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      New Honda 300cc Scrambler Debuts – Royal Enfield Hunter Rival

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      Honda CL300 will be fun to ride on the streets and also seems ready for some mild off-roadsNew Honda 300cc Scrambler – CL300After showcasing CL500 scrambler at 2022 EICMA, Honda has now unveiled its smaller sibling CL300. For now, CL300 is a China exclusive motorcycle, where it has made its global debut. New Honda 300cc scrambler will be launched in China first, later this year. It will be manufactured by Sundiro Honda.In the near future, CL300 could also be introduced in other international markets, including India. When launched in India, it could take on the likes of Royal Enfield Hunter 350, Yezdi Scrambler, etc. Honda has already trademarked CL300 in other countries such as Thailand, New Zealand and Australia. European markets could also get this bike at a later date.Honda CL300 stylingHonda CL300 has a bare bones design, with round headlamps and rear-view mirrors. Other key highlights include all-LED setup, fork gaiters, a circular fully digital instrument pod, sculpted fuel tank with grip pads and flat seat in quilted pattern. Most distinguishable feature is the high-mounted exhaust with perforated heat shield cover in metallic finish.Riding stance is fairly comfortable with centrally placed footpegs and pulled-back handlebar. The bike’s design supports riding standing-up, which comes handy in no-road environments. Even shorter riders shouldn’t have any issues with this bike, as it has a low seat height of 790 mm. Tackling mild off-roads would be fun with ample ground clearance of 165 mm. Another advantageous factor is a lightweight 172 kg body, which is around 19 kg less than Honda Rebel 300.New Honda 300cc Scrambler – CL300CL300 is being offered in two variants, a Standard and a Premium version. The latter gets some additional goodies, which will appeal to folks who want their rides to carry a lot more flair and attitude. Honda CL300 Premium variant gets features such as compact body-coloured windscreen, raised front beak, body-coloured knuckle guards, side mounted tracker number plate and tan leather seat.Colour options for Honda CL300 include black, white and light grey. In case of the Standard variant, differentiation is pretty basic with the respective shade applied only on the fuel tank. Rest of the bike has a largely blacked-out profile. Visible metallic finish is seen on the headlamp casing, front suspension and exhaust heat shield.Honda CL300 engine, specsHonda CL300 borrows the 286cc, single cylinder motor from Rebel 300. This unit is also in use with Honda CB300R. However, on-board CL300, power output is at 25.7 hp. That’s 5 hp less, as compared to CB300R. The engine is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.New Honda 300cc Scrambler – CL300CL300’s main chassis is the same as Rebel, but it gets a different rear subframe that is taller. This change was necessitated to accommodate CL300’s flat single-piece seat. Suspension duties onboard Honda CL300 are performed by telescopic forks at front and a monoshock unit at rear.The bike has single disc brakes at both ends, integrated with dual-channel ABS. As compared to Rebel that has 16-inch wheels, Honda CL300 has 19-inch front and 17-inch rear wheels. These are shod with dual-purpose tyres, with a fatter unit at rear for enhanced traction. More

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      Honda Activa Hybrid Launch On 23rd Jan ? New Launch Teaser Out

