Bajaj Auto Aims to Strengthen Foothold In Motorcycle Market With New Bikes

Indian two-wheeler manufacturing company Bajaj Auto is aiming to regain lost ground with its two new 150-cc bikes in the second half of the current fiscal year (2014-15).

Eric Vas, Bajaj Auto president (motorcycle), said, "From September onwards, we hope to come to a zero deficit situation compared to last year's monthly numbers."

"We are in deficit by about one lakh units in sales till now (April-August 14) this year. We can add about 35,000 units a month even if the mid-segment (above Rs. 50,000) of the industry grows from 17 to 20 per cent of the total motorcycle market," he said in Kolkata.

Bajaj Auto anticipates that the market will experience evolution for new products above entry level (100 cc) and this would eventually help the company gain in market share, he said.

Currently, Bajaj has a market share of 19.32% of total motorcycle market. The company will position the newly launched Discover 150-cc twin motorcycles as premium 'commuter' segment products and not as sports bikes.

"Currently, the market does not have a product in 150cc bikes positioned as commuter motorcycle. So, we aim to get all of this segment," said Eric Vas.

Shedding more light on the new products, Vas said there can be some announcement in the Pulsar range this year. However, he did not reveal more details about this.