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      Benelli Keeway 250cc Cruiser Price Likely To Be More Than RE Classic 350

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      Keeway K-Lite 250V offers a unique proposition of a low-slung cruiser with a V-Twin engine and a belt driveBenelli Keeway 250cc Cruiser. Image – ThrustzoneKeeway is a Hungarian brand that Chinese motorcycle manufacturer QJ Motors now own. The brand recently debuted in India with two premium scooters Sixties 300i and Vieste 300. Keeway is expected to launch K-Lite 250V in India soon and pricing for the cruiser is leaked at dealer level.The cruiser motorcycle was expected to be priced around the ballpark of Royal Enfield Meteor 350. But recent leaks reveal that prices of the upcoming cruiser by Keeway are around that of Royal Enfield’s 650 twins. Even though more mature and established products like the Interceptor 650 and Continental GT 650 seem to crush Keeway on paper, the story is quite different in reality.Benelli Keeway 250cc CruiserKeeway in Europe is known for making motorcycles that resemble Harley-Davidson products. K-Lite 250V seems to take the same route. It has a lot of bits and parts that easily resemble Harley-Davidson’s sporty motorcycles. Despite being a typical cruiser, it gets little to negligible chrome on body, making it look new-age and sporty.The motorcycle looks like the company’s own K-Lite 125, but on steroids. It gets a chunkier seat, USD forks, fuel tank and tyres. Despite a low seat height of 715 mm, it has a decent 160 mm of ground clearance which will appeal a lot to Indians. The seat is a single-piece unit with a stepped layout. The pillion also gets a backrest.Benelli Keeway 250cc CruiserThe front suspension gets USD forks and a twin-shock setup at the rear. On the front, tyre size is a fat 120/80 wrapped around a 16” alloy wheel. At the back, it gets a 140/70 tyre wrapped around a 16” alloy wheel. Keeway K-Lite 250V also gets a single disc setup at both ends with the safety net of dual-channel ABS. In terms of features, K-Lite 250V gets LED headlights with integrated LED DRLs, LED indicators mounted on the flat handlebar, a digital instrument cluster mounted on the tank, a large 20L fuel tank and a bash plate for engine protection.Speaking of the engine, this will be the main concern for potential customers. It is a long-stroke V-twin, 249 cc, air-cooled engine that makes only 18.7 bhp @8500 RPM and 19 Nm @5500 RPM. The engine sits on a double cradle chassis and powers the rear wheel via a belt drive. In isolation, performance figures aren’t that bad. But if we bring price and competition into the equation, K-Lite 250V is blown out of the water.Benelli Keeway 250cc Cruiser PricesThe rumoured prices start from Rs. 3.5 lakh in Delhi, Rs. 3.65 lakh in Chennai, Rs. 3.7 lakh in Pune, Rs. 3.8 lakh in Bengaluru and Rs. 3.92 lakh in Hyderabad (all prices on-road). This lands Keeway K-Lite 250V straight into Royal Enfield 650 twin’s ballpark. Both Royal Enfield motorcycles make more than double the power and torque figures that Keeway’s upcoming cruiser makes.Benelli Keeway 250cc CruiserBut that’s not the whole picture. Keeway is all about providing a quintessential cruiser bike feel to the masses. It offers a V-twin engine unlike a parallel-twin engine offered by the competition. V-twin engines are more expensive and complicated to manufacture and they provide a feel and sound that parallel-twin engines can’t. Typical cruiser bikes like Harley-Davidson and Indian use V-twins for that very reason.It also gets a belt drive which has low maintenance and offers a silky-smooth ride aiding its cruising credentials. K-Lite 250V is light on its feet at 179 kg, unlike the competition. Given its low 249 cc displacement, it is expected to be frugal and if we couple this fact with the 20L fuel tank, it will have a very impressive tank range.Specs on paper fail to explain how a motorcycle feels. After all, a motorcycle is all about the feeling it invokes in the rider’s heart. For a quintessential cruiser bike feel, we think that the premium Keeway is probably worth it. Sales will be taken care by Benelli India dealer network, which is also where the Keeway motorcycles and scooters are on display.Source More

