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    2023 BMW i7 Takes the 7-Series into the EV Era

    BMW has lifted the curtain on its electric 2023 i7 flagship sedan, along with details on the EV’s powertrain, technology features, and interior. A dual-motor all-wheel drive setup with 536 horsepower and around 300 miles of driving range will be standard; the i7’s starting price is a steep $120,295.The i7 shares a chassis, new driver-assistance tech, and a swanky interior with the new 7-series sedan. The BMW 7-series is a key part of the brand’s luxury sedan lineup and the new seventh-generation model has embraced modern technology in a big way. Enter the i7, the first electric 7-series, which features two electric motors, 536 horsepower, and around 300 miles of driving range per charge.
    The sole powertrain is dubbed xDrive60 and is similar to what you’ll find in the BMW iX SUV, except that it’s slightly more powerful and the 101.7-kWh battery pack is a bit smaller. We’ve driven a prototype of the i7 near BMW’s headquarters in Munich, Germany, and can report that the i7’s acceleration is assertive and its cabin is exceedingly quiet when cruising. A 195-kilowatt onboard charger allows the i7’s battery to be quickly recharged at a DC fast charging station. BMW says that a mere 10 minutes of charging time on such a connection will net around 80 miles of driving range. Buyers of the i7 will also receive complimentary charging sessions at Electrify America stations—many of which offer DC fast charging—for the first three years of ownership.

    Despite the presence of an adaptive air suspension and a rear-wheel steering system, the i7 is not really a sports sedan and its cabin is made for relaxing. Elegant materials line the spacious interior and attention to detail is evident. As with the exterior design, which is sure to be polarizing, BMW has taken some styling risks with the interior too, particularly with the digital dashboard which pairs two 12.3-inch displays in a floating glass panel serving as both infotainment and gauge cluster. That infotainment system, by the way, is BMW’s latest iDrive 8, which launched with the iX and is also available in the electric i4 sedan.
    Additionally, a glass panel stretching the width of the car and into the door panels illuminates in the driver’s choice of ambient lighting and also features integrated touch controls for the air vents as well as the hazard lights and glove box release. Plush seats offer massage, heating, and cooling functions.
    Rear-seat passengers are treated even better, especially with the optional Executive Lounge package which adds power-adjustable rear seats that recline. The right rear passenger also receives a footrest in this configuration and the front passenger seat motors forward to provide additional legroom.The other wow factor onboard is the optional Theater Screen rear entertainment system. Using a digital screen embedded into either of the rear door panels, passengers can deploy a giant, 31.3-inch touchscreen display from the i7’s roof and use it to browse the web or stream Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, or Amazon Prime content using the car’s cellular data connection.
    A host of driver-assistance features are on offer, too, including BMW’s new Highway Assistant, which will be exclusive to North American customers at the car’s launch. This semi-autonomous driving mode allows for hands-free driving on U.S. and Canadian highways similar to systems such as Cadillac’s Super Cruise and Tesla’s AutoPilot.The i7 is also capable of parking itself, maneuvering itself up and down your driveway, and reversing its way through a chaotic Trader Joe’s parking lot without bumping any wandering shopping carts.Look for the i7 to go on sale in fall 2022, but you might want to call your money guy now because the entry price for all this luxury and gadgetry is a staggering $120,295.
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    KTM, Husqvarna Sales Mar 2022 – Duke, RC 125, 200, 250, 390 ADV