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      There is a very high possibility that Honda 2W showcasing smart hybrid tech branded as H-Smart on January 23rdImage for illustration purpose.Honda 2W is currently the No 1 scooter manufacturer of India. Sales easily hover around 1.5 lakh units per month and peak at up to 2.5 lakh units per month during festive seasons. Honda markets Activa brand unlike anything else. We recently saw a glimpse of it in a billboard war between a few delivery apps.Honda 2W just dropped a new teaser on social media. According to this, Honda is planning to introduce a new tech on January 23rd, 2023. With words like H-Smart stealing the spotlight in the teaser, there is a lot to look forward to.Honda Activa Smart Hybrid Scooter?For years, Honda 2W used to come slapped with HET stickers on their scooters and motorcycles. It is abbreviated to Honda Eco Technology. This sticker used to be on almost every 2W that came out of the Honda factory in the BS4 era. Now, it is eSP. Honda says that eSP is a globally acclaimed technology to reduce friction and improve combustion.This eSP sticker is slapped on almost every Honda 2W post-BS6 transition. Based on Honda’s new teaser on social media, it seems like there is a new tech that the company is working on. This teaser clearly indicates a curated harmony between man and machine. In this case, a machine is not a literal machine. Instead, it is AI.New Honda Smart Hybrid Launch TeaserWe can also see a new term on top. It is H-Smart. The name indicates that Honda is developing a new kind of hybrid system that is aimed at improving efficiency and lowering the carbon footprint and running costs for owners. On the surface, it can be speculated that Honda is developing a new smart-hybrid system that has a separate battery and is recharged with regenerative tech like found on an EV.The hand of a machine and AI words indicate that Honda is using self-learning AI algorithms to observe and record user riding patterns and deploy best possible methods to recharge batteries via regeneration. Stop/start feature can also be a part of upcoming H-Smart tech. Considering Activa is their best-selling scooter, it could be the launch of Honda Activa Hybrid on 23rd Jan 2023.What To Expect?Something similar is found on Yamaha Fascino and Ray ZR. Yamaha claims 60 km/l fuel efficiency on these and few users swear by it as well. All Honda motorcycles with this new tech will get H-Smart branding on them to signify it.There is a possibility of Honda showcasing a high-voltage strong hybrid architecture as well. With around 0.5 kWh of battery and a starter motor/generator, Honda can offer around 10 to 15 km of pure electric range at around 40 km/h speed. For longer commutes, ICE is always at the user’s disposal. This would be a halo tech that won’t probably make it to budget vehicles.Whatever it is, is likely to be offered with budget commuters and scooter lineups to increase fuel efficiency figures. There would be a price hike accompanied with this new tech as well. Before introducing EVs, Honda seems to be keen on bringing hybrid tech to their 2W lineup. More

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      Two Wheeler Sales Dec 2022 – Hero, Honda, TVS, Bajaj, Royal Enfield, Suzuki

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      The two wheeler segment saw YoY sales increase in domestic markets while exports took a significant dipImage – Throttle 98India has the largest two wheeler market in the world and Hero MotoCorp has been at the helm for some time now. Taking the leading 6 two wheeler makers into account – Hero MotoCorp, Honda, TVS, Bajaj Auto, Enfield and Suzuki, – sales in domestic markets in the past month increased by 4.70 percent YoY while MoM sales dipped. Exports on the other hand suffered a decline on both counts thus putting YoY and MoM wholesales into the red.Total two wheeler sales in domestic markets stood at 10,02,136 units in Dec 2022, up 4.70 percent from 9,57,189 units sold in Dec 2021. This was a volume growth of 44,947 units. MoM sales however, dipped 14.89 percent from 11,77,515 units sold in Nov 2022 relating to a 1,75,379 unit volume de-growth.Two Wheeler Domestic Sales Dec 2022Hero MotoCorp was at No. 1 in Dec 2022 with a YoY and MoM increase in sales. Sales in the past month stood at 3,81,365 units, up 1.84 percent over 3,74,485 units sold in Dec 2021. The company had also sold 3,75,839 units in Nov 2022 relating to a 0.40 percent MoM growth. The company commands a 38.06 percent share on this list.Honda two wheeler sales in the past month improved 10.70 percent YoY to 2,33,151 units, up from 2,10,612 units sold in Dec 2021. MoM sales on the other hand fell 34.05 percent from 3,53,540 units sold in Nov 2022. Honda has announced an upcoming electric two wheeler in 2023. It will use the same platform as seen on the Activa 6G and Activa 125 and is expected to be priced at around Rs 1.10 lakh (ex-showroom).Two wheeler sales Dec 2022 – DomesticTVS Motor also noted a rise in YoY sales by 9.95 percent to 1,61,369 units in Dec 2022 while MoM sales dipped 15.84 percent. The company had sold 1,91,730 units in Nov 2022. Bajaj Auto sales fell 1.62 percent YoY to 1,25,525 units from 1,27,593 units sold in Dec 2021. The company noted a MoM growth of 1.65 percent from 1,23,490 units sold in Nov 2022. Royal Enfield saw its sales dip 8.23 percent YoY and 9.03 percent MoM to 59,821 units while Suzuki domestic wholesales increased 25.67 percent YoY but dipped 35.23 percent MoM to 40,905 units.Two wheeler exports Dec 2022Two Wheeler Exports Dec 2022In export markets, total wholesales stood at 2,49,216 units, down 26.76 percent YoY from 3,40,253 units sold in Dec 2021. MoM exports also fell 5.07 percent from 2,62,525 units shipped in Nov 2022. In global markets, it was Bajaj Auto that led the segment with 1,21,499 units exported which was 50 percent of total exports. However it was a YoY de-growth of 36.45 percent from 1,91,176 units shipped in Dec 2022 while MoM exports also dropped 12.36 percent over 1,38,630 units sold in Nov 2022.TVS exports also fell YoY and MoM by 25.20 percent and 7.81 percent respectively to 66,297 units while exports of Suzuki grew YoY by 23.70 percent and MoM by 41.99 percent to 23,007 units. Honda exports were at 17,020 units, a 30.83 percent YoY growth while exports fell MoM by 13.52 percent. The list also included Hero MotoCorp with a 36.84 percent YoY de-growth in wholesales to 12,814 units while on a MoM basis, exports improved by 15.51 percent from 11,093 units exported in Nov 2022. Royal Enfield trailed this list with 8,579 units in Dec 2022 with a YoY growth of 0.32 percent and MoM growth of 71.37 percent.Two wheeler total Dec 2022Total wholesales in the past month thus dipped 3.55 percent to 12,51,352 units in Dec 2022, down from 12,97,442 units sold in Dec 2021. MoM sales also suffered a de-growth of 13.10 percent from 14,40,040 units sold in Nov 2022. Every two wheeler maker on this list posted a YoY de-growth except for Honda which improved 11.87 percent while on a MoM basis, it was Hero MotoCorp that posted a 0.83 percent growth in wholesales. More

