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      Hero MotoCorp, Kia India Top Dealer Satisfaction Levels

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      The average satisfaction score across all segments were well below 600 points on a 1,000 point scale
      Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) has recently conducted Covid-19 Dealer Support Satisfaction Study. The report which was created in association with Singapore-based PremonAsia observes varying levels of support form OEMs to their respective dealer partners.
      Ranking parameters

      FADA’s dealer support satisfaction study during COVID-19 lockdown focused on 6 parameters to rate the OEMs – support on financial matters, communication, dealer manpower, lockdown related affairs, restart of business and future business evolution.
      Passenger vehicle segment
      The ranking list which is based on a 1,000-point scale witnessed only two passenger vehicle brands surpassing 600 points. Kia with a score of 736 points emerged as a clear leader in the dealer satisfaction study while Toyota Kirloskar Motor finished second with a tally of 641. Tata and Honda found themselves trailing their competitors in the mass market segment. As far as luxury segment is concerned, Audi just managed to breech the 600-point mark to lead its compatriots BMW and Mercedes who scored 531 and 500 points respectively.
      Dealer Satisfaction Level in Car Segment – Points out of 1000.
      Kia’s top score is a reflection of its dealers’ satisfaction regarding communication and dealer manpower related affairs. Toyota’s dealers were happy about the automaker’s financial support such as expediting settlements and offering financial assistance on inventory.
      Two wheeler segment
      Country’s market leader Hero MotoCorp topped FADA’s COVID-19 dealer support satisfaction study with 623 points. Honda and Royal Enfield managed to breech 500-point mark but the satisfaction levels are low in general. India Yamaha scored a paltry 398.
      Dealer Satisfaction Level in Two Wheeler Segment – Points out of 1000.
      CV segment
      Satisfaction levels in three-wheeler segment was below 600 points with Bajaj coming closest to that limit at 559 points. Things were even worse in medium and heavy commercial vehicle segments where the top scorer, Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV), had a tally of 449 points. In the small and light CV segment, Mahindra scored 607 points while Tata Motors only managed to score 383 points. Force and Askok Leyland finished between the two.
      Dealer Satisfaction Level in 3W and CV Segment – Points out of 1000.
      Current outlook
      Even before the COVID-19 crisis, automobile dealers in India have been struggling due to a prolonged slowdown in the market. The pandemic couldn’t have come at a worst time. At times like these, support from the manufacturers become absolutely crucial for the dealer partners to ensure sustainability. With sales coming to a ground halt during lockdown period, several dealerships across the country were forced to shut down permanently while most others had to cut down on jobs.
      Moving forward, there is a general consensus among FADA members that there should be greater dealer empowerment in the future in addition to increased involvement in data analytics, digital marketing and technology. More

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      Harley Davidson Exits India, Employees To Be Laid Off – Official

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      No update on what will happen to existing dealer networks or customers of Harley Davidson motorcycles in India
      Today, Harley Davidson announced their official exit from the Indian market. Harley Davidson’s announcement of closing its manufacturing operations in India and reducing the size of its sales office in Gurgaon does not come as a surprise. Recently, the American cruiser brand revealed that it is withdraw from several international markets and focus only on 50 odd highly profitable ones.
      Harley Davidson India

      With only 2,500 units sold during last financial year, the Indian operations weren’t up to the HQ’s expectations. To make the matter’s worse, the outlook has been strongly affected by the ongoing pandemic situation. So, as a part of Harley Davidson’s ‘Rewire‘ medium-term restructuring strategy, the India operations will be wrapped up. The move will lead to job losses of approximately 70 employees in India.
      Harley Davidson operates an assembly plant in Bawal, Haryana which primarily builds Street 750, the brand’s best selling model in the country by far. In addition to India, HD is expected to walk out of several other markets.
      Harley Davidson India said that they are evaluating options to continue serving their existing customers for servicing and spares parts.
      The Rewire strategy
      Under the new leadership, Harley Davidson has made a major course correction by scaling back the aggressive expansion plans. The company now aims to focus in attention of handful of core markets and reduce its product portfolio by a good 30%. The scaling back will also affect the new models that were previously announced. For example, the Bronx 975 roadster which was destined to take on popular street fighters like the Triumph Speed Triple, Kawasaki Z900, etc., is now facing uncertainty.
      However, a recent spyshot of Harley Davidson 338 which is born out of a platform sharing partnership with China-based Qianjiang Group suggests that the entry-level motorcycle project is progressing as planned. The 338 would have given the new Royal Enfield range a run for its money in India but we guess we will never know.
      What now?
      There were reports that Harley Davidson is scouting for a viable partner in India to promote its upcoming medium displacement offerings. While there is no concrete evidence or announcements related to such a move, rumour mills indicate that Classic Legends and Hero MotoCorp are the leading contenders for a potential JV.
      If Harley Davidson can find a suitable partner in India, it could resume its operations with significantly reduced cost structure than before. If not operations, they could atleast offer servicing and spares to their existing customers. We do hope such a plan materializes. The American marque did say that it is “changing its business model in India and evaluating options to continue to serve its customers”.
      Harley Davidson joins the ever expanding list of automakers who walked out of India in the recent times. Other brands include GM, SsangYong, Fiat, UM Motorcycles, MAN and Scania. More