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      Honda Sales May 2022 – Activa, Dio, CB350, Unicorn, Shine

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      Honda has registered growth in domestic and exports with a 507 percent YoY increase in two wheeler sales in May 2022Image for reference.Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has seen outstanding growth in May 2022. Sales increase could be attributed to several market relaxations coupled by favourable monsoons and harvest season while schools and colleges open after months of work from home situations.Honda sales (domestic + exports) in May 2022 stood at 3,53,188 units, up 507.19 percent over 58,168 units sold in May 2021. This was volume growth of 2,95,020 units. May 2021 figures cannot really be taken as a benchmark as the month saw the second wave of COVID-19 strike the country, leading to lockdown which further impacted production operations.Honda Sales May 2022 – Two wheelersThe company registered a 727.71 percent growth in domestic sales with 3,20,844 units sold in the past month, up from 38,763 units sold in May 2021. This was a volume growth of 2,82,081 units with a 90.84 percent share. Exports on the other hand increased 66.68 percent to 32,344 units in May 2022, up 12,939 units over 19,405 units shipped in May 2021. Leading in sales from Honda are the likes of Activa, CB Shine, Dio, Grazia, Hness CB350, Unicorn, etc.Total Month-on-Month (MoM) sales (domestic + exports) suffered a 2.17 percent de-growth. Sales which had stood at 3,61,027 units in April 2022, dipped to 3,53,188 units in May 2022, leading to a 7,839 dip in volumes. Domestic sales increased marginally by 0.66 percent to 3,20,844 units from 3,18,732 units sold in April 2022 while exports dipped 23.53 percent over 42,295 units shipped in April 2022.Honda Two Wheeler Sales May 2022Honda Two Wheeler May 2022 HighlightsNoting higher demand for electric vehicles in India and with no product for India in the EV space, Honda has plans to enter the electric mobility space in the not too distant future. The company will also be focusing on developing flex-fuel technologies along with fully electric two-wheelers for the Indian market.Once launched, Honda will be the second two wheeler maker in India after TVS to introduce Flex Fuel bikes. These bikes run on both petrol and ethanol. Honda does have its flex-fuel motorcycle CG150 TITAN MIX and NXR 150 Bros Mix and BIZ 125 Flex but these are not on sale in India as they are exclusive to Brazilian markets.In April 2022, Honda Two Wheeler also introduced the Gold Wing Tour bike in India. It is priced at Rs 39.20 lakhs (ex-showroom) and comes in as a CBU. The 2022 Gold Wing Tour is powered by a 1,833cc, 6-cylinder engine that offers 124.7 hp power at 5,500 rpm and 170 Nm torque at 4,500 rpm mated to a 7 speed dual-clutch transmission with creep function.Dealership expansion was also conducted through the month of May 2022 with Honda BigWing outlets opened up in Muvattupuzha and Attingal (Kerala) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh). The company undertook a road safety awareness campaign in Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Ghaziabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Bongaigaon (Assam) and ran a road safety camp for children in the age groups of 8-14 in Hyderabad along with the local Traffic Police. More

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      2023 KTM 390 Duke New Gen Spied In India For First Time