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      Ather 450x Electric Scooter New Colours, Bigger Seat – Details Leak

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      The new colours are different from what Ather is offering with 450X and 450 Plus in the form of Space Grey, White and Mint GreenAther 450x Electric Scooter New ColoursAther Energy was the first among premium electric scooters that are currently flooding the Indian EV market. Manufacturers like Ola, TVS and Chetak launched their products later. Ather Energy is forming a lifestyle-oriented product lineup with a lot of sporty characters.Ever since Ola scooters are launched in India, they have somewhat stolen Ather’s thunder of being the go-to EV manufacturer for premium electric scooters. Crashing Ather’s party further are TVS, Chetak and even upcoming Simple Energy. To stay relevant in the game, Ather continues to update their electric scooters with new features, larger battery, etc. They are once again getting ready to launch an update.Ather Electric Scooter New ColoursEarlier this week, Ather announced that on the 7th Jan, they have organized a Community Day. Apart from meeting their customers and fans, Ather is also expected to reveal their future plans about upcoming electric motorcycles, scooters, etc. Apart from that, they will be launching new colours for the existing range of 450x electric scooters.Details about new colour options with Ather 450x, have now leaked. They are Cosmic Black, Lunar Grey, Salt Green and a ravishing Red shade as well. These are different from White, Space Grey and Mint Green that are on offer with 450X. Hat tip to automotive enthusiast Jasmeet Singh for sharing these exclusive spy shots.Ather 450x Electric Scooter New Colours – Cosmic BlackEngine specs continue to be the same as before. Ather 450X Gen 3 gets a 3.66 kWh battery pack which is larger by 1.33 kWh than Ather 450X Gen 2’s 2.23 kWh battery pack. Gen 3 also gets a 3-phase Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor that makes 1 kW more peak power than 450X Gen 2.Ather 450x Electric Scooter New Seat – Bigger, BetterBigger Seat, More ComfortApart from the new colours, leaked images also show a revised seat. From what can be seen, it looks like the Ather electric scooter seat has now become longer, wider and offers better contour – designed to deliver improved comfort to rider as well as pillion.Later this year, Ather is expected to launch a more affordable electric scooter, which will sit below the 450x and 450 Plus in the company lineup. It will be aimed at taking on the recently launched Ola S1 Air, priced from just Rs 80k. With this upcoming budget electric scooter, Ather might offer a smaller battery, cast iron or steel space frame chassis, less range, less performance and less features than 450 Plus.Ather 450x Electric Scooter New Colours – Lunar GreyThere will be an attempt to match Ola S1 Air’s pricing strategy as well (launch price 80K, current price 85K). With Government subsidies coming to an end in coming years, EV makers have to start working on making tangible and less expensive vehicles to fit into the bright EV world. More details will be revealed on Ather’s Community day tomorrow.Ather 450x Electric Scooter New Colours – Salt Green More