    KTM India reports decline in domestic sales and exports in March 2022 – Husqvarna sales fell as wellImage – Throttle98KTM India reported domestic sales in March 2022 at 3,669 units. YoY sales fell by 41 percent, down from 6,217 units. Volume loss stood at 2,548 units. Only the 250cc segment reported sales growth. KTM 200 (Duke + RC) sales decline stood at 12.71 percent, down at 1,943 units from 2,226 units. Volume loss stood at 12.71 percent. The unit contributed to about 53 percent of company domestic sales last month.KTM India Domestic Sales March 2022KTM 250 (Duke + ADV) sales was up at 1,539 units from 1,249 units. Volume gain stood at 290 units at 23.22 percent growth. KTM 125 (RC + Duke) sales fell to a mere 186 units, down from 1,719 units. Volume loss stood at a huge 1,533 units at 89.18 percent decline. Sales was nearer to a tenth of what was sold a year earlier.KTM India Domestic Sales March 2022KTM 390 (Duke + RC + ADV) sales fell to a single unit, down from over 1k units. The reason for decline is shortage of parts, which has affected production. KTM 390 MoM domestic sales fell by 15.71 percent, down from 4,353 units. Volume loss stood at 684 units. KTM 390 sales were low even last month at 38 units. KTM India is getting ready for the launch of 2022 RC 390. New RC 200 and RC 125 are already launched. With 2022 RC 390 now homologated in India, its launch is expected sooner than later.KTM exports in March 2022Last month, exports too fell. At 24.01 percent decline, exports were down at 3,620 units from 4,764 units. Volume loss stood at 1,144 units. 390 export fell to 1,356 units from almost 2.4k units. Volume loss stood at just over 1k units at 43.31 percent decline. 125 export fell to 1,094 units from 1,260 units. Volume loss stood at 166 units at 13.17 percent decline.KTM India Exports March 2022200 and 250 exports were positive. The smaller of the two is reported at 7.27 percent growth, up at 708 units from 660 units. Volume gain stood at 48 units. 250 exports gained marginally at 462 units, up from 452 units. MoM exports fell from just over 5k units. Volume loss stood at 1,395 units at 27.82 percent decline. Barring the 125, all bike exports fell MoM.KTM India Sales + Exports March 2022Husqvarna sales March 2022Along with KTM motorcycles, Bajaj Auto also manufactures Husqvarna motorcycles at the plant near Pune. Husqvarna brand was launched a little over 2 years back in India. Husqvarna 125, 201, 250 and 401 are made in India (Vitpilen and Svartpilen). Of these, only the 250 versions are sold in India, others are only for export.Their total sales last month fell to 7,289 units from 10,981 units. Volume loss stood at 3,692 units at volume decline of a third. Husqvarna 125 sales fell to 1,280 units don from almost 3k units. Volume loss stood at 1.7k units at 57.03 percent decline. Husqvarna 200 sales fell marginally at 2,651 units from 2,886 units. Volume loss stood at 235 units.Husqvarna India Sales and Exports – March 2022Husqvarna 250 sales is up at 2k units from 1.7k units. 390 sales fell by 60.26 percent, down at 1,357 units from 3,415 units. Volume loss stood at under 2.1k units. MoM total sales fell from 9,369 units. Volume loss stood at below 2.1k units at 22 percent decline. Husqvarna India domestic sales fell to 120 units last month, down from 482 units. Volume loss stood at 362 units at 75.10 percent decline. YoY exports fell from 1,005 units at 2.29 percent decline. More

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    Royal Enfield Meteor 350 New Colour Launch – Green, Blue, Red

