Bajaj Aims To Beat Honda In The 125cc+ Motorcycle Segment

The 125cc segment is lucrative for brands and can be for customers. Bajaj has shown its ambition to attack the segment and turn up as the market leader. It has updated the 125cc offerings while keeping the price in check. Here is a deeper insight on the numbers and the market insights that Bajaj has provided.

Bajaj managed to sell 15.5 lakh bikes and scooters in the last financial units. This number is 1 lakh less than what Honda did in the same period with 16.5 lakh units. This is a significant jump from the previous year when Bajaj sold 11.6 lakh units compared to Honda's 14.5 lakh bikes in the 125cc category, a gap of nearly 3 lakh units. Being India's top two-wheeler exporter, Bajaj is in a heated race with Honda to become the leading seller of bigger motorcycles  in the 125 cc and above space. 

"We were lagging behind quite a bit," said Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto. "But we're now neck-and-neck with Honda in the bigger motorcycle segment, a feat no Indian company has achieved in the car market."

To close the gap with Honda, Bajaj has implemented a two-pronged strategy. It has expanded its own lineup with popular models like Pulsar and Dominar, while also partnering with renowned brands like KTM, Husqvarna, and Triumph to offer a wider range of premium motorcycles and attract a diverse customer base. The recent launch of the powerful Pulsar NS400Z and two new Triumph motorcycles has further strengthened Bajaj's position, and it is confident this momentum will continue, especially in the growing 250cc to 750cc segment where Bajaj already controls a quarter of the market.

Bajaj plans to leverage their new Pulsar platform and the upcoming next-generation Dominar to capture a larger share of this growing market. They are also seeking government support in the form of a GST reduction on motorcycles, particularly commuter bikes. The current 28% GST is significantly higher than in Southeast Asia (8-14%) and makes motorcycles less affordable for many Indian consumers. A reduction could boost sales, which have been sluggish since the pandemic. Read more.