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The electric two-wheeler industry has recorded a sales decline of 5.46 per cent in the last calendar year selling 25,735 units in 2020 as compared to 27,224 units sold in the same period a year ago. According to the Society of Manufacturers of Electric Vehicles (SMEV), the electric two-wheeler industry has been able to weather the COVID-19 pandemic by sales of high speed electric two wheelers in the January 2020 – December 2020 period, but the target of generating a sale of one million under the faster adoption and manufacturing of electric vehicles (FAME) 2 scheme still seems too ambitious. Commenting on the Industry sales figures, Sohinder Gill, Director General – SMEV said, “The FAME 2 scheme had some good points and laudable objectives but came with so many strings attached, most of them introduced prematurely or unnecessarily, that lead to the achievement of only 4 per cent of the stated targets. The scheme could not attract the customers to shift from the polluti...

Honda Motor Co is offering voluntary retirement to a group of employees at its motorcycles and scooters unit in India amid slowing demand in the country following the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a company letter. Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI), the country’s second-largest manufacturer of two-wheelers, made the offer to “maintain its existence” in a competitive market, it said in a letter to its employees’ union dated January 5. While automakers globally have been battered by the pandemic, companies in India have been hit by slowing demand since 2019. “The Indian auto industry is going through an exceptionally challenging phase considering the prolonged demand slowdown and economic fallout from the coronavirus crisis,” HMSI said in the letter, which was reviewed by Reuters. “In these uncertain times, we are aligning our production strategy for improved overall operational efficiency with the objective of long term business sustainability,” it said. HMSI did ...

Bajaj Auto on Monday reported an 11 per cent increase in total sales at 3,72,532 units in December 2020. The firm had sold a total of 3,36,055 units in December 2019, the two-wheeler and three-wheeler maker said in a statement. Domestic sales were down 9 per cent at 1,39,606 units as compared to 1,53,163 units in the year-ago month, it added. Total motorcycle sales were at 3,38,584 units last month as against 284,802 units in December 2019, up 19 per cent, it added. Exports jumped 27 per cent to 2,32,926 units as compared to 1,82,892 units in the same month a year ago, Bajaj Auto said

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India rolled out cashback offers on multiple models. Along with SP 125, Hornet 2.0, Activa 6G and the CD 110 Dream, the company is now offering cashback of ₹ 5,000 on the Grazia 125 scooter. Customers need to finance the purchase with a credit or a debit card from one of the company’s partner banks which are ICICI, Federal Bank, Standard Chartered, Bank of Baroda and Yes Bank. Interested customers can avail the benefits of the offer while booking the two-wheeler online as well.

We already know that KTM India is working on the updated RC range of motorcycles. And, previously we saw a test mule of the next-gen RC 200 doing rounds on the roads. Now the latest spy image of the 2021 KTM RC 200 has leaked online, suggesting the company has started rolling off the motorcycle from the production line at Bajaj ‘s plant in Chakan. The next-gen RC 200 is expected to be launched in the Indian market very soon. Based on the newly leaked image, the bike will get a significant overhaul in terms of design and features. The soon-to-be-launched KTM RC 200 comes fitted with a new headlight cluster that is inspired by KTM’s RC8 superbike. The outgoing model gets twin-beam projector headlamps that have been replaced with a traditional-looking halogen headlamp. On the latest iteration, the company has shifted the mirror-mounted LED turn indicators onto the fairing. The motorcycle gets bigger, thinner and perforated disc brakes upfront with less committed riding postur...

Shares of leading two- and three-wheeler maker – Bajaj Auto – rose nearly 1.5 per cent on the BSE a day after it signed a memorandum of understanding with the government of Maharashtra for setting up a manufacturing facility at Chakan near Pune. Bajaj Auto will invest ₹ 650 crore on the proposed manufacturing facility at Chakan, the Pune-based company said in a stock exchange filing. The manufacturing facility will start production from 2023 and will be utilised for making high-end KTM, Husqvarna and Triumph motorcycles as well as for electric vehicles starting with Chetak, Bajaj Auto said. “Under the arrangement, the Government of Maharashtra will facilitate Bajaj Auto in obtaining necessary permissions/ registrations/ approvals/ clearances/ fiscal incentives etc. from the concerned departments of the state, as per the existing policies/rules and regulations of the Government of Maharashtra,” Bajaj Auto said in a statement.

The Aprilia SXR 160 is one of the last and most awaited offerings of 2020 in the two-wheeler segment. The model is scheduled for launch in few days from now and the maxi-styled scooter has now started arriving at dealerships across the country. Earlier this month, we told you about Aprilia India accepting bookings for the SXR 160 for a token amount of ₹ 5,000, while deliveries are promised by the end of this month or by early January 2021. The images shared by dealerships show the production-spec SXR 160 all set to hit the roads and will be kick-starting the India’s own maxi-scooter segment in the premium space.