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      Honda Joins Zomato, Blinkit Viral Ad – Scooter Mangoge, Activa Denge

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      Honda Activa is the highest selling scooter in India – And that too by a huge marginHonda Activa is no 1 selling scooter of IndiaBillboard wars are common sightings in most parts of the world. We have seen Ford and Chevy by General Motors often indulge in billboard wars. Other notable billboard wars are from Coca-Cola and Pepsi and so on. In India, outside a mall, there was a billboard war between delivery apps Zomato and Blinkit.A dialogue from a Bollywood movie was used as a template here. You must be wondering why we are writing about delivery app billboard tussles, right? That is because HMSI (Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India) swooped right in and used this theme to market its Activa lineup for good measure.Scooter Mangoge, Activa DengeZomato’s billboard read ‘kheer mangoge, kheer denge’, while Blinkit’s billboard read ‘doodh mangoge, doodh denge’. Netflix too joined, saying ‘Wednesday mangoge, Friday denge’. Honda saw a marketing opportunity here and got a billboard installed which read “Scooter mangoge, Activa denge”. This is a nod to how popular Activa has become in today’s date.Not just today’s date, Activa has been dominating the scooter market for years now. With sales easily hovering around 1.5 lakh units and peaking at around 2.5 lakh units during festive season, Activa is notoriously known to have decimated its rivals in terms of sales. In 2022, Honda sold a whopping 20,12,515 units of Activa.Honda joins viral ad of Zomato, BlinkitWhen opposed to 6,68,829 and 4,39,500 units of Jupiter and Access, Activa sales are far ahead. If top 10 scooters are concerned, Activa’s sales will be greater than the first 7 or 8 highest-selling scooter sales combined. If you take a look at the table below, it is evident that Activa sales are almost more than triple as opposed to the immediate next highest-selling scooter.Honda scooter sales in Jan – Nov 2022Very few scooters in the Indian market have achieved such legendary status. Some of the others include Chetak by Bajaj, a word synonymous with scooters in its glory days. Chetak is now resurrected in an EV form by Bajaj Auto.Activa is Scooter, Scooter is ActivaThe Activa name is so popular that even Honda chose to use just one of its brands to market their scooter supremacy. Other scooters in Honda’s arsenal include Dio and Grazia. There used to be Navi and Cliq in Honda India’s scooter portfolio, which have been axed for good reasons.With an upcoming electric scooter in the pipeline, it is highly likely that Honda will try to associate with Activa brand in some way to establish familiarity in its maiden EV venture. This upcoming EV by Honda is set to see the light of day by the end of this year. More

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      Honda 2W Sales Dec 2022 Growth – Activa, Dio, Shine, Grazia, CB350