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      BS6 Ducati Scrambler 1100 Pro Launch Price Rs 11.95 Lakhs

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      After the launch of the BS6 compliant Panigale V2, Ducati has launched the Scrambler 1100 in India
      Italian motorcycling icon- Ducati had teased the much anticipated Scrambler in its BS6 guise a few days ago. Today, they have launched the same. BS6 Scrambler is on offer in two trims – Pro and Sport Pro, both powered by the same 1100cc L-Twin engine. Prices are Rs 11.95 lakhs and Rs 13.74 lakhs ex-sh, respectively. Bookings have opened across India at all authorized Ducati dealerships.

      The Scrambler 1100 will be the second BS6 offering by the Italian superbike manufacturer after Panigale V2 which was launched about a month ago. Panigale V2 has been priced at Rs 16.99 lakh (ex-showroom, India) and is offered in a single variant with two colour schemes on offer- Ducati Red and White Rosso Livery.
      In the BS4 era, the Scrambler 1100 range consisted of three variants- 1100, 1100 Sport and 1100 Special. Scrambler 1100 range on offer in Europe in its Euro 5 compliance form comprising two variants- 1100 Pro and 1100 Sport Pro. In India as well, the Scrambler will be available in both the trims- 1100 Pro and 1100 Sport Pro.

      Design
      Coming to the design of the new Scrambler, there are quite a few noticeable changes on the updated model. For starters, it gets an updated seat and a revised paint scheme. It also sports new body graphics in addition to the new reconfigured twin-muffler exhaust system. The number plate holder has been repositioned and now sits fairly low. The extension of the rear fender has been chopped off and is much shorter now.
      Difference between Sport and Sport Pro
      There are quite a few distinguishing aspects that separate the two variants. For instance, the higher-spec Sport Pro variant is steered by a lower and flatter handlebar with bar-end cafe racer style mirrors on either end. It also features a premium Ohlins suspension. On the other hand, the 1100 Pro is equipped with a Marzocchi fork at front and Kayaba mono-shock at rear. The Sport Pro additionally gets a matte black paint scheme as well.

      Powertrain
      The updated Scrambler 1100s get a BS6 compliant 1079cc L-Twin air-cooled motor which churns out 86PS of power at 7500rpm and 88.4Nm of peak torque at 4750rpm. The power figures witness a drop of 1.1 PS from its BS4 counterpart. Transmission is via 6 speed gearbox.
      Features
      In terms of features, the Scrambler 1100 range gets three riding modes- City, Journey and Active. As far as safety is concerned it gets a cornering ABS from Bosch and a four-stage Ducati traction control or DTC. Both variants of Scrambler 1100 get Pirelli MT60 RS tyres specifically developed for the model and brake calipers from Brembo.
      Mr. Bipul Chandra, Managing Director of Ducati India said, “Scrambler is one of the most characterful, free spirited and powerful entry level Ducati in our portfolio. The new Scrambler 1100 Pro range takes those qualities a notch higher allowing riders to explore endless possibilities on their rides. It’s a mix of style, comfort and performance that makes Scrambler 1100 Pro versatile and adaptive to everyone’s individual and demanding riding style. The meticulously thought Scrambler 1100 Pro and Sport Pro are designed to provide complete Scrambler experience as soon as you swing a leg over it. Both experienced and new riders will be able to extract the maximum out of this motorcycle considering its friendly nature and we expect them to have a lot of fun!” More

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      BMW R18 Cruiser Motorcycle India Launch Price Rs 18.9 Lakh

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      BMW R18 takes its inspiration from the design of the 1965 model R5 and is the first traditional cruiser from the German brand in India
      BMW Motorrad India has launched their flagship cruiser motorcycle in India today. The Heritage-Series bike is BMW’s answer to motorcycles in the cruiser segment from Indian Motorcycles and Harley Davidson. It will also take on the likes of Ducati Diavel 1260 and the recently introduced Triumph Rocket 3 GT.