    New matte green shade will interest folks who prefer the classy look over the usual glossy paint schemesRoyal Enfield Meteor 350 New Colour – Matt GreenExpanding the colour choices available for Meteor 350, Royal Enfield has introduced a new matte green. Meteor 350 is already offered in a multitude of colour options. It has red, blue, yellow, brown and black. In addition to the green shade, a new blue colour option has also been launched with Fireball, while Supernova Meteor gets a new Red shade.Royal Enfield Meteor 350 New ColourColour options for Meteor 350 are based on the variant. The base Fireball variant offers colour choices of red and yellow. Both of these are in glossy finish. Green is a primary colour and its matte finish will enable it to target an entirely new group of users.Meteor 350 new matte green colour option utilizes a blacked-out theme, similar to Fireball red and yellow. The green paint can be seen on the fuel tank. Most other components have been blacked out such as handlebar, engine, side panels, rear view mirrors, alloy wheels and exhaust. Wheel edges have matte green strips, but it’s not so conspicuous due to its light shade. These are more pronounced on Fireball Red and Yellow colour variants.Other colour options for Meteor 350 include Stellar Red, Blue and Black. Top-spec variants are Supernova Blue and Supernova Brown. New Supernova Red has also been launched today.Royal Enfield Meteor 350 New Colour – BlueImprove upon rival offeringsColour options may not be the sole criteria for choosing a specific bike, but it does play an important role in customer purchase decisions. Royal Enfield is already ahead in terms of colour choices available for most of its bikes. Adding more colour options is a good way to ensure competencies are further improved.If we compare to Meteor 350 rivals, Honda H’ness CB350 has a total of 8 colour options. CB350 DLX variant has Precious Red Metallic, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Pearl Night Star Black. DLX Pro has dual tone shades of Matte Steel Black Metallic with Matte Massive Grey Metallic, Athletic Blue Metallic with Virtuous White and Pearl Night Star Black with Spear Silver Metallic. There are two anniversary editions as well, Matte Marshal Green Metallic and Pearl Igneous Black.Yezdi Roadster has colour options of Smoke Grey, Sin Silver, Hunter Green, Gallant Grey and Steel Blue. Jawa 42 has the least colour choices in the group with red, white and black.New Royal Enfield Meteor 350 Supernova RedPricing for Meteor’s new green and blue colour is same as that of Fireball Red and Fireball Yellow. The Meteor 350 Fireball is available at Rs. 205,844/-, Stellar models at Rs. 211,924/- and Supernova at Rs. 222,061/- (ex-sh Chennai). B. Govindarajan, Executive Director, Royal Enfield, said “Over the last two years, the Meteor 350 has set new benchmarks in the entry-level cruiser segment in India, and has been making rapid in-roads into the global markets as well, while picking up awards and accolades along the way. The addition of new exciting colourways on the Meteor 350 make it a more compelling choice for our customers across the world.” More

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    2023 Lexus RZ450e Revealed as a Racier, Ritzier Toyota bZ4X

    The 2023 Lexus RZ450e debuts as the first electric vehicle the luxury brand has offered in America.It shares a platform with the Toyota bZ4X, but the RZ450e has more power and a ritzier interior.The RZ450e’s dual electric motors combine for around 300 horsepower, and Lexus estimates a 225-mile range.With the reveal of the 2023 Lexus RZ450e, the luxury automaker introduces its first electric vehicle to U.S. customers. While it shares a platform with the Toyota bZ4X, this Lexus EV pumps up the performance and increases the overall opulence compared to its mainstream counterpart.

    The first thing that stands out about the RZ450e is its sharply creased sheetmetal, particularly its angular face. The lighting signature is similar to other Lexus models, and its grille features the brand’s distinctive spindle design, but something’s different. Now called the “spindle body,” the surfaces are mostly smooth for aerodynamic purposes, and Lexus says the RZ450e’s design language prefaces future EV models.
    As with the bZ4X, the RZ450e rides on the e-TNGA platform that Toyota co-developed with Subaru. Lexus calls its dual-electric-motor, all-wheel-drive powertrain Direct4. The motor up front is rated at 201 horsepower and the one in the rear is rated at 107 horses, so we expect their combined output to be about 300 horses. That’s considerably more powerful than the 214-hp bZ4X. Another component the electrified Lexus and Toyota share is a battery pack. The RZ450e’s battery has approximately 65.0-kWh of useable capacity, which Lexus estimates will earn about 225 miles of range per charge. The company hasn’t yet released details about peak charging rate or estimated charging time.
    Inside, the RZ450e looks like it caters to a more affluent clientele than its Toyota cousin. The cabin is said to be styled with simplicity in mind and is lined with upscale materials. While Lexus has confirmed that the RZ450e will be offered with a yoke-style steering wheel, these photos only show the standard, circular wheel. A 14.0-inch touchscreen controls the infotainment system, which has the same new software we’ve seen on the Lexus NX and LX models. The RZ450e also comes standard with a panoramic sunroof that includes a dimming function and a host of driver-assistance technology, such as adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist. Among its more desirable options are a head-up display as well as a feature that allows drivers to remotely parallel park the vehicle.Lexus hasn’t yet announced pricing for the 2023 RZ450e, but we expect it to start at around $50,000 when it goes on sale closer to the end of this year.
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    Yamaha XSR 125 Legacy Edition Debuts – New Colour, Updates

