Yamaha India Officially Exits The 100-125cc Commuter Bike Space

Yamaha India has officially ruled out a return to the mass-market 100 cc and 125 cc commuter motorcycle segments, signalling a strategic pivot towards premium, performance-oriented offerings. Ravinder Singh, Vice-President of Sales and Marketing at Yamaha India, confirmed this to a media publication. According to Singh, Yamaha's current and future product roadmap is aligned with aspirational buyers, primarily young consumers seeking style, technology, and performance rather than utilitarian value. 

“The needs of the typical commuter bike buyer don’t match the philosophy Yamaha wants to pursue,” Singh explained, indicating that the brand is consciously moving away from products defined purely by affordability and fuel efficiency.

While Yamaha once had a presence in the commuter space with a model like the Crux, it no longer sees value in competing in a price-sensitive category that is already saturated with well-entrenched players like Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj, and Honda. Singh did confirm that Yamaha will continue to manufacture commuter bikes for export markets, but not for Indian buyers.

Instead, the company plans to double down on premium and lifestyle segments, where perceived value is driven by performance, design, and brand image. Singh also revealed that Yamaha is working on expanding its portfolio with motorcycles in the 300cc+ category, with a few models currently under internal evaluation.

This shift suggests that Yamaha India could soon introduce global middleweight models like the MT-07, R7, MT-09, or the Ténéré 700—bikes that enthusiasts in India have long been asking for but were previously seen as commercially unviable due to pricing and market readiness.

Besides products, Yamaha is also working on premiumising its backend services. From showrooms to factory floors, Yamaha will upgrade every layer of operations, all of which will help reinforce the brand’s upmarket stature. India will play a more strategic role, too, in Yamaha’s global plan, particularly as a manufacturing and supply hub. The company currently exports to over 50 countries in India. Yamaha’s Chennai facility also recently completed 10 years of operation, and in this period, it has manufactured 5 million two-wheelers. 

By refusing to indulge in the 100-110 cc commuter space, Yamaha might give up on sheer volume, but it is willing to take that risk by achieving clarity for the brand. The latter will come to the brand in the form of aspiration, rather than trying to fit into the game.

(Source: The ETAuto)