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      While next-gen KTM 390 Duke will debut later this year in international markets, launch in India is likely in first half of 20232023 KTM Duke 390After launching updated versions of 390 Adventure and RC 390 in May, KTM has started working towards introducing new-gen 390 Duke in India. KTM 390cc bikes are currently the top selling KTM bikes in the country. They are also the most exported KTM bikes from India. All KTM and Husqvarna bikes are manufactured at Bajaj Auto’s Chakan facility near Pune.While new-gen 390 Duke was earlier spotted on road tests in Europe, this is the first time it’s been seen in India. The test mule was fully camouflaged and appeared close to production-ready form. It is evident that the bike packs in a range of updates for a sportier look and feel.KTM 390 Duke Next-Gen stylingFront fascia of new-gen 390 Duke has been updated with a more aggressive headlamp. Functionality of the headlamp will be retained, which is claimed to offer improved visibility in low light and dark conditions. The bike can be seen with new tank shrouds that are much sharper as compared to that of current model. Towards the tail section, the bike appears to have added some new panels. Overall, the bike’s design aesthetics seems to be closely following its larger sibling, the 1290 Super Duke R.Beyond the skin, the bike can be seen using an updated cast aluminium subframe. This again appears similar to that of larger capacity Dukes. Swingarm has also been updated with a new, asymmetrical unit. The current model has the standard, flat bar swingarm design. Some features like the lightweight alloy wheels have been borrowed from KTM’s updated RC range.In other updates, placement of the front disc has been changed to right side. The bike has been equipped with an underbelly exhaust, which enhances its sporty profile. The current model utilizes an upswept exhaust that comes in dual-tone black-metallic finish.With these changes, KTM appears to be targeting multiple improvements. It includes reducing the bike’s weight and enhancing control and handling. With improved power to weight ratio, performance could also get a boost.New TFT consoleNew-gen KTM 390 Duke will have an updated TFT display with revised layout. It can now display more information, as compared to the one used with current model. It is possible that new features like turn-by-turn navigation could be added. Some new connectivity features could also be on the cards. Another update could be emergency brake light system, which activates during hard braking. In this situation, all indicators are flashed at the same time to warn other road users.While the engine casing seems new, it is not certain if there will be any direct performance improvements. The current model is powered by a 373.2cc liquid cooled motor that generates max power of 43.5 hp and peak torque of 37 Nm. It is mated to a 6-speed transmission. The engine is integrated with a quickshifter and slipper clutch. With the updates, new-gen KTM 390 Duke price could exceed the Rs 3 lakh mark. The current model is available at a starting price of somewhere around Rs 2.90 lakh. More

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      New BMW 310 RR Fully Faired Motorcycle Based On Apache 310 – 15th July Launch

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      BMW India has shared a teaser of an upcoming new motorcycle, which will be launched on 15th July 2022BMW G310 RR Fully Faired Motorcycle – RenderIn recent years, BMW Motorrad and TVS Motor partnership has been one of the most fruitful tie-ups. As we already know that TVS develops and manufactures BMW’s entry-level motorcycles G 310 R and G 310 GS. Both these bikes are based on the 310cc platform which TVS utilises for its own faired sports bike Apache RR 310.Although BMW has not been able to replicate its international success with the G 310 twins in India, TVS has enjoyed a decent run with its flagship super sports tourer motorcycle. Now, a new teaser suggests that this 310cc platform will be used for the launch of a new bike.BMW 310 RR Or G 310 RR Or S 310 RBMW India has announced the launch of a new motorcycle on 15th July 2022. Along with the Block Your Date mail, BMW has also shared a teaser image, which shows the tail light of the upcoming motorcycle. It is the same tail light which we have seen on Apache 310 RR.More or less, this new motorcycle teaser indicates the launch of a fully faired BMW 310. The launch of a fully faired version of BMW 310 has always been rumoured. But this is the first time an official invite and teaser has been shared.BMW India Teases New Motorcycle – 310RR Fully FairedUpcoming BMW 310 RR – DesignJust like the current lot of 310 range, the upcoming BMW 310 RR will also be manufactured by TVS at their plant in Hosur. It is likely to be heavily inspired by the Apache 310. Headlight and tail light units are likely to be similar, so as to save costs. Fairing unit might be slightly different in design, inspired by BMW design language.Another difference will be the colour option. As can be seen in the teaser, the BMW RR310 is wearing the traditional BMW colours of White and Blue. Features on offer will also be the same and include a 5 inch colour display with bluetooth connectivity, dual channel ABS, slipper clutch, ride by wire, etc.Upcoming BMW 310 RR – SpecsEngine specs are likely to be the same as that of the current BMW 310. It will be powered by a 312.2cc single cylinder liquid cooled engine delivering 34 PS @ 9700 rpm and 27.3 Nm @ 7700 rpm. These are the peak output figures, achieved in Sport and Track mode. These will be lowered to 25.8 PS @ 7600 rpm and 25 Nm @ 6700 rpm in Urban and Rain mode. Transmission is via a 6 speed unit.With chassis and mechanicals the same, performance will also be similar to the Apache. BMW 310 RR will have a top speed of 160 kmph. It does a 0-100 kmph acceleration in 7.17 seconds. Front suspension will be via USD forks while rear will get a two arm aluminium swingarm. More details are expected to be revealed in the coming days. Price of BMW 310 RR will be higher than Apache 310, which is priced at Rs 2.65 lakh, ex-sh. More