    Yamaha XSR 125 Legacy Edition features cosmetic updates over the outgoing model, mechanically it is the same bikeYamaha XSR 125 Legacy EditionYamaha has unveiled an updated version of XSR 125 for the year 2022. Named XSR 125 Legacy Edition, the updated iteration of the neo-retro roadster has been priced at £4,950 (equivalent to INR 4.90 lakh). The bikes will start hitting showrooms across the United Kingdom from June 2022 onwards.XSR 125 was launched in Europe last year and is based on its street naked sibling MT-125. The new Legacy Edition of XSR 125 comes with some significant cosmetic updates over the outgoing model. The aesthetic updates give the motorcycle an overall fresh appeal.Yamaha XSR 125 Legacy Edition- Styling HighlightsFor 2022, Yamaha XSR 125 receives new paint schemes, wire-spoke wheels with rims painted in golden colour and wrapped around by new Metzeler Karoo tyres. The outgoing model rolled on black alloy wheels. Tyre design is claimed to give out a retro feeling, thanks to block patterns whereas a two-piece aluminium, exhaust muffler has also been redesigned to look more retro.The golden-coloured stripe and ‘Yamaha’ lettering on the fuel tank create a nice contrast with the glossy black paint. Apart from this, all visual highlights in the updated XSR 125 Legacy Edition have been carried forward from its predecessor. Yamaha is also planning to launch a series of accessories with the new XSR 125 like an expensive Akrapovic exhaust, a tank pad, screens and a host of other add-ons.Yamaha XSR 125 Legacy EditionSpecs & Features on offerIn terms of specs, XSR 125 Legacy Edition is identical to its predecessor. It gets the same 125cc single-cylinder liquid-cooled engine as MT-125 that kicks out 14.8 bhp at 10,000rpm and peak torque of 11.5 Nm at 8000rpm. This unit is linked to a 6-speed transmission. The new-retro roadster is underpinned by a Deltabox-style beam frame.It is suspended on 37mm upside-down forks in front and mono-shock at rear. Anchorage is taken care of by disc brakes at both ends and aided by a dual-channel ABS as standard. As far as features go, XSR 125 is laced with a fully digital, blue-backlit, circular instrument display and an LED lighting setup which have been borrowed from XSR 155.Other Yamaha UpdatesSadly, XSR 125 Legacy Edition is unlikely to reach Indian shores anytime soon. While Indian audiences were hoping Yamaha to launch XSR 155 in India, the Japanese instead launched FZ-X last year which is based on the existing FZ Fi platform and engine. The bikemaker recently launched the new MT-15 V2.0 in the country which is based on R15 V4.With demand for electric scooters on the rise, Yamaha has promised to launch EVs in India. Recently, they showcased electric scooters E01 and NEO’S to dealers. These are expected to be launched sometime next year. More

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    Top 10 Scooters FY 2022 – Activa, Jupiter, Access, NTORQ, Dio

