The Annual Sales Report of Two-Wheelers in the financial year 2020?

• History of the Two-Wheeler Industry in India?

The 2-wheeler Industry in India entered the manufacturing course in the early 1950s when Automobile Products of India (API) started manufacturing scooters in India. In 1948, Bajaj Auto began importing Vespa scooters in India. In 1960, Bajaj started a shop to manufacture scooters in India in collaboration with Piaggio of Italy. The collaboration ended in 1971.

Even the motorcycle segment also started with three manufacturers viz Enfield, Ideal Jawa, and Escorts. In the ’80s the market for two-wheeler motorbikes opened up and it buzzed the market by storm. It resulted in the expansion in the market where TVS Suzuki and Hero Honda occupied the top two spots in the Indian motorcycle segment. Since then throughout the last four decades, we have seen splendid growth in the Indian two-wheeler segment year on year basis. Moving forward from starting in the 1950s to the current time, India is the largest market for the two-wheeler segment right now.

 

Hero MotoCorp topped the retail sales charts with 3,96,278 units sold last month and commanding a market share of 34.50 per cent. This was significantly lower as compared to 5,61,873 units sold in December 2020 when market share was at 30.20%. Considering the high demand for electric two-wheelers, Hero MotoCorp is gearing up to unveil its first electric vehicle (EV) in March this year. It will be produced at the company’s production facility at Chittoor in Andhra Pradesh. Honda two-wheeler retails also dipped significantly on a YoY basis to 2,84,837 units over 3,52,394 units sold in December 2020. Market share, however, increased from 24.59% held in Dec 2020 to 24.80% in the past month. The new Honda CB300R is poised for launch. It was showcased at the India Bike Week 2021 festival and is slated to go on sale in India later this month. 

Bajaj Auto retails dipped to 1,43,538 units, down from 1,61,713 units sold in December 2020. However, market share increased from 11.28% to 12.50% year on year. Suzuki retails on the other hand saw a marginal decrease to 42,609 units from 45,332 units sold in December 2020. Royal Enfield retails dipped to 40,102 units in December 2021 from 51,489 units retailed in December 2020. Royal Enfield is expected to launch a slew of new motorcycles this year. It is expected to start off with the Scram 411 in February 2022. Others planned for launch are Hunter 350, Cruiser 650 and Shotgun 650. Yamaha Motors also posted a year-on-year growth in retail down to 37,621 units from 43,080 units sold in December 2020.

• Sales Report of 2020 :

In India, the two-wheeler industry is one of the largest revenue collectors in the country. It is mainly ruled by branded companies like Hero Motocorp, Bajaj, Honda, Suzuki, etc. Hero Motocorp is the leading two-wheeler manufacturing company in India with over 75 million sold to date. Bajaj is known for its powerful engines with suitable mileage for Indian roads. The two-wheeler industry in India has the highest two-wheeler sales in the world and the most interesting fact is that China comes second on the list. 

Have a look at this chart below to clearly understand the facts :

As you can see, in the financial year 2018-19 the sales of two-wheelers have increased and it was the highest bike-selling year in the history of the bike industry. But in 2019-20, the sales have gradually decreased because of Covid-19. Not only COVID-19 but the BS-VI norms also made an increase in the price of bikes. This made the overall production of two-wheelers in the country drop to half. The overall bike industry declined by -18% in 2020. Electric Two-Wheeler Makers, Okinawa, Hero Electric, Ampere, Ather and PUR Electric have all seen a steep rise in retail sales. Okinawa in particular, posted retails at 6,098 units, up from 613 units sold in December 2020. Okinawa offers high-speed (Ridge+, Praise Pro and iPraise+) and low-speed electric scooters (Okinawa R30, Lite and Dual) and now plans added investment to the tune of Rs 200-250 crores in a new plant in Bhiwadi, Rajasthan with a target of 100% localization by the end of this financial year. Hero Electric also saw sales past the 6,000 unit mark at 6,058 units, an increase over 1,545 units sold in December 2020 while Ampere retails stood at 3,343 units up from 872 units retailed in December 2020. Hero AE-47 electric motorcycle may launch sometime later this year and is expected to be priced between Rs 1.3-1.5 lakh. Ather Energy is another highly successful electric two-wheeler maker even though it sells only two models on offer in India – Ather 450X and 450 Plus. There were other electric vehicle makers in this segment that saw retail at 5,004 units in December 2021, up from 1,534 units sold in December 2020 with market share increasing from 0.11% to 0.44% respectively.

• Rise and Fall of Two-Wheeler Sales in India :

The rise of the two-wheeler segment in India has been a growth story in itself. The increase in the purchasing power of both the urban and semi-urban markets and to add to that, the low cost of ownership of two-wheelers have been the major growth drivers for this segment.

