Yamaha plans to launch more premium bikes in India as the company has not had much success with 100-110cc commuter bikes. It will continue to sell automatic scooters in the commuter segment as the company has seen some success in that area. The new premium bikes will start arriving from next year.
The company plans to revamp its existing bikes. The R15 Version 2.0 will be replaced with the Version 3.0, which is already being tested in India. The FZ and Fazer 250 will be given ABS as new government rules in India mandate ABS onall bikes above 125cc from April 2018.
By March 2019, a new Yamaha FZ250 will be launched in India. Since Yamaha launched the unfaired and faired versions of the FZ25 just this year, the new FZ250 is expected to be a completely different bike. Not many details about this bike are known currently except its code-name of 03A.
The company is also planning a brand new platform for India. This platform will support 300-400cc bikes, which are currently code-named 02R. The company is planning to launch bigger capacity bikes to cater to the growing set of buyers who want sporty, premium bikes at affordable price tags.
Hiroyuki Yanaga, the global president of Yamaha, said the following,
It is the world’s largest market and growing, and we want to have an aggressive plan for India. We don’t have a major presence in the mass market. Our plan is to focus on high-end segments and to create new sub-segments. We are going to be introducing some big-engine bikes soon and India will work as an export centre.
Many two wheeler companies are now focusing on premium segments as the margins in the commuter bike space are very thin. Premium bikes are not only profitable but are also good for the brand’s reputation in the long run. Yamaha is also developing an electric scooter for the Indian market.
Via ETAuto