    Scooter sales dipped 10.47 percent in FY 2022 with all except for the Access and Burgman posting YoY de-growthImage – Bike Point By Mintu&RahulThere has been an unhealthy decline in scooter sales in FY 2022 with the ongoing pandemic, closure of academic institutions, a work from home culture, rising fuel prices, etc, all taking its toll on sales in this segment. The scooter segment is also showing a clear migration to electric scooters and that segment has seen tremendous growth over the past several months.Total scooter sales in FY 2022 stood at 36,95,292 units, down 10.47 percent over 41,27,241 units sold in FY 2021. Every model on the top 10 scooter list posted de-growth except for the Suzuki Access and Burgman.Top 10 Scooters FY 2022 – Honda Activa at No. 1Honda Activa remained the best-selling scooter in FY 2022, and dominated the sales list by a huge margin. Sales of the Activa scooter stood at 17,08,305 units in FY 2022, down 11.93 percent over 19,39,640 units sold in FY 2021 relating to a 2,31,335 unit volume de-growth. Honda Activa commands a 46.23 percent share and no other scooter managed sales above the 10 lakh unit mark.At No. 2 was TVS Jupiter with sales of 5,04,567 units in FY 2021. This was a dip of 6.64 percent over 5,40,466 units sold in FY 2021 relating to a 35,899 unit volume de-growth. The TVS Jupiter commands a 13.65 percent market share. More recently, TVS Motor Company has expanded the Jupiter range to include a new top of the range ZX variant that comes in with new features and colour options. TVS Jupiter ZX SmartXonnect is available at Rs 80,973 (ex-showroom, Delhi).Top 10 Scooters FY 2022Suzuki Access scooter saw increased demand to the extent of 10.30 percent in FY 2022 to 4,60,596 units, up from 4,17,601 units sold in FY 2021. Suzuki Access 125 with a market share of 12.46 percent, is noted for its outstanding performance with good power to weight ratio and fuel efficiency at around 48 km/l. Ntorq scooter from TVS saw its YoY sales dip 0.88 percent in FY 2022. Sales which had stood at 2,51,491 units in FY 2021 dipped to 2,49,277 units in FY 2022.Honda Dio, Hero Pleasure, Yamaha RayZRHonda Dio at No. 5 posted a YoY de-growth of 29.19 percent to 2,22,632 units in FY 2022, down from 3,14,417 units sold in FY 2021. This was a volume dip of 91,785 units with share percentage at 6.02. Even as the Dio scooter is not doing too well in domestic markets, it was the most exported scooter of Honda India.Sales of Hero Pleasure scooter fell 11.61 percent in FY 2022 to 1,79,961 units from 2,03,594 units sold in FY 2021. Hero MotoCorp has recently hiked prices of its scooter lineup by Rs 2,000 depending on variant. The company currently offers four scooters among which are the Pleasure Plus, Maestro Edge 110, Maestro Edge 125 and Destini 125.Top 10 ScootersFY 2022FY 2021Growth % YoY1. Honda Activa17,08,30519,39,640-11.932. TVS Jupiter5,04,5675,40,466-6.643. Suzuki Access4,60,5964,17,60110.304. TVS Ntorq2,49,2772,51,491-0.885. Honda Dio2,22,6323,14,417-29.196. Hero Pleasure1,79,9612,03,594-11.617. Yamaha RayZR1,03,4911,30,648-20.798. Suzuki Burgman99,94676,55630.559. Yamaha Fascino97,1661,08,496-10.4410. Hero Destini 12569,3511,44,332-51.95Total36,95,29241,27,241-10.47Yamaha Ray ZR also saw sales dip in FY 2022 to 1,03,491 units from 1,30,648 units sold in FY 2021 resulting in a 20.79 percent de-growth. Sales of Suzuki Burgman increased 30.55 percent to 99,946 units, up from 76,556 units sold in FY 2021. Fascino (97,166 units) and Destini 125 (69,351 units) scooters however, noted YoY de-growth in FY 2022 sales by 10.44 percent and 51.95 percent respectively. More

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    LML Electric Scooter, Motorcycle India Debut This Year

    LML Electric has joined hands with German EV brand eROCKIT in order to manufacture an E-hyperbike in IndiaImage for referenceLML announced its re-entry into the market as an electric vehicle manufacturer in September last year. The yesteryear maker of Vespa scooters in India is set to make a comeback in a reincarnated “all-electric” avatar by unveiling as many as three new electric two-wheelers later this year.These three models will include an electric hyperbike, electric scooter and an e-bike which will be revealed on 29 September 2022. The company will also unveil its new brand logo on the same day. Launches and deliveries of these products will take place from next year onwards.LML Electric electric two-wheelersLaunch of the electric Hyperbike and e-bike are set to take place in January next year whereas series production of both models is also expected to commence around the same time. Deliveries of Hyperbike and e-bike are expected to begin around February or March 2023. On the other hand, the electric scooter will start rolling out from the production line around August or September next year.All three models will cater to the premium and high-performance end of the spectrum. Apart from these upcoming electric two-wheelers, LML is also working on developing another high-performance electric motorcycle that is scheduled to make its debut in 2024. LML claims that it will be offering some class-leading features in all its products and the company has already applied for patents on some of these unique features.LML Electric trademark objectedPartnership with eROCKITIn an interaction with a newspaper, Yogesh Bhatia, CEO of LML Electric, revealed that the company has entered into a collaboration with German EV brand eROCKIT for adoption of technology. Design aspects of these upcoming battery-powered models will be taken care of by its Italian partner SPM Engineering.The joint venture between LML and eROCKIT will focus on manufacturing the electric Hyperbike which is expected to have different specifications in comparison to its German counterpart. The German-spec E-Hyperbike comes with pedal assist that can reach a top speed of up to 90kmph and can return a maximum range of 20 km on a single charge.Manufacturing detailsLML has assured that the upcoming two-wheelers will be heavily localised to suit Indian conditions. In fact, LML Electric also plans to export its vehicles and will also manufacture products for eROCKIT in India and ship them to overseas markets. While Bhatia didn’t disclose any specifics about the upcoming models, he revealed that the company will address the range anxiety issue of prospective consumers.There is a good chance that LML will adopt battery swapping technology for its products to start with. Earlier in January this year, LML Electric had announced another partnership with Saera Electric Auto where the latter’s state-of-art manufacturing facility located in Bawal, Haryana will be used for production of the brand’s upcoming electric two-wheelers.Source More

