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      Hero XTEC Name Registered – Electric Motorcycle To Join Xtreme, XPulse?

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      File Photo.
      Hero MotoCorp is developing an all new electric motorcycle for India

      With Hero MotoCorp registering a new name ‘XTEC’, there are speculations that it could be the company’s first electric product. Considering that the company already has Xpulse and Xtreme range, the Xtec could be an electric motorcycle.
      Hero MotoCorp electric motorcycle concept
      As reported earlier, Hero MotoCorp is working on a premium electric motorcycle as well as affordable commuter electric two wheelers. The Xtec name could be used for the premium electric motorcycle that will be launched first. This is being developed via a joint collaboration between Hero Motocorp’s Technology Center in Germany (HTCG) and its R&D headquarters in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
      The concept electric motorcycle is referred to as e-US, which is short for electric Ultra Sport. As of now, no other details are available about Hero MotoCorp’s first electric motorcycle. When unveiled, the concept will help the company to better understand customer opinions and expectations.
      It’s true that India’s largest two wheeler manufacturer has been late in entering the electric segment. However, being an established brand, it shouldn’t have problems in convincing customers to buy its products. The electric two wheeler segment in the country was largely created by startups and it’s only recently that biggies like Bajaj and TVS have launched their electric products.
      Hero XTEC name registered
      Naming issue
      The only problem Hero MotoCorp can face is that it has to come up with another name for its electric two wheelers. That’s because according to a legal agreement, Hero MotoCorp, which is led by Pawan Munjal, cannot use ‘Hero’ brand for its electric products.
      The rights for that are with Hero Electric, which is owned and managed by Pawan’s cousin Naveen Munjal. It is to note that Hero MotoCorp and Hero Electric are entirely distinct business entities, even though the owners belong to the same family.
      An option for Hero MotoCorp could be to use Ather Energy brand, which is already popular in the electric segment. As may be recalled, Hero MotoCorp owns 38.57% in Ather Energy. However, that route may also be challenging since Ather focuses on lifestyle products. Switching to low-cost electric products might negatively impact its premium brand value.
      Hero MotoCorp can use a strategy similar to that of Chetak, which was launched without the obvious reference to Bajaj. Chetak electric scooter was positioned only as ‘Chetak’ and does not have ‘Bajaj’ branding. Hero MotoCorp already has popular names such as Splendor, Glamour, and Passion, which could be used as a part of the names for the company’s electric motorcycles. More

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      2021 KTM Duke 125 Arrives At Dealer Showroom – Price Rs 6k More

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      2021 KTM Duke 125
      KTM India has updated their best selling and most affordable motorcycle – With new features, and colours

      Launched in 2018, KTM 125 Duke has emerged as one of the bestselling products in KTM’s India portfolio. While it’s already a head turner on the streets, users can get ready for some more fun, as 2021 KTM 125 Duke has now arrived at dealer showrooms in India.
      Along with some new features it also gets new colours. Bookings are already open for the updated bike, which indicates that launch could take place by December end. Hat tip to MRD Vlogs for sharing the images.
      2021 KTM Duke 125
      What’s new in 2021 KTM 125 Duke
      2021 KTM 125 Duke will be based on the company’s new design language, which has already been implemented on KTM 200 Duke. In terms of design, 2021 KTM 125 Duke looks almost identical to its bigger sibling.
      The changes are evident in the design of headlight, which is sharper in comparison to the current model. Design updates are also evident across other components such as fuel tank, tank extensions and tail section. 2021 125 Duke will also be getting the same LCD screen as that of 200 Duke. Take a look at the detailed walkaround video below.
      [embedded content]
      Another key update will be the addition of new colour options. These are expected to be revealed in the coming days. Overall, 2021 KTM 125 Duke is a lot sharper and aggressive in comparison to the existing model. With the updated styling, the bike will become an even more attractive option for youngsters, its primary target audience.
      Functional updates in 2021 KTM 125 Duke
      Along with the refreshed design, updated 125 Duke will be upgrading its chassis as well. This will come from 200 Duke that utilizes a steel trellis frame integrated with a bolt-on sub frame. 2021 KTM 125 Duke will have a larger fuel tank capable of carrying 13.4 litres of fuel. That means lesser stops at the fuel station.

