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)

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), one of the leading two-wheeler manufacturers, has reported strong sales for September 2025, buoyed by the start of the festive season and recent tax reforms.

The two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, recorded total sales of 123,550 units, marking 25 percent over the 99,185 units sold in September 2024.

Domestic sales were the primary growth driver, with SMIPL registering a robust 37 percent YoY growth with 105,886 units sold in September, up from 77,263 units in the same month last year.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “September has been a remarkable month for SMIPL. The festive cheer translated into strong demand driving 37 percent growth in our domestic sales. The recent GST reduction has further added to customer enthusiasm, by making our two-wheelers even more affordable. We are optimistic that this momentum will continue through the festive season and beyond, enabling us to serve a larger customer base with our trusted motorcycles and scooters.”

Further complementing the sales performance, SMIPL recorded its highest ever spare parts sale of INR 881 million for the third consecutive month, registering a 17 percent YoY growth.

While domestic sales soared, exports saw a reduction. SMIPL exported 17,664 units in September 2025, compared to 21,922 units exported during September 2024.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Royal Enfield has announced its highest-ever monthly sales figure, with 124,328 motorcycles sold globally in September 2025. This marks a significant 43 percent growth compared to the 86,978 units sold in the same month last year.

Domestic sales drove the record performance, reaching 113,573 units in September 2025, which marked a 43 percent increase over the 79,325 units sold domestically last year.

B. Govindarajan, Managing Director, Eicher Motors and Chief Executive Officer, Royal Enfield, said, “It has been an incredible start to the festive season for us at Royal Enfield, we have registered our best ever monthly sales volume and have crossed 100,000+ retail volumes for the month. To make sure that our customers take home their favourite Royal Enfield motorcycle this festive season, we have put in considerable effort.”

"In the month of September, we announced the upgraded Meteor 350 which has received a promising response from our community. All our new and existing motorcycles continue to perform well, we are confident of the growth momentum and are looking forward to a great year ahead,” he added.

For H1 FY2026, the company's total sales volume reached 591,903 motorcycles, reflecting a 30 percent growth over the 454,780 units sold in the previous year. This includes 521,482 units in the domestic market, registering a 27 percent growth compared to the 410,843 units sold in the corresponding period last year.

On the exports front, the company also saw a major boost, with 10,755 motorcycles shipped in September 2025, a 41 percent  increase from 7,653 units in September 2024. For H1 FY2026, exports surged by 60 percent, reaching 70,421 units.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

TVS Motor Company, a leading manufacturer of two-wheelers and three-wheelers, has reported its best-ever quarterly wholesales performance with 1.50 million units sold in Q2 FY2026.

This includes 1.19 million two-wheelers sold, up 22 percent YoY, while three-wheeler sales came at around 53,000 units, up 41 percent YoY. Exports grew by 30 percent from 309,000 units to 400,000 units too.

For September, the wholesales came at 541,064 units, up 12 percent YoY, as compared to 482,495 units in September 2024.

Two-wheeler sales clocked 11 percent growth at 523,923 units, which includes 413,279 units sold in the domestic market alone. Of this, motorcycles sales at 249,621 units grew 9 percent, while scooter sales at 218,928 units grew by 17 percent YoY respectively.

Electric vehicles sales grew by 8 percent at 31,266 units, with rare-earth magnet continuing to pose challenges in the short- to medium-term.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Pune-based automotive major Bajaj Auto has announced its wholesales for September 2025 and H1 FY2026, witnessing growth in the two-wheeler segment and double-digit performance in the three-wheeler space.

For the six-month period spanning April to September 2025, the company’s total two-wheeler sales saw a 2 percent jump YoY, reaching 2.01 million units compared to 1.98 million units sold in the corresponding period last year. Interestingly, while exports grew by 17 percent YoY at 891,858 units, domestic sales were down 8 percent YoY at 1.12 million units.

In September, the sales came at 430,853 units, up 8 percent YoY, which includes 273,188 units in the domestic market (+5% YoY) and 157,665 units exported (+12% YoY).

The three-wheeler segment, on the other hand, grew 14 percent YoY in H1 FY2026 at 387,579 units, which includes a robust export growth of 51 percent YoY at 137,898 units.

For September, the three-wheeler sales came at 79,651 units, up 15 percent YoY.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!