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      Royal Enfield Sales May 2022 – Classic, Bullet, Himalayan, 650 Twins

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      Royal Enfield domestic sales in May 2022 were at 53,525 units as compared to 20,073 units sold in May 2021Royal Enfield 350cc Custom By EimorEicher Motors Limited has released domestic sales and export figures of Royal Enfield motorcycles for May 2022. The company has done well on both counts with a 133.18 percent YoY growth and has also reported a 2.39 percent MoM growth. Total sales in the past month stood at 63,643 units up 133.18 percent over 27,294 units sold in May 2021. This was volume growth of 36,349 units.Royal Enfield May 2022 SalesIn domestic markets, sales increased 166.65 percent YoY to 53,525 units, up from 20,027 units sold in May 2021 leading to volume growth of 33,452 units with an 84.10 percent holding. MoM sales improved 2.39 percent from 62,155 units sold in April 2022. In the same month, Domestic sales dipped 0.61 percent from 53,852 units sold in April 2022 while holding an 86.64 percent share.Exports on the other hand increased 40.12 percent YoY to 10,118 units, up from 7,221 units sold in May 2021 with 2,897 unit volume growth and 15.90 percent. MoM exports improved 21.86 percent from 8,303 units shipped in April 2022 leading to a 1,815 unit volume growth.Royal Enfield found more demand for its sub 350cc bikes in May 2022 as compared to sales in the above 350cc segment. Sales in this More

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      New TVS Zepplin R Cruiser To Launch With Apache Engine?

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      TVS is likely to put one of the engines from their Apache series instead of the mild-hybrid engine found on the conceptNew TVS Zepplin R Cruiser – Production spec renderHistorically speaking, TVS has never launched a cruiser. The company has found massive success with mopeds, scooters, commuters, and street motorcycles. Unlike Bajaj which offered cruisers like Avenger series, TVS has no cruiser on offer. But that is likely to change soon.TVS had showcased a cruiser concept at 2018 Auto Expo named Zeppelin. It was a stunning-looking cruiser motorcycle with a high-tech mild-hybrid powertrain. The modern cruiser concept created a lot of buzz in the Indian automotive industry. It was back in the news in 2020, when TVS trademarked the name Zepplin R in India. But TVS watered-down enthusiasts’ enthusiasm earlier this year when it stated that Zeppelin was not meant for production.New TVS Zepplin R CruiserInterestingly, the name of the concept unveiled back in 2018, was Zeppelin while the nam registered by TVS in 2020 is Zepplin R. There is a minor difference in the spelling, as well as the suffix R has been added. Technically, TVS has said no to Zeppelin, but they never said anything about the Zepplin R.A new report suggests that TVS is gearing up to launch Zepplin R soon! If these rumours are true, TVS has done a commendable job by staying under the radar. We say this because the motorcycle has never been caught testing on the road. With a population as big as India’s, no one has ever spied the Zepplin undergoing test on public road, yet. There was a TVS motorcycle test mule that was spied some time back. But that was more of a Yamaha FZX rival, and not a cruiser.New TVS Zepplin R CruiserZepplin R is named after a type of German airship that was used for strategic air raids under the German Second and Third Reich. TVS first showcased the motorcycle at 2018 Auto Expo and it was a captivating design. The motorcycle has the typical low-slung cruiser form factor with an accommodating single-piece stepped seat.But unlike typical cruisers with handlebars at easy reach for the rider, Zepplin R has a flat and wide handlebar. This provides a slightly sporty riding posture. At the front, it has a hexagonal headlight assembly with integrated LED DRLs which lends a futuristic appeal. The front fascia is also amplified with chunky USD forks finished in gold colour.Specs and LaunchZepplin R gets wire-spoke wheels at both ends finished in black. It also gets a single disc at both ends and dual-channel ABS. We also admired the beefy oil-cooling system and a substantial bash plate protecting the engine. The concept was finished in brown shade and we can expect more colour options if TVS launches the motorcycle.New TVS Zepplin R CruiserThe concept was powered by a 220 cc single-cylinder petrol engine coupled with a mild-hybrid system assisting in energy recuperation with a 48V Li-ion battery. This engine connected the rear wheels via a belt drive aiding in reliability and low maintenance.TVS hasn’t made any official announcements regarding the launch of Zepplin R. But if rumours are true, TVS is very likely to ditch the 220 cc mild-hybrid engine in favour of an engine from Apache series. TVS can couple it with a 200 cc engine from Apache RTR 200 4V and pit it against Bajaj Avenger series or Suzuki Intruder. Or, TVS might couple the upcoming motorcycle with a 312 cc engine from Apache RR310 and pit it against 350cc motorcycles from Royal Enfield stables, Honda H’ness CB350, Jawa motorcycles and Yezdi motorcycles.Latter makes more sense than the former as retro-classic motorcycles with engine capacities around 300 cc are all the rage in India currently. If priced well, we can expect Zepplin R to be a very potent product in the Indian market.Source More

