Hero MotoCorp is working on three different 300cc motorcycles in India. The launch of the first 300cc motorcycle may take place as early as the upcoming Diwali festival in the country, an official from the Hero MotoCorp camp told Mobility Outlook on the conditions of anonymity.
Notably, the size of the above 250cc motorcycle and two-wheeler market in India is increasing, and Hero MotoCorp, India's largest two-wheeler maker, does not have an above 200cc motorcycle or scooter in its portfolio.
The two-wheeler OEM might first launch the beefed-up version of the Hero Xpulse 200cc featuring an all-new 300cc engine, 21-inch front tyre and 18-inch rear tyre. The launch will be followed by a full-faired 300cc bike that might be based on the Karizma R platform and a streetfighter 300cc variant motorcycle.
Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI), has recently launched its new CB300F street fighter motorcycle and now has four offerings in the 250cc to 350cc portfolio in India. A top official at HMSI had recently told Mobility Outlook that the company has aggressive plans to market its 250cc to 350cc motorcycles in India. HMSI, during the last 18 months, has sold over 60,000 motorcycles in this category.
It is worth mentioning here that HMSI is slowly inching towards the number one two-wheeler OEM tag in India. Last month the OEM had sold 402,718 motorcycles and scooters in the country, whereas Hero MotoCorp sold 430,684. These figures for July 2021 stood at 340,420 two-wheelers (motorcycles+scooters) for HMSI and 429,208 units for Hero MotoCorp. The latter's Splendor (100cc) remains one of its top-selling products, and the company has not tasted much success in the bigger bikes or scooters category.
Once launched, the 300cc variant of the Hero Xpulse will compete against the likes of Royal Enfield Himalayan and Yezdi Adventure, whereas the Hero MotoCorp 300cc street fighter will compete against the likes of KTM 390, Honda CB300F, Bajaj Dominor, Royal Enfield Hunter 350, Yamaha 2.5 and Suzuki Gixxer 250. Royal Enfield has already set a benchmark (low-end) by announcing the starting prices of its latest Hunter 350cc motorcycle at INR 1.5 lakh ex-showroom.
Hero MotoCorp is also the country's sole distributor of Harley Davidson motorcycles. It is yet to be ascertained whether the two are working on this new 300cc engine together, or is it just Hero MotoCorp that is driving the research and innovation for the same.
In June 2022, India saw sales of 53,853 units of 250cc to 800cc bikes. A majority, 46,948 units, of these came from the 250-350cc segment, followed by 5,105 units in the 350-500cc segment and 1,530 units in the 500-800cc segment. Hero MotoCorp has sold 18,35,773 units of motorcycles and scooters so far (April-July) in FY’23. This is a double-digit growth of 24.1% over the corresponding period of FY’22, when the Company had sold 14,78,905 units.