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    Ather 450X Electric Scooter Production Crosses 25k In 25 Months

    Ather 450X electric scooter production has surpassed the 25k units milestoneAther 450x Electric Scooter – 25,000th unit rolloutAther Energy finds itself celebrating yet another milestone. It’s been a little over 2 years (about 25 months) since the first Ather 450X rolled out. That was January 2020. Fast forward 2 years, and on March 4, 2022, the manufacturer rolled out its 25,000th unit.Reaching this number already may not have been what people expected considering sales was limited to a few hundred units a month. That number is fast changing and things are looking up for E2W manufacturers. Total industry size has ballooned, and 2022 is already looking better than ever before.YoY Ather sales growthAther saw YoY sales more than double. The market has been receptive to electric scooters in recent months, and expectations point to this number growing even further. The space continues to be interesting as the number of companies selling E2Ws, especially electric scooters, has grown by the month.The industry is being filled by companies that haven’t traditionally been present in the industry, and point to new age businesses that are drafting the future of electric mobility. With a large number of E2W companies setting shop as startups, a lot of what the future holds depends on funding these companies can attract.Ather 450X number ?25,000? just marked it’s attendance! From the 1st one on 28th January, 2020 to the 25,000th one on 4th March, 2022 — what an electrifying journey it has been! ?? pic.twitter.com/oJatLsaOUc— Ather Energy (@atherenergy) March 9, 2022On that front, Ather has fared well. With focus on growth and product development, Ather Energy has had several rounds of funding. With the electric two wheeler industry teething, it’s only a matter of time when volumes become manifold. The industry is taking baby steps in an industry of unknown territory.Of the companies that reported sales to the industry body, total electric two wheeler sales last month surpassed the 32k mark. This in itself may not look phenomenal but represents manifold growth. A year earlier, the E2W segment saw total sales closer to the 6k mark.Ather network expansionThe company is keen on increasing its presence and this will be possible when the company begins business in many more cities than it does today. As per plan, in the next 3 years, there will be 600 retail outlets.Being able to cater to that many touchpoints will only be possible when manufacturing increases. To ensure an ecosystem that supports its growth plans, Ather Energy is increasing its scooter production per annum.  With an increasing number of electric 2W manufacturers, the future fosters a truly competitive environment. Only recently, Ola electric has entered the space, and where sales is concerned, the company aims for runaway success.  More

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    Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Pillion Backrest Spied – Exhaust Note Captured

    Royal Enfield is expected to launch Hunter 350 towards the end of 2022 – Most likely around DiwaliRoyal Enfield Hunter 350 SpiedModern classic roadsters are currently blue-eyed boys for the Indian motorcycle community. For a long time, this segment has been dominated by Royal Enfield. But in recent years, the Chennai-based bikemaker has faced challenges from new arrivals in this space including Benelli, Jawa, Honda and Yezdi.That said, Royal Enfield still commands bulk of the market share in the segment of motorcycles with engine displacements ranging within 250cc and 750cc. To negate competition from other brands, Royal Enfield is developing a plethora of new models which will be hitting showrooms in coming months.Royal Enfield Hunter 350 Exhaust NoteOne of the most promising upcoming products from Royal Enfield is Hunter 350 which has been spotted testing on numerous occasions in recent months. The retro classic roadster has been spied testing yet again. A video of the same has been uploaded on YouTube by Power Stroke PS that also captures the bike’s exhaust note.By the looks of it, the motorcycle looks almost production-ready with finished body panels. As usual with most Royal Enfield offerings, Hunter will flaunt a classic retro design with signature styling highlights such as a round headlamp, a teardrop-shaped fuel tank, a single-piece seat and a short rear section.[embedded content][embedded content]It features slightly rear-set footpegs in comparison to other 350cc siblings making for a sporty riding stance. An all-black theme on its running gear and internals further accentuates its sporty appeal. Another distinct highlight is a short side-slung upswept exhaust canister which is a first for a Royal Enfield.The video posted above gives a sneak peek of the exhaust note which appears to be raspy. Other visual highlights include split grab rails and circular tail lamp and turn indicators. The test unit seen in the video posted above could be seen with a pillion backrest installed which is expected to be offered as an accessory.Expected Features & Powertrain SpecsComing to features, it is expected to boast a similar set of equipment like its 350cc siblings- Meteor and Classic Reborn. This includes a Tripper Navigation pod that displays turn-by-turn navigation on the instrument console when paired with the Royal Enfield App on a smartphone via Bluetooth. It should also receive a USB charger as standard.Royal Enfield Hunter 350 prices – To be cheaper than Classic and MeteorHunter 350 will be based on the same J1D platform which currently underpins Meteor and new-gen Classic. This chassis will be suspended on 35 mm telescopic forks at front and twin gas-charged shocks at rear. Braking duties will be carried out by single disc brakes on both wheels aided by a dual-channel ABS.Powering Royal Enfield Hunter 350 will be a familiar 349cc single-cylinder air-cooled OHC engine that kicks out 20.2 hp and 27 Nm of peak torque. This motor is paired with a 5-speed gearbox via a slipper and assist clutch. Although a specific launch timeline for Hunter hasn’t been revealed yet we expect it to make its debut during the second half of 2022, around Diwali festive season. More