Chinese motorcycle brand CFMoto has shared some latest images of the upcoming CLX 700 and from the looks of it, the bike seems to be almost production ready. The CFMoto CLX 700 is expected to be an entire family of bikes, including a heritage, a cafe racer and a scrambler-styled model. All three models will be built around a new 693 cc, parallel-twin engine which is expected to make around 73 bhp at 8,500 rpm and 66 Nm at 7,000 rpm. The bike has a kerb weight of 183 kg, and comes with a 14-litre fuel tank, standard slipper clutch and J.Juan brake calipers. The latest pictures released by CFMoto show the heritage model, which will one of a family of three models which were on display at the EICMA 2019 show in Milan last year. There is a scrambler version, featuring on/off tyres and saddlebags, and also a super naked, more in line with cafe racer-inspired styling, with slick tyres, angular bodywork and bright graphics.

The world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers, Hero MotoCorp has announced that it will increase the prices of its product range by up to ₹ 1,500 with effect from January 1, 2021. The announcement comes a day after automaker Mahindra & Mahindra announced it will be hiking prices across passenger and commercial vehicles. The two-wheeler company further stated that the decision to hike prices has been taken to partially offset the impact of the commodity costs. Hero becomes the first two-wheeler maker to announce a price hike for the new year. In a regulatory filing, Hero MotoCorp said, “In order to partially offset the impact of the commodity costs, we will be increasing the prices of our products by up to Rs 1,500, with effect from January 1, 2021. The price hike will vary across models, and the exact quantum will be communicated to our dealers in due course.”

Petrol and diesel prices remained unchanged for fifth day in a row on Saturday (December 12) after being hiked for seven consecutive days. In the national capital, the price of petrol remained constant at ₹ 83.71 per litre with effect from 6 am on Saturday, and that of diesel was unchanged at ₹ 73.87 per litre, according to Indian Oil Corporation, the country’s largest fuel retailer. In Mumbai, petrol and diesel rates were at ₹ 90.34 per litre and ₹ 80.51 per litre respectively. In Delhi, petrol prices were hiked by ₹ 2.65 per litre and diesel prices have risen by ₹ 3.40 per litre in the last 20 days alone. The fuel prices in Mumbai are the highest among metros. The oil companies align the domestic fuel prices with global benchmarks by considering the changes in the foreign exchange levels. Domestic petrol and diesel prices vary across states due to value-added tax (VAT). The state-owned oil marketing firms Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum Cor...

The Indian government has been implementing several methods and schemes across the country to curb air pollution. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways is trying to create an ecosystem to accelerate faster adoption of electric vehicles in the country. Recently, the government announced that 69,000 petrol pumps across the country will get charging kiosks installed. The phase-II of the FAME scheme is already in place to promote faster adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles in India. The Transport Ministry is now giving providing special permissions for two-wheelers as a taxi. This was announced by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways of India, Nitin Gadkari, during the latest interaction session with FADA Governing Council Members. He has informed that the electric and biofuel operated two-wheelers can be used as a taxi with an electronic meter. The Cabinet Minister said, “We are giving special permission for two-wheeler as a taxi. The two-wheeler on electric a...

Earlier this year, rumours of Honda reviving the Transalp name emerged with talk of a smaller mid-size Africa Twin to be called the Transalp. Now, there’s still more rumours, this time from Japan, with publication Young Machine suggesting that the Honda Transalp may be making a return pretty soon. Young Machine has been quite accurate with its predictions and scoops on upcoming models from Japanese brands, so this time around, the buzz about the Honda Transalp may actually progress into a full-scale production model.

Yamaha Motor India has announced a new colour customisation option for its range of MT-15 motorcycles in India. Called ‘Customize Your Warrior’, the program is launched at the backdrop of positive response that came from the customers of the new Ice Fluo-Vermillion colour on the MT-15 motorcycle. Under this customisation program, interested customers can their preferred colour from 11 different colour combinations while purchasing the bike. It is worth noting that the bikes will be made by Yamaha based on the order received from the customers. The two-wheeler manufacturer will commence the deliveries of the customised bikes from January 2021. However, the Neon Green colour wheel model will be available for deliveries from March 2021 only. With this customisation program, Yamaha’s naked streetfighter will be available in 14 stylish colours, out of which 3 existing standard colours will be readily available at the dealerships. For the remaining 11 new colour combinations...

