COME 2014, HERO MOTOCORP COULD LAUNCH AN INDEPENDENTLY DEVELOPED 250CC PREMIUM SPORTS MOTORCYCLE

Currently, Hero MotoCorp has two premium sports motorcycle offerings, in the form of the Hero Karizma ZMA-R and the Karizma ZMR. Both motorcycles use the 223cc air/oil cooled engine, that erstwhile partner Honda, supplied Hero with. While these motorcycles are high quality mile munchers, they’re still slow sellers compared to archrival Bajaj Auto’s Pulsar range. With Honda coming up with the CBR250R and Bajaj unveiling the KTM Duke 200, the time is ripe for Hero MotoCorp to launch another attack on the 200cc+ segment, a segment where it is losing market and mindshare rapidly.

For this very purpose, Hero MotoCorp has began development of the 250cc motorcycle that it will pit against the likes of the CBR250R and the KTM Duke 200. However, it will not be until 2014 when this motorcycle will be launched in the Indian market, and that is a good two years away. While there has been some talk about Hero using the 250cc short stroke four stroke engine from the Honda CBR250R, it now seems that Hero MotoCorp wants to develop the new 250cc motorcycle by its own, with assistance from perhaps its new technical partner, Erik Buell Racing, and Austrian engineering design firm AVL.

However, we wouldn’t be too surprised of Hero buys the technology packed 250cc liquid cooled engine from Honda, as it has been doing all along, by paying a royalty to the Japanese firm. Honda, on the other hand, plans to go on an all out offensive in the Indian commuter motorcycle market, a market that it intends to take leadership of, by 2020. Apart from a rural India focused ad campaign to make the Honda brand percolate the Indian hinterland, Honda is readying up for the launch of its high volume commuter motorcycle, the 2012 Dream Yuga 110, in May this year.

Coming back to the Indian premium sports motorcycle segment, this segment is witnessing big growth as more and more young Indians are having higher disposable incomes to splurge on high performance motorcycles that are affordable too. Bajaj, one of the first movers in this segment, will launch the Pulsar 200 NS in the next few weeks and this tech packed motorcycle is expected to deliver big volumes. Also, KTM plans to expand its offerings in 2013, with a 350cc motorcycle even as Yamaha and TVS Motors are also long due for launches in the 200cc+ market. Hero MotoCorp will have a tough task cut out, especially with so many global competitors vying for the fast growing pie.