Fashion
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI), one of India’s leading two-wheeler manufacturers, is getting ready to launch a new affordable motorcycle in the 110 cc category. Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director, Sales and Marketing, HMSI, said that with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, a new customer has emerged who would like to shift from public transport to personal mobility. Keeping this new customer in mind, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India is working on an affordable motorcycle which will cater to both urban and semi-urban geographies.
“As we proceed towards Unlock 5.0, more and more people are focusing on personal mobility. Our market research shows there is a new customer who is not very comfortable at this stage of using public transport and would prefer an affordable two-wheeler. While we have launched the Hornet 2.0 and the H’Ness CB 350 in the premium segment, work is also on to introduce an affordable 110 cc motorcycle. At this stage, I can’t share a timeline on when we will introduce the product, but it will be introduced,” Guleria said during a one-on-one interaction.
According to Guleria, almost 95 percent of Honda’s sales and distribution network is now operational. While September wholesale despatches of two-wheelers have been encouraging, he cautioned that the real picture of the industry will emerge from actual retail sales. At this point, he said, there’s still some pent-up demand for two-wheelers which is being met. Going forward, the festive season is expected to usher in some cheer to two-wheeler sales as well, but he cautioned that sustainable growth in the industry will depend on how the economy and the overall sentiment shape up in the months ahead.