      This is the first attempt by BMW to bring a traditional cruiser bike to India. Price of standard edition is Rs 18.9 lakhs and that of First Edition is Rs 21.9 lakhs, ex-sh. Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India said, “The all-new BMW R 18 is BMW Motorrad’s much-anticipated entry into the cruiser segment. Fans and motorcycling enthusiasts in India have been eagerly waiting for this day.”
      Design
      BMW R18 draws its design inspiration from the 1965 R5 model with cues taken from the traditional swingarm, fuel tank, the exposed shaft-drive and exhaust pipes. Overall, its design resembles that of a conventional old-school bobber that sits on a double-cradle steel frame. The frame also covers the beautifully sculpted engine which highlights the impressive presence of the bike.
      BMW R18 – Standard vs First Edition
      Its retro look gets further accentuated by a round headlamp, wide handlebars, an exhaust pipe finished in chrome and spoked wheels. BMW will be offering two variants of the R18- a standard completely blacked-out version and a First Edition with more white pinstripes and chrome. The First Edition will also feature further distinguishing elements such as a seat badge with a ‘First Edition’ clasp, a copper-lettered logo on the tank and a Blackstorm metallic paint job.
      Powertrain
      As far as performance is concerned, the R18 is powered by the largest twin-cylinder boxer motor of 1802cc displacement. This engine is capable of generating 91 bhp of power at 4,750rpm and 158Nm of peak torque at 3,000rpm. This unit is mated to a six-speed gearbox with a shaft drive setup.

      Features
      In terms of features, the upcoming cruiser gets an all-LED Lighting setup, an analog instrument cluster, heated grips and an optional reverse gear. The safety equipment consists of ABS, traction control, hill-hold assist and switchable Automatic Stability Control (ASC). The ACS is complemented by MSR which prevents the rear wheel slip in case of aggressive downshifting and acceleration. Additionally, it gets three driving modes- Rain, Roll and Rock.
      Dynamics
      Suspension duties on the motorcycle is carried out by telescopic forks at front and a mono-shock unit at rear. Meanwhile, anchoring duties are carried out by dual discs of 300mm dia and single disc of 300mm dia at rear. The stand on 120/70 R 19 wheels at front and 180/65 B16 at rear.
      BMW R18 Specs
      While the high-end cruiser bike segment has not been very popular among the masses. However, BMW aims to attract a fair share of buyers who would definitely like to flaunt a premium bobber on the streets. More

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      Honda Teases Exhaust Note of New Motorcycle – Royal Enfield rival

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      Honda has released a new teaser with audio, indicating the soon-to-be-launched product could be a twin-cylinder cruiser
      Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) recently teased a new product which is scheduled to be launched on September 30. The teaser read “Your Highness is arriving”. The company has followed up the teaser with an audio of the exhaust note today. The solid thumping of the exhaust note makes us think the mystery Honda has a twin-cylinder heart.
      Is it Honda Rebel 500 Cruiser?

      The exhaust note also strongly indicates that the motorcycle in question could be a cruiser. If we combine the parameters twin-cylinder and cruiser, the first product that comes to mind is the Honda Rebel 500 cruiser.
      Products like Bajaj Avenger and Royal Enfield Thunderbird (which is soon to be succeeded by Meteor) has made the cruiser body style quite popular among Indian motorcycle enthusiasts. The relaxed riding position and unhurried yet effortless performance of a medium displacement cruiser make it an attractive proposition for daily urban grind and the occasional weekend getaway. With Royal Enfield not likely to address the 500 cc cruiser segment with its next generation J Platform range, the Honda Rebel 500 could slot in a sweet spot. Listen to the audio teaser below.
      [embedded content]
      Honda Rebel 500 – Specifications
      The Rebel 500 is equipped with a 471 cc parallel-twin, liquid-cooled engine which is the mainstay of Honda’s hugely popular medium displacement range of motorcycles. Paired with a 6-speed transmission, the engine develops 45.5 hp and 44.6 Nm of torque. On board the cruiser, the motor is tuned to delivery good low-end torque and relaxed highway performance.
      As far as hardware goes, the Honda medium displacement cruiser sports a trellis frame, telescopic front forks, twin rear shock absorbers, front and rear disc brakes with dual-channel ABS, alloy wheels and high-profile tyres. A low-set saddle, high-mounted handlebar and forward-mounted rider foot pegs make for a quintessential cruiser ergonomics.
      The Honda Rebel 500 adopts textbook cruiser styling but integrates modern features like full LED headlamp and fully digital instrument console. The steeply inclined fuel tank gives it a unique character. The Rebel 500 weights 191 kg and carries a fuel tank capacity of 11.2 liters. As per the WMTC cycle, the cruiser’s fuel efficiency stands at 27 kmpl.
      Rivals
      The Honda Rebel 500, if launched in India, would be pitted against Royal Enfield’s upcoming 650 cc cruiser. It would also be pitched as a cheaper alternative to the Harley Davidson Street 750. We expect Honda to employ CKD assembly rather than import the cruiser as a CBU. This way, the pricing can be competitive.
      It is also possible that HMSI’s new mystery product is not exactly the Rebel 500 but a closely related variant which is fined tuned for the Indian market. We will know soon. More