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      Honda reported YoY growth of 11.87 percent in Dec 2022 while MoM sales fell by as much as 32.97 percentHonda CB350Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) sales in December 2022 stood at 2,50,171 units relating to a growth of 11.87 percent. The company had sold 2,23,621 units in Dec 2021 with a 26,550 unit volume growth.Honda two wheeler sales in the past month reported growth both in terms of domestic sales and exports. Domestic sales were higher by 10.70 percent YoY to 2,33,151 units in Dec 2022 from 2,10,612 units sold in Dec 2021.Honda 2W Sales Dec 2022Domestic sales commanded a 93.20 percent share. Exports on the other hand improved by 30.83 percent YoY to 17,020 units up from 13,009 units sold in Dec 2021 with a 6.80 percent share. It was the likes of Activa, CB Shine, Dio, Grazia and CB350 which helped post sales growth in the domestic market.MoM sales on the other hand dipped 32.97 percent. De-growth was seen both in terms of domestic sales and exports which fell 34.05 percent and 13.52 percent respectively from 3,53,540 units and 19,681 units sold in Nov 2022.Honda Sales Dec 2022Honda 2W CY 2022 SalesTaking into account sales during the calendar year (Jan-Dec) 2022, Honda has noted an 11.94 percent growth. Sales in the first quarter were in the red with de-growth reported across Jan, Feb and Mar to end Q1 with 9,10,472 units, down 25.58 percent from 12,23,375 units sold in Q1 2021. Thereafter sales improved across each month. Q2 2022 ended with a 102.54 percent growth to 9,95,156 units from 4,91,331 units sold in Q2 2021 while H1 2022 sales were up 11.13 percent to 19,05,628 units from 17,14,707 units sold in H1 2021.Honda Sales 2022Q3 2022 sales saw a 9.07 percent increase to 13,14,894 units form 12,05,568 units sold in Q3 2021 and Q4 sales improved by 17.56 percent, thus ending H2 2022 with a 12.61 percent growth to 23,27,577 units from 20,66,973 units sold in H2 2021.Honda 2w In 2022During the course of 2022, Honda saw many achievements. The company announced the limited DIO sports edition and Honda Shine edition along with the 2022 Activa Premium Edition. It achieved 1 crore unit sales for the Shine 125cc and over 2 lakh sales for the Honda Grazia 125 in the eastern region.The past year also saw the launch of the new 2022 Africa Twin Adventure Sports in India while the company brought in the 2022 Gold Wing Tour to India via completely built-up (CBU) route from Japan. There was also the 2022 CB300R and CBR650R models launched in the country in two colour schemes of Grand Prix Red and Matte Gunpowder Black Metallic. BigWing dealerships made their way to 31 new cities in India. More

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      Yamaha Launches In 2023 – Neo’s Electric Scooter, ADV 250cc, R7

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      Even though MT-07 was not seen in recent teaser, it could very well be one of upcoming launches from Yamaha in 2023Yamaha E01 Electric ScooterGlobally, Yamaha has an extensive portfolio that is spread across varied segments. If you look at the company’s portfolio in India, there are no budget commuter motorcycles or scooters on offer. Yamaha only has premium commuters and above and premium 125cc scooters and above.For a principle like this, one would think that Yamaha would bring its slew of big bikes in India. But that is not the case. Yamaha’s flagship in India is YZF-R15, a sporty 150cc machine. As far as displacement is concerned, 250cc is the max and there is a big void in the company’s EV realm as well.For 2023, upcoming launches from Yamaha are set to fill some voids, while some are likely to still be wide open. Yamaha is set to bring at least one EV, some of its big bikes and expand its quarter-liter motorcycle portfolio in India. Let’s take a look.Yamaha FZ-X25Everyone loves nostalgia and if there is a motorcycle that evokes it in them, it is an instant hit. This is exactly what Royal Enfield brings to the table and is by far the most dominating player in the Neo-retro motorcycle segment. Some new entrants have tried to grab a piece of this pie as well. We have Honda CB350, Jawa, and Yezdi.Off-road FZ-XEven though Yamaha is bringing the legendary RX moniker back, it will materialise in 2025 or beyond. In the meantime, we are likely to get a 250cc version of FZ-X. Also, an ADV based on FZ-X with its 150cc or 250cc engine.Neo’s Electric ScooterEver since they were displayed to dealers in India, launch of Yamaha’s electric scooters was pretty much expected. Which one, was the main question. There were two electric scooters showcased, E01 and Neo’s. Of the two, Neo’s is the one that is more likely to make it to India as opposed to E01 maxi-styled electric scooter. When launched, prices might go north of Rs. 2 lakh.Yamaha R7Even though we wish for the launch of R1, we are still glad that a big bike from Team Blue is becoming a reality after ages. Yamaha YZF-R7 is the spiritual successor of R6 and has split opinions across the world as R7 misses out on a 4-cylinder symphony.Yamaha R7Instead, R7 gets a 689 cc inline twin-cylinder engine that makes 73 bhp of power and 67 Nm of torque. With only 188 kg to lug around, R7 is a potent middle-weight sport motorcycle. A price upwards of Rs. 9-10 Lakh is expected when launched in 2023.MT-09 & MT-07Recently, Yamaha teased R7 and MT-09 officially. Yamaha is not only bringing its 700cc portfolio to India, but also its 900cc equipped MT-09. In the teaser, MT-07 was not present and hence, is less likely to make it to India. MT-07 is essentially a street naked version of R7.Yamaha MT-09 with TN number platesHowever, MT-09 is an entirely different animal. Powered by an 890cc, inline 3-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that dishes out close to 120 bhp and 93 Nm of torque. This will take the battle to new Ducati Monster and 2023 Triumph Street Triple R. More

