SUPER-BIKE MANIA GRIPS INDIA

Bikes have always been objects of desire for the male population. Bikes are synonymous with speed and a devil may care attitude - therein lies the appeal of bikes. Bikes provide adrenalin rush and a sense of freedom that no other vehicle can match. There are several bike manufacturers making different models of sports bikes known as super-bikes that are pushing the envelope of performance further and further. Some production bikes can easily reach speeds of 300 km/hr.

India has associated largely with 100 CC commuter bikes. Majority of Indian consumers were concerned with fuel efficiency rather than performance and speed. So, Indian bikers were deprived of all these mean machines. With economic development, however, there was a change in the scenario, people had more money in their pockets and they started demanding better bikes. The past decade has seen a bunch of bikes being launched in the 150-200 CC segment. After getting the taste of these machines, bikers want to move on to real power-bikes.

Bike manufacturers have come to appreciate the untapped potential of the Indian bike market and most of them are geared to make an entry. Everyone from Suzuki, Kawasaki, Yamaha, BMW, Honda to Harley Davidson wants a piece of the pie and is ready to fight it out. Image of biking in India is all set to change and bikers have never had it so good. Some of these manufacturers have even entered the market. Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda have introduced some models in the market. Hefty price tags have not discouraged buyers and apparently these bikes – all with engine capacity well above 1000CC – are faring as per expectations of their respective companies, Suzuki has sold 100 high-end bikes since launch and seems to be well on way of fulfilling its target of selling 300 such bikes by year end. Yamaha is also satisfied with its performance and has sold 125 units of YZF R1 and MT O1. These companies have tried to seize the initiative but others are not to be left behind either.

Kawasaki is soon entering the market with its Ninja 250R, a 250CC sports bike. They will be selling the bikes through Bajaj pro-biking showrooms. They are testing the waters with this model as the Ninja series has models going up to 1400CC capacity. BMW’s entry in the Indian market 13 years ago was a major disaster but now the company is all set to re-enter the market with its premium bikes. Legendary American Cruiser manufacturer Harley Davidson has also decided to make its presence felt on Indian roads. The company plans to start selling bikes by 2010.

This is the most exciting time in Indian biking industry. Bikers are getting spoilt for choice. However, whether the market is big enough for all these giants is yet to be seen. Premium bike segment in India is still a niche one. High prices coupled with lack of infrastructure i.e. proper roads for these high capacity beasts, is a major issue that can derail the ambitious plans of these companies. Still, biking in India has come of age and Indians do not have to make do with poor substitutes of these power bikes.

Happy riding, everyone.