The sales of the Indian two-wheeler industry experienced a decline of 18% over the previous year in FY 2020. The overall sales volume was 17.5 million units. However, with the easing in the wrath of the Pandemic (COVID-19) and also with an increase in the manufacturing PMI, to an all-time high level in the past decade, the worst seems to be behind us. This can also be judged from the fact that the overall increase in the volume of sales of two and three-wheeler vehicles has been on the rise. Here are a few other facts:

1. The top Motorcycle sellers for the year so far have been Hero MotoCorp (sold 4.4 million units), Honda (2.79 million units), TVS (1.63 million units), and Bajaj (1.47 million units).
2. The first two quarters of this year saw a massive contraction in overall sales.Q1 reported a decrease in sales by over 24% and Q2 reported a decline in sales by more than 72%.

• Conclusion :

Before ending this article I need to tell you that the increase or decline in the sales of the two-wheeler segment gives us an impression of the overall health of the economy. The Indian two-wheeler segment has been on a decline over the last couple of years. Anyways, with the current pandemic situation coming under control and various initiatives introduced by the government, there is only one way up for this industry. With India getting back on its feet and with an increase in the population of millennials, this industry has more reasons to go up.

That's all for Biker's Vault today, till then take care !!

The Future of Bikes: Electric Bikes in India!!

India has the highest number of two-wheelers running on the road. So we can say that India is one of the largest two-wheeler markets in the world. This is the reason behind the increase in pollution in India.

So, to decrease this pollution electric bikes are the future of the two-wheeler market. Electric bikes don't use fuel like other bikes but indeed it needs a charge to move. The top bike manufacturing companies are now focusing on making electric bikes basis on the needs of the people. Here are some bikes and scooters that run on battery listed below:

1. REVOLT RV300

From the word Revolt, we can understand that the company is going to make a revolution in the bike industry through the manufacturing of electric bikes. The Revolt 300 is the smaller version of Revolt 400 which comes with a smaller lithium-ion battery of 2.7 kWh and a hub motor of 1.5 kW. The bike travels an approx of 90-150 km in a single charge which is enough for city rides. The battery needs 4.2 hrs to get charged fully. The Revolt comes up with an amazing price scheme for the customers. It comes with a pricing scheme of Rs 2999 per month for 37 months. This is called "The Revolt Plan" and by the end of three years, the total expenditure stands Rs 1.11 lakhs which is pocket friendly. The RV300 is the most affordable electric bike introduced in the Indian market to date.

2. BAJAJ CHETAK

The name Chetak comes from its ancestors which were a scooter of the '90s and used to run on petrol. Now Chetak returned to the Indian market in a whole new avatar. It now runs on a 3 kWh lithium-ion battery. It is fitted with a 4 kW BLDC motor and comes with two riding modes: ECO and SPORT. The top speed of Chetak is about 60 kmph. The Chetak gets a Vespa-like suspension setup in the form of a front trailing link suspension, and 12-inch alloy wheels fitted with MRF Zapper tires. On the Premium variant, the Chetak gets a disc brake up front and a drum brake at the back. The Urbane trim gets drum brakes at both ends. 

The Chetak comes in two variants: Urbane and Premium. The Urbane has priced at Rs 1 lakh and the premium is Rs 1,15,000.

3. ATHER 450X

Ather is working on an exchange offer where you can trade-in your old petrol-powered scooter and buy a new Ather 450 electric scooter for a discounted price. The electric startup will reveal details about this scheme later this month. Ather has discontinued the 340 and 450 electric scooters and only the Ather 450X and 450 Plus are on sale. Currently, you can buy the Ather 450 outright for Rs 1.59 lakh (Ather 450X) and Rs 1.49 lakh (Ather 450 Plus).

The Ather 450X is powered by a 6kW electric motor. Compared to the previous Ather 450’s 2.5Nm, the updated motor delivers 26Nm of peak torque. The riding modes are Eco, Ride, and Sport with an additional Warp mode exclusive for the 450X variant. In Warp mode, the electric scooter can accelerate from 0-40kmph in a claimed 3.3 seconds and 0-60kmph in just 6.5 seconds. The top speed of the 450X is 80kmph (claimed).

4. Joy E-bike Monster

The Joy Monster e-Bike looks like it’s been inspired by the Honda Grom, a monkey bike. These bikes are designed to look sporty but are extremely compact in proportions. You have the mechanicals for a bigger bike with small 14-inch wheels. 

The Joy Monster is an electric monkey bike offered by Gujarat-based two-wheeler manufacturer Joy e-Bike. It's powered by an electric hub motor and a lithium-ion battery that offers a decent range for everyday use. As for its price, the Moster e-bike will set you back by Rs 98,999 on-road, pan India. It has a 250-watt hub motor that delivers a top speed of 25 kmph.

5. Hero Electric Optima LA

It is an entry-level electric scooter. Hero made its first electric scooter in the form of Optima LA. It travels a distance of about 50 Km on a single charge, The battery placed inside it has a 3 years warranty.

It has a 250 Watt hub motor that delivers 50 kmph. It takes 4 hrs to get fully charged. It is priced at 41,770 INR.

CoronaVirus Lock down: 5 new most awaited bikes to be launched!!