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    125cc Motorcycles Sales Jan 2022 – Shine, Pulsar, Glamour, Raider, KTM

    KTM was the only brand that failed to register a four-digit sales volume in the 125cc category in January 2022Image – The Bikers DiaryThe 125cc segment of motorcycles is a very lucrative space for Indian consumers. The segment usually caters to buyers looking for a commuter option with adequate performance for everyday use as well as occasional touring. Although the number of offerings in this space has reduced in recent past, they still command a sizable market share.A total of 1,99,471 units of 125cc motorcycles were sold across the country in January this year. While this figure is 39,447 units more than the total sales volume recorded in December 2021, this figure is 26,253 units less in comparison to January last year. This has resulted in an MoM growth of 24.65 percent and a YoY decline of 11.63 percent.125cc Motorcycles Sales Jan 2022 – Shine, Pulsar leadThe segment was headed by Honda CB Shine which recorded the maximum sales volume of 1,05,159 units in January this year. During the same month last year, Honda was able to dispatch 1,16,222 units of Shine which translated to YoY degrowth of 9.52 percent.On the other hand, the Japanese automaker sold only 68,061 units of the commuter bike in December last year which has resulted in an MoM growth of 54.51 percent. The second place was occupied by Bajaj which sells two models of the Pulsar brand in this space- Pulsar 125 and Pulsar NS125. Cumulatively, both bikes recorded a monthly volume of 44,181 units in January this year.125cc Motorcycle Sales Jan 2022 vs Jan 2021 (YoY)In comparison, the Chakan-based bikemaker was able to sell 47,080 units of 125cc Pulsar in January last year whereas this figure stood at 27,900 units in December 2021. Therefore, this led to a YoY drop of 6.16 percent and a YoY growth of 58.35 percent.Sales of Glamour, Super Splendor declineHero MotoCorp was able to sell 24,473 units of Glamour last month as compared to 22,681 units sold during the same month last year. This resulted in YoY growth of 7.90 percent. In December last year, the largest two-wheeler manufacturer sold 31,595 units of Glamour which resulted in an MoM decline of 22.54 percent.Glamour was followed by its sibling, Super Splendor with a total registered volume of 13,503 units last month. During January last year, Hero sold 37,225 units of Super Splendor which translates to a YoY drop of 63.73 percent. In December 2021, the sales volume for Super Splendor stood at 20,637 units, registering a MoM decline of 34.57 percent.125cc Motorcycle Sales Jan 2022 vs Dec 2021 (MoM)Raider Improves, KTM 125 DropsThe latest entrant in this list is TVS Raider which accumulated a volume of 11,377 units last month. In comparison, the Hosur-based bikemaker dispatched a total of 10,843 units of Raider in December last year leading to an MoM growth of almost 5 percent. KTM retails two motorcycles in the 125cc category namely- RC 125 and Duke 125. The former recently received a generation upgrade.Cumulatively, the Austrian brand was able to retail only 778 units of the 125cc offerings last month instead of 988 units in December 2021 and 2,516 units in January last year. This translates to MoM and YoY drops of 21.26 percent and 69 percent respectively. More

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    Ola Electric Scooter Likely To Become No 1 In March – Aims 15k Deliveries