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      Bajaj Auto Sales Dec 2022 – Pulsar, Platina, Dominar, Chetak

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      Bajaj Auto has posted a YoY decline of 23 percent in 2W sales while total sales also dipped 22 percent YoYBajaj Dominar 200 in BrazilBajaj Auto Limited has seen its sales dip significantly in December 2022. Total sales were down 22 percent YoY to 2,81,486 units from 3,62,470 units sold in Dec 2021 relating to a massive 80,984 unit volume de-growth. Sales fell both in terms of two wheeler domestic sales and exports while in CV sales positive growth was seen in domestic markets while exports suffered from lower sales.Commercial vehicle sales performed somewhat better in domestic markets, noting a 25 percent YoY growth to 23,030 units from 18,386 units sold in Dec 2021. Exports on the other hand dipped 55 percent YoY to 11,432 units from 25,315 units shipped in the same month of the previous year.Bajaj Auto Sales Dec 2022Two wheeler sales of Bajaj Auto dipped 2 percent YoY to 1,25,525 units in Dec 2022, down from 1,27,593 units sold in Dec 2021. Exports suffered a more substantial de-growth, down 36 percent YoY to 1,21,499 units from 1,91,176 units sold in Dec 2021. This took total sales in the 2W segment down 23 percent to 2,47,024 units in Dec 2022, from 3,18,769 units sold in Dec 2021 relating to a 71,745 unit volume de-growth.Total sales (2W+CV) stood at 1,48,555 units in domestic markets, up 2 percent YoY over 1,45,979 units sold in Dec 2021 while exports dipped 39 percent to 1,32,931 units in the past month from 2,16,491 units sold in Dec 2021. In the two wheeler segment, it was the Pulsar, Platina, Avenger, Dominar, CT as well as the Chetak electric scooter – that performed.Bajaj Auto Sales Dec 2022Bajaj Auto also posted de-growth on a YTD (April-Dec) basis. Total sales stood at 30,67,934 units in the 2022 period, down 8 percent from 33,31,782 units sold in the same period of 2021. Again it was domestic sales of 2W (13,90,698 units) that grew 7 percent during this period while exports fell 21 percent to 13,26,541 units.Bajaj Auto Sales YTD Dec 2022CV sales in domestic markets improved by 81 percent on YTD basis while exports dipped 38 percent to 1,49,994 units. Total (2W+CV) sales in domestic markets increased 13 percent to 15,91,399 units while exports fell 23 percent to 14,76,535 units.Bajaj Two Wheeler Sales CY 2022Taking into account sales during the Jan to Dec 2022 period, Bajaj Auto has seen a 4.17 percent de-growth to 16,84,884 units in the 2022 period from 17,58,192 units sold in CY 2021. 8 out of 12 months of CY 2022 saw sales in the red. The company ended Q1 2022 down 30.45 percent to 3,26,438 units from 4,69,343 units sold in Q1 of CY 2021.Bajaj Two Wheeler Sales 2022 – DomesticQ2  2022 also ended with a de-growth of 7.15 percent to 3,10,006 units from 3,33,863 units sold in Q2 2021 while Q3 2022 saw more positive sales, up 25.20 percent. Sales in this period of 2022 stood at 6,05,615 units from 4,83,702 units sold in Q3 2021. However, Bajaj Auto slipped again in Q4 2022 by 6.04 percent but ended H2 2022 with a 9.79 percent growth to 10,48,440 units from 9,54,986 units sold in H2 2021. The Chakan based two wheeler maker also has several upcoming launches that could set the trend in 2023. More