Some newly launched beauties are waiting to be cranked up in India. Due to this lockdown, some bikes are not launched till now but once you see them I bet you can't get over them. Till then, we make a wish list of the top seven motorcycles and scooters we can’t wait to get our hands on.

1. Harley-Davidson Low Rider S:

Harley Davidson has launched the 2020 Low Rider S in India at Rs 14.69 Lakh. It features a larger Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine, a new LED  headlight, and bikini fairing, an LED taillight with a smoke-finished cover, and bronzed aluminium alloy wheels. Its 18.9-litre fuel tank houses two centrally mounted vertically-stacked round info panels. Powering the bike is a Milwaukee-Eight 114cc engine; the largest one in the Softail range. This 1,868cc V-twin powertrain puts out 155Nm of peak torque, which is 10Nm more than the 1745cc Milwaukee-Eight 107 engine on the Low Rider. The larger motor also complies with BS6 emission norms. In terms of underpinnings, the 2020 Low Rider S retains the same Softail chassis that was introduced with the 2018 lineup. It's lighter, stiffer, and more dynamically capable. The same goes for the preload-adjustable mono-shock. What's changed though is the front suspension setup which is the same chunky upside fork borrowed from the Fat Bob. Further amplifying its handling is the change in the bike's rake angle -- from 30 degrees to 28 degrees. Consequently, the wheelbase now stands at 1615mm, shorter by 15mm. Braking has also been improved thanks to the new twin-disc setup upfront. Expect the 2020 Harley Davidson Low Rider S to be available across dealerships once the current lockdown is lifted. The Low Rider S was introduced as an extension of the Dyna platform, then as a Softail in 2020. That initial Softail model has been refined and updated for 2022 without losing the muscular character and classic style that defined previous LR S models. The Low Rider S was introduced as an extension of the Dyna platform, then as a Softail in 2020. That initial Softail model has been refined and updated for 2022 without losing the muscular character and classic style that defined previous LR S models.

2. Husqvarna Svartpilen and Vitpilen 250: 

The Husqvarna bikes have reached our shores and we’re eager to find out how this KTM-owned motorcycle brand fares. Especially since it uses the same flavour but has been given an elegant Swedish twist. Currently, the Svartpilen 250 and Vitpilen 250 are waiting in the wings. Both these motorcycles draw power from the 250-cc, liquid-cooled, DOHC engine which also does duty on the KTM 250 Duke. But here, the single-cylinder produces 30 hp and a peak torque of 24 Nm and comes mated to a six-speed gearbox. Svartpilen 250 can take a bit of off-roading and gets a more upright riding position along with dual-purpose tires. While the sportier-looking Vitpilen 250 has a more focused rider geometry. Prices begin at Rs 1.80 lakh (ex-showroom).

3. 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS:

The 2020 Triumph Street Triple RS looks more aggressive now, sporting new twin LED headlights with DRLs. The mainframe has been finished in Titanium Silver. The bodywork is totally new. The new Street Triple RS gets a refurbished silencer, with a carbon fiber end cap and Triumph branding. The fresh mirrors, handlebar clamp, fly screen side panels, seat cowl and belly pan are among some of the new bells and whistles added to the 2020 Street Triple RS.
The new Triumph Street Triple RS is available in a couple of colour options -- Matt Jet Black with Aluminium Silver and Yellow decals, and Silver Ice with Diablo Red and Aluminium Silver decals. The customers will get hand-painted Diablo Red wheel pinstripes and an Aluminium Silver rear sub-frame with both paint schemes. Triumph Motorcycles India today launched the new Street Triple RS for a starting price of Rs 11.13 lakh (ex-showroom, India).

4. Hero Xtreme 160R:

Hero MotoCorp has officially unveiled an all-new 150cc-segment motorcycle at the Hero World 2020 event. Christened as Xtreme 160R, the bike is powered by a 160cc, air-cooled, fuel-injected, single-cylinder engine that is capable of producing 15.2HP of maximum power at 8500 rpm along with 14Nm of peak torque. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The Hero Xtreme 160R on-road price is expected is stay around INR 1.10 lakh. 5. Royal Enfield Meteor 350: Last but not least, is the latest from the home-bred Royal Enfield. The spy pictures of the bike that caught our attention are the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 which takes its design inspiration from the Thunderbird series. So it will get a relaxed riding position, a raised handlebar, a comfortable seat, and a forward set. There’s still some time for the bike to hit showrooms but what’s most intriguing is a new and more powerful 350-cc fuel-injected BS6 compliant engine. The buzz is that Royal Enfield engineers are working on an Overhead Camshaft (OHC) version of the 346-cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine. In the BS4 version, the motor makes 20 hp and 28 Nm of torque. But after the tweaks, the engine in the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 would be not just more powerful but have improved refinement and NVH levels. The new model from the iconic brand could be priced between Rs 1.50 lakh and 1.70 lakh (ex-showroom). So these are the most awaited bikes to be launched after lockdown. For further information stay tuned: Bikers Vault! #StaySafe