Adding a new motorcycle CB350RS with what it describes as a ‘road sailing (RS)’ concept, based on the same platform as the H’ness CB350 which has already sold 10,000 units in the last little over three months, Honda Motorcycles & Scooters India (HMSI) has sought to rev up the mid-size (350-500 cc) motorcycle segment, wherein it is a relatively new entrant.
HMSI is aggressively positioning the two CB series motorcycles to compete with the likes of Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and Classic 350, Jawa 42 and Benelli Imperiale 400, which broadly are powered by 350-400cc engines, and yet the company appears to be treading cautiously on the launch of its much awaited CB500 motorcycle in the mid-size segment, considering its company assessed limited demand in the country.
Photos By : Life In Chandigarh
Interacting with media persons recently at the global virtual premier of CB350RS, its more comfortable, yet sportier, version of the H’ness CB350, HMSI MD, President & CEO Atsushi Ogata presented the company’s new pragmatic and demand-driven step-by-step approach to production and sales targets, capturing market share, as well as new launches.
Considering that both the mid-size ‘Made in India for the World’ motorcycles in the CB family are eventually to be exported as well, the company right now does not seem to be even talking about exports, and would rather concentrate on first finding market momentum for these new motorcycles within India since these have been designed specifically with the Indian user in mind.
The CB350RS, priced 1.96 lakh onwards (ex-showroom pan India), comes in two colour options – Radiant Red Metallic and dual-tone Black with Pearl Sports Yellow, the latter being its top end model. Bookings have begun straightaway at the premises of the company’s BigWing dealerships and on the Honda BigWing website: www.hondabigwing.in. However, the motorcycles will start rolling into the dealerships for deliveries early March.
On the progress of expansion plans for BigWing dealerships, company Director – Sales & Marketing Yadvinder Singh Guleria shared that the target of having 50 BigWing dealerships across the country by March end is on course. “We are expecting 35 dealerships to be up and running by Feb-end and the rest by end-March,” he added.
He further said that plans for further expansion into semi-urban locations will be dependent on viable business proposition for partners who are expected to maintain high standards of sales and after sales services.
With the launch of the new motorcycle, HMSI is planning to place greater focus on strengthening the BigWing community. Even without an aggressive push in this direction so far, Guleria informed that around 30 rides have been organised for the BigWing community across the country in the last three months with 1,000-plus riders participating.
For further information: www.hondabigwing.in
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