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      Hero Vida Electric Scooter Launch Delayed To End 2022 – Here’s Why

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      Upon launch of the upcoming Hero Vida electric scooter from Hero MotoCorp, it will take on the likes of Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQubeImage for reference.After months of anticipation, Hero MotoCorp had announced the launch of a new subsidiary brand called Vida which will handle all operations in the electric vehicle (EV) space. The company’s entry into electric mobility had been discussed extensively over the last few months.There were also questions regarding what brand name the bikemaker adopts for its EV business since rights for the ‘Hero’ brand are exclusively held by the Naveen Munjal-led firm Hero Electric. By opting for the brand name ‘Vida’, Hero MotoCorp has avoided all legal tangles and should now be able to focus solely on product development.Hero Vida Electric Scooter DelayedThe first model to come out of this new Vida brand will be an electric scooter which was earlier teased in August last year during the company’s 10th anniversary celebration. This electric scooter was planned for launch on 1st July 2022, which is also the birth anniversary of Dr. Brijmohan Lall, Chairman Emeritus of Hero MotoCorp. But that is not going to be the case now. As per the latest update from Hero MotoCorp, launch has been delayed to festive season 2022.Mr. Swadesh Srivastava, Head of Emerging Mobility Business Unit (EMBU), said, “In line with our philosophy of providing the highest quality products to our customers, we remain committed to bringing the best of Electric Vehicles (EVs) for our customers across the globe. The ongoing geopolitical situation has resulted in enormous supply chain issues and shortage of various components, including semiconductors. Keeping customers as the top-most priority, we, therefore, feel it would be prudent to unveil the first EV product around the upcoming festive period instead of July as earlier announced. We are accordingly gearing up for the launch of VIDA – Powered by Hero – in the festive season.”Hero MotoCorp Electric Scooter – Under VIDA BrandIt is worth mentioning that the two-wheeler giant filed multiple trademarks for the name ‘Vida’ back in November last year. These included trademarks like Vida Electric, Vida Mobility, Vida EV, Vida MotoCorp, Vida Scooters, and Vida Motorcycles. Production of the upcoming e-scooter and other battery-powered models will be carried out at Hero’s new manufacturing plant in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh.Significance Of the name ‘Vida’Deliveries of the electric scooter are expected to begin post launch. During the unveiling of the brand’s logo and the ‘sunrise’ visual identity of Vida, Dr. Pawan Munjal, Chairman & CEO, Hero MotoCorp, gave some insights about the brand name. He revealed that Vida means life, and the brand’s sole purpose is to create a positive impact on the world and move us all forward in meaningful ways.On this occasion, Hero MotoCorp also rolled out a US$100 Million Global Sustainability Fund. This fund will aim to establish global partnerships, spearheaded by the BML Munjal University (BMU) and Hero MotoCorp, with the objective of nurturing more than 10,000 entrepreneurs on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) solutions that have a positive impact on the planet.Expected Details of Upcoming E-scooterHero MotoCorp has been tight-lipped about details of the upcoming electric scooter, however, an earlier teaser shed some light on it. The e-scooter sports a conventional underbone design and stands on 12-inch front and 10-inch rear black alloy wheels. It also didn’t feature a hub-mounted motor which means it could be powered by a mid-ship mounted electric motor with a belt drive.While the launch of the scooter is delayed, by the time deliveries start later this year, there would be enough charging stations set up at Bharat Petroleum pumps in most of the major cities. Given the nature of Hero MotoCorp’s business, we expect the upcoming electric scooter to be priced aggressively around Rs 1.5 lakh, ex-sh. More