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    Top 10 500cc+ Motorcycles Mar 2022 – 650 Twins, Ninja, CBR, Tiger

    Unassuming, old-school, practical Royal Enfield 650 twins continue to dominate 500cc+ motorcycle segmentModified RE 650 by Neev MotorcyclesBig bike sales stayed buoyant in March 2022, registering YoY growth of 164.54%. A total of 1,619 units were sold in the month, as compared to 612 units in the corresponding period last year. Most bikes in the top ten list have registered positive YoY growth. Royal Enfield, Kawasaki, Honda, and Triumph are among the primary volume generators in this segment.Top 10 500cc+ Motorcycles Mar 2022With their affordable pricing and powerful performance, 650 twins continue to be bestsellers in this space. Sales in March 2022 was at 1,226 units. YoY growth is 224.34%, as compared to 378 units sold in March last year. 650 twins commanded more than 3/4th market share in March. Encouraged by their success, Royal Enfield will soon launch multiple new bikes based on the 650cc platform. It includes a cruiser bike, Super Meteor and a 650cc bobber.At number two in the list is Kawasaki Ninja 1000 with sales of 57 units in March. YoY growth is 280.00%, as compared to 15 units sold in March last year. This is the highest YoY growth in the top ten in percentage terms. Ninja 1000 market share is 3.52%.Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R is third with sales of 47 units in March. Market share is at 2.90%. 2022 model of the supersport bike was launched last year in December at a starting price of Rs 15.14 lakh (ex-showroom). It came with updates to the LED headlamps, winglet and other design enhancements. With advanced ride-by-wire technology and powerful 998cc motor, Ninja ZX-10R has emerged as one of the most popular premium supersport bikes in the country.500cc+ Motorcycle sales March 2022At number four in the list is Ninja 650 with sales of 33 units in March. YoY growth is down by -10.81%, as compared to 37 units sold in March last year. Market share is at 2.04%. 2022 Kawasaki Ninja 650 was launched last year in August at a starting price of Rs 6.61 lakh. Some of the key updates for the bike included sharper design, new colour options and improved mechanicals.Honda CBR 650R is fifth with sales of 27 units in March. YoY growth is 170%, as compared to 10 units sold in March last year. Market share is at 1.67%. 2022 Honda CBR 650R was launched earlier this year in January at Rs 9.25 lakh. Updates to the bike were focused primarily on visual enhancements.Africa Twin registers strong growthPlaced at number seventh in the list, Honda Africa Twin has registered YoY growth of 88.89%. A total of 17 units were sold in March 2022, as compared to 9 units in March last year. Market share is at 1.05%. Boost in sales could be attributed to the 2022 model launched in March. Some of the key updates included a refreshed LCD instrument console and support for Android Auto.Tiger 660 is placed at sixth spot with sales of 23 units in March. Market share is at 1.42%. At eighth position is Trident with sales of 16 units in March. YoY growth is 60%, as compared to 10 units sold in March last year. Market share is at 0.99%. Next is Tiger 900 with sales of 16 units. YoY growth has turned negative at -40.74%, as compared to 27 units sold in March last year. Market share is 0.99%. Tenth bestselling big bike is Fat Bob with sales of 15 units. Market share is 0.93%. More