      The current model’s fuel tank capacity is around 11 litres, which allows an uninterrupted run of approximately 300 km. With 2.5 litres more fuel, updated KTM 125 Duke will be able to do around 400 km on a full tank. With the new chassis and other design updates, 2021 KTM 125 Duke could become heavier by around 7-10 kg. Something similar was witnessed when 200 Duke was updated earlier this year.
      Most other equipment and mechanical parts are expected to be the same as earlier. The 124.71 cc, liquid cooled engine is capable of generating 15 hp of max power and 12 Nm of max torque. This is mated to a 6-speed gearbox.

      Suspension system comprises 43 mm WP upside down forks at the front and WP monoshock unit at the rear. Braking duties are performed by 300 mm front disc brakes and 230 mm rear disc. In the Indian market, 125 Duke is offered with single channel ABS as standard. 2021 KTM 125 Duke is set to become costlier by around Rs 6k. The current model is available at a starting price of Rs 1.42 lakh. More

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      Ola Electric Scooter Plant Will Be Largest In The World – Hires New Manufacturing Head

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      Etergo electric scooter image for reference
      Pinheiro will be in-charge as Ola builds a world class manufacturing facility for its electric scooters

      Ola Electric has confirmed that it will be building the world’s largest electric scooter factory in India. It may be recalled that in May 2020, Ola Electric acquired Etergo, an Amsterdam based electric company, with plans to launch its range of electric scooters in India sometime in 2021.
      Ola announced Jose Pinheiro as Head of Global Manufacturing and Operations for its Electric Business. Pinheiro is a manufacturing veteran with 45+ years of leadership experience, having held the position of Vice President Manufacturing at General Motors Latin America in Sao Paulo. In this new role with Ola Electric, Pinheiro will be in-charge of setting up the world class manufacturing unit with the world’s largest scooter factory which will spread its reach to multiple facilities across the country.
      Through his career, Pinheiro has managed 16 General Motors’ industrial complexes, across 9 countries, 2 continents and 5 languages. He held portfolios across Body Shop Process Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Plant Operations and Director of Manufacturing and finally as Vice President of Manufacturing for the region.
      Bhavish Aggarwal, Chairman and Group CEO, Ola is excited about Pinheiro joining the company’s leadership team and looks forward to working together to set up world class manufacturing facilities in a step towards sustainable mobility.
      Etergo electric scooter image for reference
      Ola Electric Scooter
      Ola Electric, the EV arm of the ride hailing company has stated that the new e-scooter will be launched across India and in some countries across Europe in 2021. It will be priced on par with the current range of petrol powered scooters in the country and the company seeks to tap into the 20 million unit two wheeler market in India.
      Etergo, founded in 2014, has developed an all electric scooter ‘AppScooter’ that uses swappable high energy batteries. It is powered by a 3 kW brushless AC motor. Peak performance is rated at 6 kW and 50 Nm allowing the scooter to accelerate from 0 to 45 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Once launched, the AppScooter will take on the likes of Ather 450X, Bajaj Chetak and TVS iQube Electric.
      Based on this, Ola seeks to amass sales of a million e-scooters in the first year of launch and will pitch against players such as Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp’s Ather Energy and Hero Electric that currently offer a range of electric scooters in the country.
      The initial back of e-scooters will come in from the manufacturing facility in the Netherlands while Ola Electric is in talks with various state governments to set up the facility in India and participate in the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat Vision. More

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      2021 Royal Enfield Classic 350 To Borrow Meteor Features – Lower Vibrations

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      Image – Bullet Guru
      From the spy images of the new-gen Classic 350 seen, Royal Enfiled is not expected to make massive changes to the retro motorcycle’s design