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      Hero MotoCorp Sales May 2022 – Splendor, Passion, Destini, Xpulse

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      Hero MotoCorp has reported a 165.89 percent YoY growth in May 2022 with an increase in domestic sales but de-growth in terms of exportsNew Hero SplendorHero MotoCorp, the world’s largest two wheeler maker has had a successful month of May 2022. Sales volumes increased substantially thanks to improvements in buyer sentiments and increased rural purchase backed by predictions of normal monsoon. Support by way of Government policies with the recent reduction in excise duty on petrol and diesel which has resulted in lower cost of fuel, has also brought relief to two wheeler ownersHero MotoCorp sold a total of 4,86,704 units in May 2022. This was a YoY growth of 165.89 percent over 1,83,044 units sold in May 2021. Domestic sales increased 192.34 percent to 4,66,466 units up from 1,59,561 units sold in May 2021 while exports dipped 13.82 percent to 20,238 units in May 2022 from 23,483 units shipped in May 2021.Hero MotoCorp Sales May 2022Growth was seen across both motorcycle and scooter sales. Motorcycle sales increased 153.07 percent YoY to 4,52,246 units, up from 1,78,706 units sold in May 2021. This was a volume growth of 2,73,540 units and a share percentage of 92.92. Scooter sales on the other hand saw a 694.33 percent YoY growth to 34,458 units in May 2022, up from 4,338 units sold in May 2021, a volume growth of 30,120 units and share percentage of 7.08.In May 2022, Hero MotoCorp also introduced the new Splendor+ XTEC commuter bike at Rs. 67,030. It comes in with added style and improved technology along with better comfort and safety features as compared to that seen on the Hero Splendor.Hero MotoCorp Sales May 2022Hero MoM Sales GrowthMonth-on-Month (MoM) sales of Hero MotoCorp also saw significant growth. Sales increased 16.26 percent MoM from 4,18,622 units sold in April 2022 to 4,86,704 units in the past month leading to volume growth of 68,082 units. Growth was seen both in terms of domestic sales and exports.Domestic sales increased 17.06 percent to 466,466 units from 3,98,490 units sold in April 2022. Exports saw a marginal increase of 0.53 percent to 20,238 units from 20,132 units sold in April 2022.Motorcycle sales improved 15.18 percent MoM from 3,92,627 units sold in April 2021 with 59,619 unit volume growth and 93.79 percent share. Scooter sales on the other hand increased 32.56 percent from 25,995 units shipped in April 2022 leading to an 8,463 unit volume growth and 6.21 percent share.Hero MotoCorp Sales May 2022 YTDThe two-wheeler major also announced that its first electric vehicle unveil, which was earlier scheduled to take place in July, has now been pushed ahead to the upcoming festive season in view of supply chain issues and shortage of various components, including semiconductors. More