    Ola Electric appears to have overcome its teething troubles that were marked by things like delay in deliveries, product issues, etcHaving invested Rs 2,400 crore in building the largest EV manufacturing facility in the country, Ola Electric had set big targets in terms of production volumes and sales. The response has been phenomenal, with Ola claiming bookings worth around Rs 1,100 crore in just two days. This was last year in September, when the company had opened bookings for the first time.Ola Electric ScooterHowever, things were not going as smoothly as desired when it came to deliveries. Likely due to shortage of components, Ola Electric had to reschedule delivery timelines for its S1 and S1 Pro electric scooters. Customers were naturally not happy, as they had high expectations from the company. Moreover, several customers had reported issues with their Ola scooters.Production streamlinedSince the start of 2022, Ola Electric has worked to boost production and expedite deliveries. In January, Ola Electric CEO Bhavish Aggarwal had said that production has been increased to almost 1,000 scooters per day. Evidence to that can be seen in February electric two-wheeler numbers, where Ola has posted sales of 3,905 units.With that, Ola has entered the top five list of best selling electric two-wheelers in the country. It is placed at 4th place, ahead of Ather Energy, TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto. MoM growth is 254%, as compared to 1102 units sold in January 2022.Ola Electric Scooter Deliveries – Target March 2022Providing more details about February sales, Bhavish has stated that Ola has actually delivered around 7,000 units in the month. He said that the mismatch in Vahan data is likely due to their direct-to-consumer (D2C) business model. The company does a lot of temp registrations, which are currently not counted on Vahan. This may change in future, as systems are updated to accommodate sales through the D2C model.15k deliveries expected in MarchAccording to Bhavish, Ola electric scooter deliveries are expected to touch 15k this month. If that turns out to be true, Ola Electric will emerge as the No 1 electric two-wheeler company in India in terms of sales. It will be a significant achievement, especially considering the fact that only around five months have passed since bookings opened.Companies that are currently ahead of Ola are Hero Electric, Okinawa and Ampere. Hero Electric leads the pack, commanding market share of around 30%. In February, Hero Electric had registered sales of 7,357 units. The company has partnered with Mahindra to boost production of its electric scooters.Electric two-wheelers are expected to witness increased demand in coming months. One key reason is fuel prices, which are likely to increase substantially. Crude oil prices have touched 14-year high and may rise further. Petrol prices may increase by as much as Rs 15 in coming days. This may prompt many users to switch to electric. More

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    Honda CB350, RS New Colours Launch – Blue And Grey

    2022 Honda CB 350 RS New ColourHonda offers same engine and cycle parts on both CB350 H’Ness and CB350RS, however, styling and riding ergonomics are slightly differentLaunch of the Honda CB350 range- H’Ness followed by RS, opened doors of the modern classic segment of motorcycles for the Japanese brand in India. The space which is largely dominated by Royal Enfield soon saw a worthy rival to bikes such as Bullet 350 and Classic 350.The CB350 range has been raking decent monthly volume on a regular basis despite its limited availability. It should be noted that both H’Ness and RS are retailed through Honda’s premium chain of dealerships called BigWing not available in every corner of the country. Meanwhile, Honda has recently made some updates to the CB350 lineup.Honda CB350 – New Colour OptionsHonda has launched one new colour option on H’Ness and RS each. Although these new paint schemes haven’t been listed on Honda’s official BigWing website for India, they have appeared on units dispatched to dealerships. For instance, H’Ness is now available in a new Matte Grey paint scheme as per the latest spy images.This new colour option joins pre-existing single-tone shades like pearl night-black metallic, precious red metallic and matte marshal green metallic. Other than these, H’Ness is also offered in dual-tone paint options like Matte Steel Black Metallic With Matte Massive Grey Metallic, Blue Metallic with Virtuous White and Night Star Black with Silver Metallic.2022 Honda CB 350 New ColourComing to CB350RS, the bike will be offered in a new monotone blue shade. It joins the pre-existing colour palette comprising colour options including Black with Pearl Sports Yellow and Radiant Red Metallic colour options. Apart from additional colour schemes, no other changes from either of the motorcycles have been reported.CB3050 Engine SpecsBoth H’Ness and RS share the same mechanicals and underpinnings. They are powered by the same 348.3cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled, fuel-injected engine that kicks out 20.8 bhp at 5500rpm and a peak torque of 30 Nm at 3000 rpm. This motor is paired with a 5-speed gearbox. Both bikes feature telescopic forks upfront and twin shock absorbers at rear.Recently, Honda announced that the CB350 range will now be available for sale in select Canteen Store Department (CSD) stores under the Ministry of Defence. The bikes will be priced Rs 26,000 less than their corresponding regular prices in the market. CSD beneficiaries will be able to purchase these Honda motorcycles by registering themselves on the official CSD website.Honda ScramblersIn other developments, it was recently reported that Honda will be developing two new entry-level scrambler motorcycles based on Rebel 250 and Rebel 500. It is yet to be confirmed if these bikes will be launching in India. If launched, these bikes will be positioned on either end of the upcoming Royal Enfield Hunter 350.Source More