      Royal Enfield has big plans for future. The bikemaker had earlier last month revealed its plan to introduce 28 new bikes in the next seven years, i.e., a new bike every quarter of a year. This started with the launch of its new cruiser Meteor 350 a month ago which replaced the outgoing Thunderbird 350 and 350X from the company’s lineup.
      Going by Royal Enfield’s plans, it seems the next bike is scheduled to be launched in the next couple of months which means early 2021. If we were to guess, the brand’s next big-ticket launch is expected to be the new generation model of Classic 350.
      Undoubtedly, Classic 350 has been the most popular motorcycle from the Chennai-based manufacturer ever since it was launched more than a decade back. It has been known for a while that Royal Enfield has been developing a new generation model of the retro-styled motorcycle. Testing prototypes of the same have also been spotted on a couple of occasions in recent past. Readers have been very inquisitive about this new avatar.
      New Underpinnings
      Expectedly, this new bike is likely to share much of its elements with RE’s new Meteor 350. For starters, it is going to be based on the same J platform as the cruiser. It will now be underpinned by a double-cradle chassis as opposed to current model’s single downtube frame. Although, Royal Enfield is not expected to divert too much from the current Classic’s design language since it is still very well received by consumers.
      New Gen Classic 350 On Test
      New Powertrain, Transmission
      However, the biggest update will be the new 349cc single-cylinder air-cooler long-stroke engine which produces 1 bhp more and 1 Nm less than the current 346cc UCE unit. This unit produces 20.2 bhp and 27 Nm of peak torque.
      It will also be paired with a new 5-speed gearbox and clutch with less moving components in order to reduce friction. These mechanical changes will result in reduced vibrations and improved ride quality.
      More Features on offer
      It is also expected to borrow some of Meteor’s features, the most notable being the Tripper Navigation system which provides turn-by-turn navigation to the rider connected via the Royal Enfield App on a smartphone. Also, a modern part-digital part-analog instrument cluster is also expected to be offered.
      If all these components from Meteor 350 are indeed carried over to new-gen Classic 350 it would surely be a much promising option to consider with many new rivals like Honda H’Ness CB350 in the foray. Prices are expected to move slightly northwards considering the updates incorporated. More

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      New Kawasaki Ninja 300 BS6 India Launch Likely In Early 2021

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      File photo.
      Due to heavy localisation, we do not expect Kawasaki to increase prices of BS6 compliant Ninja 300 by a huge margin

      Around this time last year, Kawasaki discontinued its entry-level offering Ninja 300 which complied with the now outdated BS4 emission norms. Now, after a year reports have emerged that Ninja 300 might make a return to Indian soil soon. As per Shifting-Gears, who first reported the news, the entry-level Ninja is expected to hit markets at the end of last quarter of current fiscal year 2020-21.
      This means it is expected to be launched early next year. The localised version of Ninja 300 was first launched in India two years ago. The bike with its affordable pricing went on to bring very good sales volume for the Japanese superbike maker.
      In 2018, components such as body panels, brakes, cables, tyres and headlights of Ninja 300 were localised. Come 2020, Team Green intends to localise the bike even further by locally assembling the engine. The company is currently working on involving more localised components within the powertrain. This could further help in bringing down its price.
      Expected Mechanicals
      Speaking of its powertrain, Ninja 300 derives its power from a 296cc liquid-cooled, 4-stroke parallel-twin engine. In its BS4 form, this unit kicked out 39 PS of power at 11000 rpm and 27 Nm of peak torque at 10000 rpm and was linked to a 6-speed gearbox with a slipper and assist clutch as standard.

