powerful bikes soon in india..
Bike majors like Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki are all looking at some big muscle models for India. After the latest notification by the commerce ministry simplified importing of bikes in the 800 cc-plus category, MNC motorcycle companies are looking at imported big bikes by 2008. The government’s decision to allow the import of motorcycles above 800cc is the result of an agreement between India and the US whereby the US eased norms for the import of Indian mangoes and India-harmonised emission norms on bikes above 800cc with Euro 3 standard, paving way for the import of high-end motorcycles like the Harley-Davidson. Whether it benefits Harley or not, the three japans majors – Yamaha, Honda and Suzuki certainly will be the beneficiary. Yamaha has been charting plans for India and might use this opportunity to build its brand. Here’s the Yamaha plan!
YXF-R1 and MT-01:
Yamaha Motor India (YMI) has decided to launch the 1000cc YZF-R1 and the 1670cc MT-01 in India by the end of this year. The company will import these ‘super bikes’ making it among first bike makers in the country to take advantage of the government’s recent announcement to allow the import of motorbikes over 800cc.
The R1 has already been homologated and approved by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), and sales expected to commence once the company receives the first lot of imports from YMI’s parent. “Yamaha’s YZF-R1 and Yamaha’s MT-01 are not meant for business but to create an image” the company said. Yamaha plans to sell few dozens of YZF R1 and MT 01 initially.
Yamaha’s new MD and his plans:
Ishikawa took the helm at Yamaha Motors India in January 2006 and soon realised it was important to give what the market expects from Yamaha. Ishikawa is the one who had turned around a sluggish Thailand operation into a profitable one in just three years. Ishikawa’s plan is to find a niche that may suit the direction he had temporarily set for the Indian operations. Market studies and surveys were initiated. ‘It is then that Yamaha started conceptualising a new product and creating a strategy for the future. By September, Yamaha India had decided on two new products.
Ishikawa also does not dismiss the option of getting the RX100 brand back in India. He said this could be part of the larger brand building strategy for YMI. ‘We are looking for that kind of a motorcycle and that could be part of our larger strategy,’ he said. Our strategy is not Hero’s and there would be no room for negotiation on that,’ he added. Ishikawa has formulated a vision that looked at altering the business strategy, way of operations and quality levels. Externally, new marketing strategies, including that for dealerships is being worked on. The Yamaha Motors India management has asked for Rs 800 crore from its parent. The company might not get the entire amount, Ishikawa said, who expects around Rs 600 crore to come by June this year.
History of Yamaha India in Ishikawa words:
Yamaha, which made its foray into India 22 years ago in 1985, along with Escorts, the Indian experience has been somewhat mixed. In its 15-year partnership with the Indian tractor maker, Yamaha had made good inroads into motobike buyer’s psyche by offering them sporty, performance driven products. The RX100 was, and continues to be an iconic brand among bikers. However, the company had to discontinue the product after the government banned production and sales of two-stroke motorcycles. Up until the RX100 days, when the government allowed two stroke bikes, Yamaha had a decent market share. As the company moved into four-strokes, it moved beyond the niche segment, a perception which seems to have stayed in the customer’s perception. Like most other motorcycle manufacturers then, Yamaha went the majority way — targeting the commuter segment and offering them products that had low initial cost and good fuel consumption. Here’s Ishikawa view on Yamaha India. ‘We went Hero Honda’s way and so did others. However, the image for Yamaha was different from that of the majority. I believe there was a gap between what Indians wanted from us and, in turn, what we gave them,’ Ishikawa said. The company got caught in the volumes game and developed products that lacked Yamaha’s genes, Ishikawa explains. Yamaha’s performance in the market place dwindled, with market share falling to 3.6 percent in 2005-06 from 8.4 percent in 2000-01, when it parted ways with Escorts to go alone in the Indian market. In its 15-year partnership with Escorts, Yamaha had sold approximately 2.5 million motorcycles.
useful links:
click here for yamaha’s YZF R1 home page
click here for Yamaha’s MT 01 home page
update 04/12/07:Now you can book YZF R1 and MT-01 through http://vicky.in. Leave your details in the contact us form(below) so that we can get back to you.