Harley-Davidson continues to rule the big-bike market in India

Big bucks and big bikes go together and the two seem to be inflation-proof. While overall sales of motorcycles have seen a slowdown over the past few months, the above-800cc motorcycle market is bucking the downturn and how.

For the first four months of the current fiscal (April-July 2015), the mass commuter motorcycle segment (75cc-110cc) saw a decline of 5.43 percent. Sales of the executive and premium commuter motorcycle categories (111cc-150cc) registered a decline of 14.12 percent compared to volumes in April-July 2014. Higher up in terms of engine displacement, even the 200cc-250cc category is down by 23 percent year-on-year for the same period.

Barring the numbers registered by Royal Enfield (for its 346cc and 499cc models) and Triumph Motorcycles India, the midsized motorcycle segment too has been underperforming so far this year.

Triumph Motorcycles India has recorded growing numbers in the 500cc-800cc category. The company has been doing well on the back of its popular 675cc Street Triple ABS and the new models introduced under the 800cc Tiger tourers (Tiger 800, Tiger 800 XR, Tiger 800 XRx, Tiger 800 XCx).

Harley-Davidson packs a sales punch in above 800cc bikes

However, the declining sales numbers are not the case in the big-bike segment, which presumably includes motorcycles with engine displacement larger than 800cc. Harley-Davidson Motor Company India is leading the pack, and by big margins that clearly highlight that there is absolutely no slowdown for its buyers. 

The sales jump registered by Harley-Davidson across the big-bike categories (800cc-1000cc, 1001cc-1600cc and engine displacement of more than 1600cc) for the four-month period this year has enabled growth for all these classes.

Unlike a fall in the sales volumes of its midsized, and Made-in-India, V-twin 749cc Street 750 model for the April-July 2015 period, the American bike maker has seen a more than three-fold growth in its bigger, CKD models – the SuperLow and the Iron 883. Both these models are powered by the twin-cylinder 883cc engine. 

The company sold 429 units of these two models put together during April-July 2015 as compared to 103 units sold during April-July 2014. While the Street 750’s price tag begins at Rs 432,500 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the SuperLow and the Iron 883 come for a starting price of Rs 632,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and Rs 722,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) respectively.

Kawasaki is another player in the 800cc-1000cc category that has registered respectable sales growth for the same time. It sold 102 units during April-July 2015 as against 69 units sold during the corresponding period last year.

Sources say that the company has sold close to 10-12 units of its latest superbike, the 998cc, 197bhp Ninja H2 after its launch earlier this year. The model was launched for Rs 29 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

Triumph Motorcycles India, on the other hand, has sold fewer bikes in this category so far this year. The company, which sells Bonneville, Bonneville T100 and Thruxton in this class, has sold only 159 units between April-July this year as against 214 units that were sold during the same period last year.

Harley rules 1000cc-1600cc class 

In the 1000cc-1600cc class too, Harley-Davidson is leading the pack by selling 171 units during April-July 2015, up 32.56 percent YoY. It sells four models across its Sportster (Forty-Eight), Dyna (Street Bob and Fat Bob) and V-Rod (Night Rod Special) families in this category. While the 1202cc Forty-Eight comes for Rs 882,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi), the 1585cc Street Bob and Fat Bob come for Rs 10,37,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and Rs 13,03,500 (ex-showroom, Delhi) respectively. The 1247cc Night Rod Special, on the other hand, comes with a price tag of Rs 22,02,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

All other big bike companies such as Kawasaki, Suzuki, Honda and Triumph have recorded negative numbers for the four-month period.

Above 1600cc bike buyers bet . . . on Harley

In the last category of bikes with engines bigger than 1600cc of displacement, Harley-Davidson has sold 173 units (recording 57.27 percent growth) and Triumph Motorcycles has sold 59 units for the April-July 2015 period.

Thanks to local assembly operations, the iconic 1690cc cruiser, the Fat Boy is Harley-Davidson’s popular selling model in this class. It comes for Rs 15,08,500 (ex-showroom, Delhi).

On the other hand, the heavy cruisers – the 1699cc Thunderbird Storm and 2294cc Rocket III Roadster (also the world’s biggest production motorcycle engine) – have a substantial fan following in India. The two models come for Rs 13,95,000 (ex-showroom, Delhi) and Rs 21,29,560 (ex-showroom, Delhi) respectively.