ARE WE READY FOR BIG BIKES?

It was very nice to read the article, entitled ‘Is India Ready for Big Bikes?’ Here are a few words on how I think the Indian market should be. Is India ready for big bikes? Such a tough question to answer. Most people use a bike as a daily commuter and focus on a less expensive, low-maintenance motorcycle with the obvious question, ‘Kitna deti hai?’ So the low-price bracket is a must for manufacturers to get hold of the market. Although the premium bike market is growing by the day, riding a fully-faired sport bike is a hassle on Indian roads. Therefore, something similar to the Triumph Tiger or the Yamaha Super Ténéré would be perfect for Indian roads. Say, a 300- to 400-cc dual-purpose bike within Rs 2 to 3 lakh would be just perfect for daily commuting and long trips. There are no such bikes focused on touring, except for the Royal Enfield. Some might put the CBR 250R in this category. While the former is hated by some for its heavy weight and for being a tube-tyre motorcycle till now, the latter, being a faired motorcycle, is less manoeuvrable on Indian roads. We definitely need dual-purpose/adventure bikes in India and as we all know, a lot of Indians like to show off but are not ready to shell out the requisite money.

A faired big bike like the Ninja 300 or the Hyosung GT 250 will sell in a large number if it comes slightly cheaper and with a smaller engine. For the budding rider planning to