      It is built on a tubular steel frame which is assisted by 37mm telescopic forks at front and a preload adjustable mono-shock. Anchoring duties are handled by a 290mm single disc upfront and a 220mm disc at rear complemented by dual-channel ABS as standard.
      It rolls on 17-inch alloy wheels with rubber profiles of 110/70 at front and 140/70 at front made by MRF. It tips the weighing scale at 179 kg and has a seat height of 785 mm. The updated Ninja 300 is likely to carry the same set of specifications.
      Design & Features
      The BS6 compliant Ninja 300 is also expected to sport the same styling as the India-spec model. Just like the other machines in the Ninja series, it features a sporty new gmass-forward, minimalist-tail design. It gets signature Kawasaki dual LED headlights and a new floating-style windscreen with a gap between cowl and windscreen. In terms of features, it will get a part-digital part-analog instrument cluster and heat management technology.
      Kawasaki recently unveiled the 2021 Ninja 250 in Japan which is expected to go on sale later this month. Globally, Ninja 250 is the entry-level offering for the Ninja range of bikes. However, in many international markets like India, the company has replaced the quarter-litre motorcycle with Ninja 300. Upon its launch, it is expected to rival the likes of KTM RC 390, TVS Apache RR 310.
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      Detel Launches India’s Cheapest BIS Helmet For Rs 699

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      India’s Cheapest BIS Helmet – Detel TRED
      Durable and affordable Detel Tred helmet launched in India to encourage rider road safety

      Two wheeler helmet manufacturers are keen on the inclusion of protective helmets as per BIS certification and publication of Quality Control Order (QCO). The conversation has been ongoing for years, and as per Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety’s order, a committee was formed to focus on lighter helmets in India that suit climatic conditions and are compliant.
      Committee members consisted of experts, doctors from AIIMS, and also BIS members. Following a detailed analysis in March 2018, a recommendation for lighter helmets was made, and accepted by the Ministry. The overarching principles are good quality and lighter helmets.
      India road safety and helmets
      Keeping in mind the high number of road fatalities, the need for helmet safety norms is a primary requirement. The situation is even more grim considering not all cases are reported correctly. The problem is further aggravated because of the poor quality of helmets in use. The number of two-wheeler users in India is high, and the number of people using unsafe helmets or not using helmets is equally high.
      Improper enforcement of traffic rules, and complete disregard for traffic rules further complicates the problem. A large number of motorcycle and scooter users find no merit in using a two-wheeler. The dialogue around the safety afforded by the sue of helmets needs to be commonplace, and a requirement through auditing bodies to ensure that unsafe helmets don’t make their way to the marketplace.
      Detel TRED
      The BIS mandate and stricter enforcement of traffic rules can help save lives. Detel has now launched an open face helmet, Tred at an affordable price tag to ensure safety for all. Available at a price of Rs 699, the BIS-certified helmet is designed for comfort, safety, and durability at an affordable price tag.
      The product is currently available on sale on the company website, and on Amazon. Bulk purchase orders are to be executed at B2BAdda. The Motor Vehicles Act mandates that manufacturers must offer two BIS-standard helmets with each two-wheeler purchased. Both rider and pillion are both at risk, and need to be safeguarded.
      Detel TRED BIS Helmet Features
      Helmets mandatory for pillion riders
      Built on advanced tech and with focus on quality for a safe helmet, the unisex product has been manufactured keeping in mind the everyday use of a rider. The helmet features a removable interiors aspect as per individual need. Chikpad and visor are easily detachable. Visor is scratch free and its head comes with a reflector for safety during night riding.
      Yogesh Bhatia, Founder, Detel says, “We sincerely appreciate Govt proposed initiatives for road safety. With helmets made mandatory for pillion riders, many customers rely on roadside poor-quality helmets which do not serve the purpose and pose a potential hazard to life. Being a fast growing helmet manufacturer, Detel ensures that the helmet is both economical and safe for its customers.” More

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      Hero MotoCorp Signs 10 Harley Davidson India Dealers Into Their Network

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      File Photo
      Hero will keep the premium Harley Davidson dream alive in India beginning at dealership level