American cult-bike maker Harley-Davidson on Saturday said it is working with its new partner Hero MotoCorp to “ensure a smooth transition” for its customers in India, including after-sale services and warranty. Last month, Harley-Davidson and Hero MotoCorp announced their partnership for the Indian market. They have inked a distribution agreement, under which Hero MotoCorp will sell and service Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It will also sell parts and accessories and general merchandise riding gear and apparel through a network of brand-exclusive Harley-Davidson dealers and Hero’s existing dealership network in India. Harley-Davidson Managing Director (Asia Emerging Markets and India) Sajeev Rajasekharan said in a statement, “As we change our business model in India, we are pleased to be continuing our journey in the country together with Hero MotoCorp. We are working closely with Hero to ensure a smooth transition for our riders.” He further said the compan...

Triumph Motorcycles has unveiled the newest model in the Triumph Tiger family, the new Triumph Tiger 850 Sport, a road-focussed adventure bike, which will for the new entry-level model in the Tiger range. According to Triumph Motorcycles, the new Tiger 850 Sport is the perfect combination of the Tiger 900 triple engine set-up, and tailor-made high specification equipment and technology, which offers intuitive and all day easy-riding capability. The Tiger 850 Sport carries the core attributes of the new Tiger, but with more manageable performance, at a more accessible price. The Tiger 850 Sport shares the same basic engine as the new Tiger 900 range, so the 888 cc, inline three-cylinder engine remains the same, but with a slightly different state of tune to give it more accessible and manageable delivery of usable power and torque. On the Tiger 850 Sport, the engine makes 84 bhp at 8,500 rpm, while peak torque is 82 Nm at 6,500 rpm. According to Triumph, the T-Plane crank with its 1-3-2...

Royal Enfield launches the all-new Meteor 350 – Class-leading, thoroughbred cruiser | Supreme on open highways and sublime for city rides | All new, from the ground-up engine and chassis that inspires confidence and brings in new levels of refinement Comes with the all-new Royal Enfield Tripper – turn-by-turn navigation device for real time directions, built with Google Maps Platform Available in 7 colourways under 3 distinct editions – Fireball, Stellar and Supernova – with an additional 8 customizable colourways using the Royal Enfield Make It Yours tool | Starting at Rs. 1,75,817 (ex-showroom Chennai); Bookings commence today across the country New Delhi – Friday, November 6, 2020 : Royal Enfield, the global leader in the mid-size motorcycle segment (250cc-750cc), today announced the launch of its all-new Easy Cruiser, the Royal Enfield Meteor 350. The new Meteor 350 adds another chapter to Royal Enfield’s legacy of producing cruisers loved by their ride...

Bharat Petroleum Corp has put on hold its plans to expand its Bina refinery and install a secondary unit at its Mumbai refinery to boost efficiency pending privatisation of the company, its head of finance N. Vijayagopal said. The government wants to sell its 53.29 per cent stake in BPCL, the country’s second-largest state-run refiner, to raise funds to rein in a ballooning fiscal deficit. “It is for the new owner to decide whether they want and have the flexibility to add refining capacity,” Mr Vijaagopal told an analyst conference. BPCL wanted to install a residue fluid catalytic cracker at the Mumbai refinery and connect the plant with a new site where it wanted to build an ethylene cracker.

Iconic American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson and Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers by volume, have announced a new partnership for the India market. Under the new partnership and distribution agreement, Hero MotoCorp will sell and service Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and also sell parts and accessories, as well as general merchandise, riding gear and apparel through a network of brand-exclusive Harley-Davidson dealers and Hero’s existing dealership network in India. According to a press statement, as part of a new Licensing agreement, Hero MotoCorp will develop and sell a range of premium motorcycles under the Harley-Davidson brand name.

Kawasaki has unveiled the 2021 Z250 for Japan and other global markets with a bunch of upgrades. The 2021 Kawasaki Z250 comes with new colours, revised styling and a number of mechanical changes, keeping up with the new competition. In fact, this is the first major upgrade to the model since it was last updated for the 2019 model year. The quarter-litre Z Kwacker now gets two new colours to choose from – Pearl Night Shade Teal with Metallic Flat Spark Black and Candy Cardinal Red and Metallic Flat Spark Black. However, that’s just the first of many changes.

Harley-Davidson has announced the brand’s decision to discontinue sales and manufacturing operations in India, as part of the brand’s ‘Rewire’ strategy. Harley-Davidson India has released a press statement saying that the company will shut down its manufacturing facility in Bawal, and the sales office in Gurugram will be significantly reduced in size. carandbike has learnt that the made-in-India Harley-Davidson models, the Harley-Davidson Street 750 and the Harley-Davidson Street Rod will now be discontinued. According to a source, a decision to discontinue the Street range was taken months ago, and that is why Harley-Davidson India was offering massive discounts on these models. Only last month, Harley-Davidson announced massive price cuts on the Street range of motorcycles. The Street 750, India’s highest-selling Harley-Davidson motorcycle, is also the most affordable, and the company announced a price cut of ₹ 65,000, lowering the price to ₹ 4.69 lakh (E...