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      RE Meteor 350 Dimensions Leak – Ground Clearance, Warranty, Accessories

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      New leaked information throws some light on dimensions, service intervals, warranty and accessories for Meteor 350
      The Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will be one of the company’s major launches in the days ahead. It will be made available in three trims – Fireball, Stellar and Supernova.

      ‘Fireball’ variant will have two colours of Yellow and Red while the Stellar variant will be seen in three options of Red Metallic, Matte Black, and Metallic Gloss Blue. The top spec Supernova version will get two dual-tone paint schemes of Brown and Blue.
      The three variants receive individual components that set them apart. The Fireball gets body graphics and decals, a single colour scheme on its fuel tank and blacked out components. The Stellar trim is seen with chrome accents on handlebars, a back rest for pillion rider and body coloured components while the top of the line Supernova gets a revised seat, machine cut alloy wheels and a windscreen.

      Across range, the Meteor 350 will receive turn by turn navigation called Tripper Navigation which is in full colour and is Bluetooth enabled.
      It will also be seen with a new age digi-analogue instrument cluster. Features will also include a USB charging port which allows riders to charge both smartphones and action cameras. The instrument cluster consists of 8 LED signs and an LCD screen showing off details of odometer, trip meter, time, service reminder, etc.

      Specs
      New RE Meteor 350 will be powered by a 350cc, single cylinder, air cooled, fuel injected engine making 20.2 hp power and 27 Nm torque. The engine could get mated to a 5 speed gearbox. Leaked info also mentions that the long stroke engine delivers high torque on low rpm while the new gearbox will be smoother and get light clutch action. The Meteor 350 will get Ceat/Ace tyres measuring 100/90-19 and 140/70-17 at the front and rear respectively.

      Youtube Channel Bullet Guru has shared new video, which brings to light dimensions of the Meteor 350 to light. It is 2140 mm long, 1140mm tall, has a seat height of 765 mm, ground clearance is at 170 mm, wheelbase is 1400 mm. It comes with 3 years warranty, service interval is 10k kms. Take a look at the detailed video below.
      [embedded content]
      The upcoming Royal Enfield Meteor 350 will get a round shaped halogen headlamp, and not a full LED unit as what was expected. It does, however, get an LED ring around the headlamp.

      The raised handlebars ensure a better riding position in an upright stance making it more comfortable for riders over longer distances. With launch likely to happen by the end of September, no pricing is announced as on date but estimates put the Meteor 350 at around Rs.1.65 lakhs.
      Specs
      Meteor 350
      Engine
      Single Cylinder
      Cooling
      Air Cooled
      Displacement
      349cc
      FI
      Yes
      Power
      20.2 bhp @ 6100 rpm
      Torque
      27 Nm @ 4000 rpm
      Drive
      Chain
      Transmission
      5 Speed
      Front Suspension
      Telescopic 41mm Forks, 130 mm Travel
      Rear Suspension
      Adjustable Twin Springs
      Front Brakes
      300 mm Single Disc
      Rear Brakes
      270 mm Single Disc
      ABS
      Dual Channel
      Front Tyre
      100/90
      Rear Tyre
      140/70
      Front Wheel
      19 inch Alloy
      Rear Wheel
      17 inch Alloy
      Fuel Tank
      15 liters
      Length
      2140mm
      Height
      1140mm
      Seat Height
      765mm
      Wheelbase
      1400mm
      Ground Clearance
      170mm
      Warranty
      3 years
      Oil
      Semi Synthetic 15W50
      Oil Change
      Every 10k kms
      Oil Dry Fill
      2.2 L
      Oil Refill
      1.7 L More

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      New Honda 300cc Cruiser Launch on 30th Sep – Royal Enfield, Jawa Rival ?