      Harley-Davidson saw a steady dip in demand in the country. Dismal performance could be blamed on its high pricing along with wrong product portfolio and marketing strategy. Harley-Davidson paid higher attention to the more expensive cruiser bikes in the country while its competitors also offered more affordable and technologically advanced lineup in varying categories.
      This resulted in rival brand offerings appealing to a wider and more diverse segment of buyers in the country – and thus higher sales. For Harley, this resulted in the end of the road of their India operations.
      A few weeks after shutting down the only factory in India citing poor sales and mounting losses, and part of a move to restructure, Harley Davidson announced its association with Hero MotoCorp. The two bike manufacturers have signed a non-equity partnership through which Hero MotoCorp will sell the premium range of motorcycles under the Harley Davidson banner.
      This is not the first of its kind of such two wheeler tie-up. There is the BMW Motorrad-TVS partnership forged in 2013 to make mid engine premium bikes. Triumph of UK has partnered with Bajaj Auto to introduce mid-size motorcycle for India and global markets. There is also the KTM Husquvarna –Bajaj association wherein Bajaj Auto owns about 48% stake in KTM. Jawa, BSA, Yezdi and Mahindra are some of the oldest brands which are being brought to India by Classic Legends in partnership with Mahindra.
      File Photo.
      Hero – Harley Deal
      Getting back to the Hero MotoCorp partnership with Harley-Davidson, the Indian giant, which is the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters in terms of volumes, will hold the boat steady here. Hero MotoCorp conducts its production operations via 8 manufacturing units out of which 6 are located in India while there are one each in Columbia and Bangladesh.
      Only last month it was announced how transition will progress. This included the announcement of a clear future path for current Harley-Davidson India dealers by year-end. All changes comes into effect from January 1, 2021.
      Since Harley’s departure in September 2020, dealers have discussed compensation packages on offer. Existing contracts expire at the end of 2020. Harley-Davidson Dealers Association is steadfast in its demand for fair-compensation for all dealers, representing all 33 Harley-Davidson outlets in India. Collectively, the brand bastions have been on a Blackfoot since Harley-Davidson announced withdrawal of independent operations in India, and announce its partnership with Hero MotoCorp.
      Considering the time-bound, take it or leave it situation on offer, 10 of 33 dealer partners have accepted terms to be a part of Hero MotoCorp’s dealership network. Meanwhile, dealers continue to wait to hear from Harley-Davidson on matters pertaining to adequate compensation. The on offer new dealership contracts being held off for 23 of the 33 dealers is indicative of how the situation isn’t beneficial to anyone.
      Harley Dealers Unhappy
      Hero MotoCorp is absorbing only 33 percent of dealers. The remainder are treading with uncertainty in regard to dealer partner investments and future business outlook. This includes the 10 who ‘will be coerced to act without receiving any benefit’. The plight of the 23 dealers who are not being approached by Hero MotoCorp to be a part of its dealership network is unknown. The association feels ‘that providing us with a fair deal is Harley-Davidson’s undeniable responsibility towards us’. More

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      Two Wheeler Sales, Exports Nov 2020 – Hero, Honda, TVS, Bajaj, Enfield, Suzuki, Yamaha

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      File Photo
      Most two wheeler brands in the country registered growth in November 2020 when compared to the same month of the previous year

