivid Red, Metallic Black, Yellow Cocktail, Matte Blue, Dark Matte Blue, Suave Copper and Cyan Blue.

Lightweighting

The body weight of the new Ray ZR 125 FI, Street Rally 125 FI and Fascino 125 FI is 99 kg, which is, at the least, 4 kg lighter than Yamaha's earlier scooters. All the new scooters come with ‘stop & start system’ that prevents engine idling and subsequent start with a single throttle twist which uses the sensors to assess the riding environment. The vehicles have front disc brake with unified brake system. In addition, the smart motor-generator fitted to these vehicles uses electronic controls to bring a quieter engine start without the need for a separate conventional electric starter. One of the key features is the ‘side stand engine cut-off switch,’ which prevents the engine from starting if the side-stand is not retracted. This is a unique feature as it can prevent accidents and ensure safety of the rider.

Talking to this publication on the objective to introduce the engine cut-off switch to the side-stand, Yasuo Ishihara, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Research & Development India Pvt Ltd, said that in Europe these safety systems are mandatory. Since it is a safety feature the company wanted to introduce it in India also. “We have decided to incorporate this feature in the two-wheelers (Ray and Fascino) that we have launched now. In a phased manner this feature will be introduced in all the models we produce.”

The company has also introduced stop-start systems and this was possible as it replaced the starter motor with a combined generator-cum-starter motor. Ishihara said that in India the traffic is dense with more stopping and starting conditions, not only at traffic lights but also on congested roads. This mild hybrid helps in managing these situations while conserving fuel. However, when there are frequent stops and starts, the power drawn will be more from the battery; therefore the company has increased the battery capacity.

Yamaha has also reduced the total kerb weight by 4 kg. This was achieved as the design team was given very stringent targets to reduce weight. There were targets set for every major part in the vehicle. This combined with high-end design helped the company achieve weight reduction despite increasing the sheet metal content. For instance, in the earlier version of the scooters, the front fender was in plastic but in the BS-VI version this has been replaced with metal. According to him, one of the reasons for weight reduction was that the vehicles have no starter motors, since the generators do that function. Despite introducing new technologies, localisation in all the models is over 90 percent, he said.

Target Customers               

The target customers for the three scooters, according to the company, are the youth (18-24 years) who are high on adventure, and who find the true reflection of their riding personality by the mobility they ride and its performance. Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India group of companies, said, “Customers can now take the experience of all such exciting Yamaha two-wheelers at the new ‘Blue Square’ outlets of Yamaha which is conceptualized to garner the racing spirit along with its comfort, ambience and the beacon of the Yamaha Blue. The company also plans to expand its brand strategy of ‘The Call of the Blue’ including product strategies and networks in 2020. The ‘Blue Square’ which was opened recently in Chennai will expand to 100 outlets in 2020 and eventually would consolidate the 125cc scooter market share and sports market share for the brand. The ‘Call of the Blue’ will be scaled up in 2020 to offer the excitement, sporty and stylish experiences to a wider audience.”

Digital Communication

On the communication side, he said, the company is more focused on the digital platform. Despite fielding new stylish models with more safety features and power, the company has set itself a growth of just 4 percent for the current calendar over 2019. Seeking his reason for this, Singh said it is justified. “At this moment we are very conservative. We are talking to dealers and we are also taking feedback from people like you. We see a clear shift from 110cc to 125cc (in scooters) and it will increase in the coming years as people are further upgrading.” Therefore, the segment will further evolve. But it all depends on increasing affordability, which is directly linked to economic growth. The key point is that India is a country where more than 50 percent of the population is young. This is precisely the reason for the company to field products targeting the youth, he said. “Based on the features and the pricing we are going to get a good amount of market share in this segment; still we are taking cautious steps,” he explained.

The company will focus on three areas to connect with its customers easily - Premium, Deluxe and Scooters. Otherwise, connecting with customers from the commuting point of view would be difficult for Yamaha. This is the reason for the company to upgrade its scooters to 125cc, Shitara said.

Currently, IYM has 593 dealers across India with about 2,000 touch points. The company has allotted INR 1,500 crore for building capacity and capabilities, to be spent over four years from 2018. It had to invest INR 16 crore to develop BS-VI engines. Though modifications to the engine were minimal, the additions were in the form of double catalytic converters for exhaust, O2 sensors and advanced OBD modules. Investments have also gone into precision machining of parts for BS-VI related elements, and the development of new parts.  (MT)

Japanese two-wheeler maker Suzuki Motorcycle India has introduced its OBD-2B compliant scooters – Suzuki Avenis and Suzuki Burgman series (Burgman Street and Burgman Street EX) at prices starting INR 93,200 and INR 95,800 respectively (ex-showroom Delhi).

With this, the company’s entire two-wheeler line-up including scooters and motorcycles is now OBD-2B compliant. Mechanically the two-wheelers remain unchanged, the Avenis continues to be powered by the all-aluminium 4-stroke, single cylinder 124.3cc engine, which produces 10 Nm of peak torque at 5,500 rpm. It is equipped with Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP) technology and advanced fuel injection that provides a balance of performance and fuel efficiency. It also now gets a new option –  Metallic Matte Black No. 2 / Matte Titanium Silver.

The Burgman Street is powered by all-aluminium 4 stroke, single cylinder 124cc engine and SEP tech. It produces 10 Nm of torque at 5,500 rpm, while the Burgman Street EX comes uses Suzuki Eco Performance Alpha (SEP-α) engine technology, which comes with Engine Auto Stop-Start (EASS) and Silent Starter System. It also gets 12-inch rear wheel.