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    Ather Electric Scooter Parts Production – Partners With Foxconn’s Bharat FIH

    Ather Electric ScooterAther Energy announces partnership with Bharat FIH (A Foxconn Technology Group Company)Ather Energy reports strong response for 450X and 450 Plus electric scooters. In a year’s time, MoM sales improved by 20 percent. The manufacturer expects this trend to continue in the months to come.To meet growing demand, Ather has partnered with Bharat FIH for parts manufacturing. The alliance caters to developing and manufacturing key components for Ather scooters. Enhancing the manufacturing ecosystem will help meet demand for Ather 450X and the 450 Plus.Ather Energy has made strategic investments to foster an EV ecosystem. This boosts mass adoption of EVs and helps cater to rising demand. In February 2022, Ather sales crossed the 2k mark, a decline from sales in January 2022.    Ather Electric Scooter Production expansionIn growing its business, Ather Energy has created a strong local supplier base. 99 percent of products are indigenously built and sourced for manufacturing. When it comes to supplying and manufacturing components for Ather scooters, the manufacturer is focused on finding the right vendor to ensure quality.Ather Electric Scooter Production PlantIn order to address growing demand over time, Ather Energy is scaling up production from 120,000 to 400,000 units per annum at its Hosur facility. More land has been acquired to do the same. In the next three years, Ather aims to increase annual production capacity to a million scooters.During this time, 5,000 fast chargers are to be setup. Other areas of focus are new product development, and network expansion to 600 stores. At present, Ather operates out of 30 experience centres (retail outlets) in India.  Raw material procurementBharat FIH offers a range of manufacturing services. This includes Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Assemblies for Battery Management Systems, Dashboard Assembly, Peripheral Controlling Units, and Drive Control Modules. To be manufactured on a ‘Turn-Key” model, supply chain logistics and raw material procurement for Ather Energy will also be managed. Production of parts for Ather scooters at the Bharat FIH facility have begun.Tarun Mehta, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Ather Energy said “The EV industry continues to witness growth at an unprecedented rate with strong demand across segments. Ather Energy also finds itself in the midst of phenomenal growth as we continue to expand our retail footprint across the country. We are working towards strengthening our supply chain to cater to the rising demand for our scooters.Towards this, we are delighted to partner with Bharat FIH to provide us with the capacity, supply chain capability, and process expertise to achieve our volumes and projections. Bharat FIH has demonstrated incredible capability over the last few months by ramping up very quickly to meet our requirements. This partnership also reflects the opportunities that large auto component manufacturers today recognise in the EV industry.” More

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    2022 Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS Red Colour Gets New Black Alloys

    2022 Bajaj Pulsar 200 NS. Image – AUTOHOLIC MANISHIt is likely that Bajaj will replace white alloys with black ones for other bikes such as RS200 as well; NS160 already updatedManufacturers often introduce unique styling for their bikes to differentiate it from rival offerings. However, as the look and feel of a bike is a subjective matter, opinions vary based on users’ individual tastes and preferences. Auto companies do try to choose features that would appeal to majority of users. However, sometimes things may not work out as planned.2022 Pulsar 200 NS black alloysIn its current form, Pulsar bikes like NS200 and RS200 are offered with white alloys in specific colour variants. White alloys have their own charm and may actually be liked by enthusiasts. They come across as something fresh, especially in comparison to the standard black coloured ones used in most bikes.However, scope for coloured alloys depends a lot on the overall design and styling of the bike. For example, orange coloured wheels used for KTM 390 Duke work to enhance the bike’s visual appeal. There are various other examples where bikes have used coloured alloys such as golden, red, blue, etc.In case of Bajaj Pulsar NS200, white coloured alloys don’t seem to enhance the bike’s overall look and feel. They are actually increasing the clutter, which kind of takes away the focus from the bike’s sporty design. NS200 is a good-looking bike, but white coloured alloys don’t seem to fit there. It is certainly more noticeable, but not necessarily something that suits the bike’s overall profile.[embedded content][embedded content]It is possible that quite a few negative feedback about the white alloys may have prompted the company to shift to black alloys. NS200 is available in four colour options of Burnt Red, Metallic Pearl White, Satin Blue and Pewter Grey. Excluding the latter, all three colour options come with white alloys. Black alloys will do a much better job for all these three colour variants of NS200.Bajaj Motorcycle Prices March 2022Pulsar NS200 new priceBajaj Pulsar NS200 prices have been increased by up to Rs 2,000. However, this may be a general price hike coming from increase in input costs. It is not linked to the black alloys, as rest of the bike is same as earlier. New prices will vary based on the location. The current model is available at a starting price of Rs 1.36 lakh in Delhi (ex-showroom).Powering the bike is a 199.5cc, liquid cooled, triple spark motor that generates 24.5 ps of max power at 9,750 rpm and 18.5 Nm of peak torque at 8,000 rpm. It is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. The bike has Perimeter frame with standard telescopic forks at front and Nitrox based monoshock unit at rear.NS200 has 17-inch wheels at both ends, shod with 100/80 front and 130/70 rear tubeless tyres. Fuel tank capacity is 12 litres whereas ground clearance is 168 mm. It has disc brakes at both ends with single channel ABS. More