      The festive season brought in some cheer, not only for carmakers in India but also for major two wheeler brands. Sales growth has been reported across the two wheeler segment by Hero, Honda, Bajaj, TVS and Royal Enfield while total YoY growth stood at 13.44 percent.
      However, the same could not be said about MoM growth where each of these manufacturers noted de-growth. This is a general trend wherein sales peak during the festive months and fall soon after.
      Two wheeler sales in November 2020 increased to 15,94,304 units, up 13.44 percent as against 14,05,389 units sold in November 2019. This was a 1,88,915 unit increase marked by rising need for personal means of travel and the fact that most buyers had put purchases on hold over the past several months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. MoM sales however dipped substantially by 19.93 percent with 19,91,260 units sold in Oct 20.
      Hero and Honda claim sales charts
      Hero MotoCorp sales surged 13.83 percent to 5,75,957 units in Nov 20, up from 5,05,994 units sold in Nov 19. The company commands a 36.13 market share. Strong demand was noted across all segment including the Splendor+ and HF Deluxe along with the Glamour, Super Splendor and Xtreme 160R. The Destini and Pleasure scooters also witnessed strong customer preference. When taking MoM sales into account, Hero MotoCorp noted a 21.37 percent de-growth as against 7,32,498 units sold in Oct 20. Hero MotoCorp exports declined by 3.6% to 15,134 units in Nov 2020.
      Two Wheeler Sales Sales Nov 2020 vs Nov 2019 (YoY) vs Oct 2020 (MoM)
      The Honda Activa helped the company post 10.54 percent growth in Nov 20. Total Honda two wheeler sales stood at 4,12,641 units, up from 3,73,283 units sold in the same month of the previous year while the company commands a market share of 25.88 percent. MoM sales however dipped 16.55 percent as against 4,94,459 units sold in Oct 20. Honda exports declined by 11% to 20,565 units.
      TVS Motor Company noted a 29.58 percent growth in domestic sales in the past month. Domestic two-wheeler sales stood at 247,789 units sold in Nov 20 as against 191,222 units sold in the corresponding period last year. MoM sales dipped 17.78 percent as against 3,01,380 units sold in Oct 20. TVS exports increased by 9% to 63,370 units.
      Two Wheeler Exports Nov 2020
      Bajaj Auto Limited was another two wheeler maker to note sales past the 1 lakh unit mark. Sales for Nov 20 stood at 1,88,196 units, up 6.73 percent as compared to 1,76,337 units sold in Nov 19 with a market share of 11.80 percent. However, when taking MoM sales into account, the company noted 29.94 percent de-growth as 2,68,613 units had been sold in domestic markets in Oct 20. Bajaj maintained position as No 1 two wheeler exporter with 18% growth – exporting almost 1.97 lakh motorcycles.
      RE, Suzuki and Yamaha Sales
      Royal Enfield noted sales growth, albeit marginally by 1.36 percent. Sales in Nov 20 stood at 59,084 units up from 58,292 units sold in Nov 19 while MoM sales dipped 11.67 percent with 66,891 units sold in Oct 20. The new RE Meteor 350 Meteor was launched in November in a total of three variants namely Fireball, Stellar and Supernova. The company had received over 8,000 bookings in two weeks of launch. Models such as the Royal Enfield Bullet 350, Classic 350, Himalayan, Continental GT 650 and Interceptor 650 also added to company sales.
      Lower down the order were Suzuki Motorcycle India and Yamaha. Suzuki clocked 5.63 percent de-growth in Nov 20 with 57,429 units sold as against 60,855 units sold in the same month of the previous year. Currently commanding a 3.60 percent market share, the company also noted de-growth in terms of MoM sales as 67,225 units had been sold in Oct 20.
      No
      2Wheeler Domestic
      Nov-20
      Nov-19
      1
      Hero (+14%)
      5,75,957
      5,05,994
      2
      Honda (+11%)
      4,12,641
      3,73,283
      3
      TVS (+30%)
      2,47,789
      1,91,222
      4
      Bajaj (+7%)
      1,88,196
      1,76,337
      5
      Royal Enfield (+1%)
      59,084
      58,292
      6
      Suzuki (-6%)
      57,429
      60,855
      7
      Yamaha (+35%)
      53,208
      39,406
      –
      Total
      15,94,304
      14,05,389
      The Japanese two wheeler brand Yamaha has noted its fifth consecutive month of YoY sales growth after the lockdown was announced earlier this year. Sales increased 35.03 percent in Nov 20 with 53,208 units sold as against 39,406 units sold in Nov 19. An 11.30 percent de-growth was noted in MoM sales as against 60,176 units sold in Oct 20.
      Forecasts indicate that there could be increased demand for two wheelers in the country in view of stronger rural sentiments, improved finance availability and a gradual progress in business and economic activities in the months ahead. More