Kenichi Umeda, Managing Director, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “At Suzuki Motorcycle India, we focus on meeting the evolving needs of our customers while ensuring compliance with the latest regulations. The transition of our entire product range to OBD-2B compliance is a step towards providing a cleaner and more sustainable riding experience. With the introduction of new colour options for the Avenis and Burgman Street EX, we hope to bring more value and choice to our customers. We sincerely appreciate the support and trust of our customers which inspires us to keep innovating.”

Chennai-based two-wheeler and three-wheeler manufacturer TVS Motor Company has appointed Peyman Kargar as its new Head of International Business. Based out of Dubai Kargar will report to K N Radhakrishnan, Director & CEO, TVS Motor Company.

Prior to joining TVS Motor Co, Kargar was the Global Chairman & President of INFINITI, the premium brand of Nissan Company. Before that he held the role of Chairman and Senior Vice-President of Africa Middle East India Region CEO for the Datsun brand. He was responsible for Nissan Group in over 80 countries. He also held the role of VP Sales & Marketing for Renault Group for 50 countries in Africa, Middle East, Iran and India.

With over three decades of experience, Kargar has held leadership roles in the automotive industry across Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

K N Radhakrishnan, said, “Peyman’s prolific global leadership experience and expertise will add significant value to the company. The Company has been strengthening its position in international markets and has plans to expand further in advanced economies. We are confident that under his leadership, we will further strengthen our market position and continue to set benchmarks. We wish him the very best and welcome him to the TVSM family.”

Chennai-headquartered mid-size motorcycle major Royal Enfield has introduced Project Delta, a custom-built ‘Super Meteor 650’ by Australian design firm Purpose Built Moto.

The Australian design house shared that the custom-built Super Meteor 650 is inspired from the 1940-50s era of motorcycling and has been redrawn from the Super Meteor 700 and Flying Flea from World War II.

A closer look at Project Delta reveals an extensively reworked frame, which encompasses vintage styling along with modern engineering refinements. The oil cooler is incorporated in-frame, the hand-fabricated Girder Fork is a blend of artistry and engineering. It features custom spoked wheels (23-inch front & 19-inch rear), slim peanut tank, reworked chassis.

Furthermore, it uses hand-shifted gears that demand rider engagement. In terms of aesthetics, it sports the Art Nouveau-inspired paintwork featuring – black, gold and cherry red.

Anuj Dua, Head - International Business - APAC, Royal Enfield, said, “Royal Enfield motorcycles are truly global while being handcrafted with passion which makes us a true rider’s ally in every sense. As a rider’s ally, we thrive on every facet of riding be it - exploration, customization or motorcycling ecosystem. While our motorcycles inspire builders across the globe, in turn we are also stimulated by their creativity, vision and zeal. Australia is one such country which has given us an amazing community of customisers who constantly challenge and enthuse us at the same time. Apart from uniquely interpreting the design language to make beautiful builds, Royal Enfield has been pushing the envelope with its custom builds in terms of capabilities in Australia. We are confident that in the coming years too, our motorcycles will continue to enable builders in uniquely expressing themselves.”

Tom Gilroy, Founder, Purpose Built Moto, said, “The process for Project Delta is both a culmination of the design DNA I've developed over the last 8 years building motorcycles, and a stake in the ground for Purpose Built Moto moving forward. Shaping our design around the Royal Enfield 650 Twin as our blank canvas - a simple, beautiful motor.  A lot of manufacturers have stopped making their engines beautiful, instead covering them in plastic fairings, and hiding them away. Classic motorcycles always made the engine the star, and that's why I love the Royal Enfield 650 Twin engines. We've delivered a no compromise vision that blends the modern power plant of the Royal Enfield 650 twin, with inspiration drawn from the original Super Meteor 700, and antique models like the Flying flea of the 1940's.”

Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has launched the updated OBD2B-compliant Shine 100 motorcycle.

The 98.98 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine that powers this motorbike is now OBD2B certified to satisfy the most recent emission standards. This engine provides 5.43 kW of power at 7,500 RPM and 8.04 Nm of torque at 5,000 RPM, delivering a smooth and economical ride. A 4-speed gearbox is included with it. The Honda emblem and updated body panel artwork are highlights of the new Shine 100.  Its sleek muffler, long and comfy single-piece seat, blacked-out alloy wheels, handy aluminium grabrail and attractive front cowl all add to the motorcycle's clean appearance and make daily commuting more convenient.

Black with Red, Black with Blue, Black with Orange, Black with Gray and Black with Green are the five vibrant colour options available for the Shine 100. It is constructed on a diamond-shaped frame that is both lightweight and sturdy, and it has dual rear shock absorbers and telescopic front forks. The Shine 100 has CBS (Combined Braking System) drum brakes on both ends for increased safety. All HMSI dealerships in India are currently selling the new 2025 Honda Shine 100 at INR 68,767 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Tsutsumu Otani, Managing Director, President & CEO, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “We are happy to introduce the new OBD2B-compliant Shine 100 to our customers in India. Since its launch in March 2023, Shine 100 has established itself as one of the fastest-growing brands in HMSI’s motorcycle portfolio. This entry-level motorcycle has been well received for its superior reliability, fuel efficiency and overall value. With the latest update, we continue our commitment to providing environmentally responsible and high-quality mobility solutions.”

Yogesh Mathur, Director – Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “The Shine 100 has been a strong player in the entry-level motorcycle segment, offering exceptional quality and comfort at an affordable price. With this latest upgrade, we are further enhancing its appeal and ensuring compliance with the latest emission norms while maintaining its renowned fuel efficiency and reliability. The Shine 100 has played a key role in strengthening Honda’s presence in the entry-level commuter segment, and we are confident that this new version of Naye India ki Amazing Shine will continue to attract more customers across India.”