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    Benelli Prices Mar 2022 – Imperiale 400, TRK 251, Leoncino 500, 502C

    Benelli Imperiale 400Benelli currently retails six models in India including TRK 251, Imperiale 400, TRK 502, TRK 502X, Leoncino 500 and 502CBenelli has come out with its first price revision for the year 2022. The Chinese-owned Italian brand has increased prices of all models including Imperiale 400, TRK 251, Leoncino 500, 502C, TRK 502 and TRK 502X by up to Rs 27,000 depending on the model. None of the motorcycles mentioned above has received any other update.Benelli Prices Mar 2022Starting with the TRK 251, prices for the quarter-lire adventure tourer have been increased by Rs 3,000 across all variants. The bike was launched last year at a starting price of Rs 2.51 lakh. After the latest revision, prices for TRK 251 start at Rs 2.54 lakh for the Dark Grey option and go up to Rs 2.64 lakh for the Pure White and Black dual-tone paint scheme.Coming to its elder sibling- TRK 502 was earlier priced at Rs 4.95 lakh, is now dearer by Rs 16,000. Even its off-road focussed sibling- TRK 502X has also witnessed the same increment in prices. Both half-litre adventure tourers are priced at Rs 5.11 lakh and Rs 5.55 lakh respectively.Prices of Benelli Imperiale 400, their best selling motorcycle which rivals Royal Enfield, have been increased by Rs 2,201. It now costs Rs 1.92 lakh. Leoncino 500 has gotten the highest price hike of all. It has become expensive by Rs 27k, and now costs Rs 4.96 lakh.Benelli Motorcycle Prices March 2022The last bike is the 502C power cruiser which has received a price hike of Rs 5,000. Previously, prices for 502C started at Rs 5.20 lakh. With the latest price revision, the price range for the cruiser starts at Rs 5.25 lakh for Matte Cognac Red. There are two more colour options including Glossy Black and Matte Black that are now priced at Rs 5.30 lakh and Rs 5.35 lakh respectively. All prices mentioned are ex-showroom.Specs & FeaturesSpeaking of specifications, TRK 251 is powered by a 249cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine that churns out 25.4 bhp at 9,250rpm and 21.1 Nm of peak torque at 8,000rpm. This motor is mated to a 6-speed gearbox. Suspension duties are handled by upside-down forks and a mono-shock.Braking duties are carried out by a single disc at both ends complemented by a dual-channel ABS. It is designed primarily for touring purposes and hence gets 17-inch alloy wheels on both ends and a massive 18-litre fuel tank. It gets features like USB charging, a digital instrument console and full LED lighting.On the other hand, TRK 502 and 502X is powered by a 500cc, parallel-twin, liquid-cooled motor that delivers 46.8 bhp at 8,500rpm and 46Nm of peak torque at 6,000rpm. This engine is paired with a 6-speed gearbox via a slipper and assist clutch. TRK 502 is meant for touring purposes and comes with road-biased tyres wrapped around alloy wheels.Whereas TRK 502X is a more adventure-friendly machine that rolls on wire-spoke wheels shod with dual-purpose tyres. Both motorcycles get the same list of features including a semi-digital instrument console and dual-channel ABS. The 502C cruiser shares the same 500cc parallel-twin motor as the ADV siblings. More