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      The new Honda bike is reported to be developed specifically for our market but it could be based on an international platform
      Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) has teased a new product which is set to be launched on 30th of September. The vague teaser image shows a crown with tagline “Your Highness is arriving on 30th September”. The world premiere is most likely to be streamed live.
      What could be the new Honda product?

      Honda seems to be on an aggressive product launch strategy. Just recently, the Japanese brand introduced the new Hornet 2.0 with a slightly larger engine and it is already gearing up for its next big launch.
      Some expect the new Honda to be a medium displacement motorcycle with a capacity of around 300-400 cc. This fits well with a long-standing report that claimed Honda is developing a retro classic motorcycle to compete with Jawa and Royal Enfield, which has been enjoying a near-monopoly in the Indian middle-weight motorcycle space.
      New Honda India motorcycle launch teaser
      The crown in teaser image suggests the new Honda bike’s nameplate or its marketing tagline would revolve around the words royal or king. However, there is absolutely no indication on what the body style is going to be. One would usually expect a Royal Enfield rival to be either a classic roadster with simple styling or a cruiser.
      Either way, the product is likely to adopt a lot of modern design elements and features like a typical retro-classic product. The image also represents what appears to be sound waves, indicating that the engine note is of importance.
      Approximate specifications
      If it is indeed a medium-displacement motorcycle, it is likely to be based on one of Honda’s internationally available platforms albeit with significant changes to make it suitable for our market. For example, the Honda Rebel 300 cruiser could be one of the viable donor products for Honda’s Royal Enfield rival. It is to be noted here that the Honda Rebel 300 has already been patented by the company in India.
      Honda Rebel Patented in India – Leak
      The new Honda bike is most likely to be equipped with a single-cylinder engine to keep the costs competitive. We expect the soon-to-be-launched product to stick with Honda’s tradition of prioritizing smooth and effortless performance rather than squeezing out maximum possible horse power.
      Market positioning
      HMSI’s attempt at the Indian mid-premium two wheeler segment has been rather uneventful. Though the CBR250R had a decent fan following, it never did set the sales chart on fire as there were more powerful alternatives in the same price range. We expect the new Honda bike to be localized heavily to arrive at an attractive price point. A sub-2 lakh price tag would make things pretty interesting. More

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      Bajaj Chetak bookings closed as company struggles to meet demand

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      Bookings for Bajaj Chetak are not expected to resume anytime soon
      The launch of Bajaj Chetak electric scooter was an important strategic move by the company. For starters, the product marked Bajaj Auto’s rentry into the burgeoning scooter market after a prolonged hiatus, and secondly, it also marked the brand’s foray into the promising world of electric two wheelers. However, things did not go as per plan, thanks to the pandemic.
      Bookings closed

      Launched in January, the Bajaj Chetak started with Pune and Bangalore as its initial markets. The plan was to expand the reach to other major cities in a phased manner but supply chain bottleneck and production halt due to the COVID pandemic appears to have hampered the Chetak’s short term prospects.
      Bookings had to be closed in March / April due to the pandemic and nationwide lockdown. In June once the unlock procedure started, Bajaj had restarted Chetak bookings. But now, in Sep – bookings have been closed again. According to the official website, bookings for Chetak are closed and we don’t expect it to be resumed anytime soon.
      Screenshot from Bajaj Chetak website.
      However, Bajaj is encouraging prospective customers to register their interest via a form in the official Chetak website so that they can be updated as and when the bookings resume.
      Production constraint
      Though majority of the components for the Bajaj Chetak is sourced within the country, a few critical components are being imported from China. The factory closures in the neighbouring country earlier this year and production halt in India due to lock-down has impacted the electric scooter’s production.
      The ongoing border tension between India and China may have also affected the components supply. If this situation prolongs, Bajaj will not only find it difficult to service the existing bookings but will have to abandon its expansion plans temporarily. Other EV makers in India are likely facing similar challenges that could lead to production constraints for a foreseeable future.
      Bajaj Chetak and its Husqvarna sibling
      Husqvarna Electric Scooter
      While the Bajaj Chetak is facing production constraints, Husqvarna, a part of Bajaj’s European subsidiary KTM, is working on a new 4 kW electric scooter based on the same platform. Called as the Husqvarna E-01, the premium scooter is expected to be manufactured alongside Chetak by Bajaj for global consumption. If the production operations continue to face bottlenecks, the E-01’s planned launch in 2021 may get pushed further by a few months.
      The Bajaj Chetak is powered by a 3.8 kW motor which derives its electricity from a 2.89 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Maximum range stands at 95 km. Feature highlights include LED headlight, digital instrument console, alloy wheels, front disc brake and smartphone connectivity. More