Superbikes are chosen vehicles of thrill

Actor Harshvardhan Rane is riding high — and that is not just because of the accolades he has got for his performance in the new Bollywood film Haseen Dillruba. From the sleepy town of Jwalapur, where the movie is set, he is now cruising in the hills of Ranikhet in Uttarakhand on his new superbike, BMW R NineT Scrambler.“You crave for freedom, and riding (high-performance) bikes liberates you. The motorcycle becomes an extension of your body,” says Rane, 37, who goes for 100-200-km-long trips over weekends. He is not alone. From CEOs to actors, superbikers are taking off on their beasts for a bit of thrill and adventure, not to mention safe, socially distanced, solo travel in the middle of the pandemic. After a lull, premium motorbike companies are seeing brisk bookings. BMW Motorrad, T riumph, Ducati, Kawasaki and Suzuki Hayabusa see a definite improvement in sentiment as far as bike sales are concerned. They have been unveiling new models of superbikes and, as action is heating up in the Rs 10 lakh+ bike segment, they will be lining up more in the rest of the year. Superbikes boasts an engine capacity of over 500cc and cost more than Rs 8 lakh.A third-generation model of Suzuki Hayabusa was launched in India in the first week of July. A batch of 100 units of the famed tourer bike, priced at Rs 16.4 lakh, was sold out in an hour. It was the same with BMW Motorrad, which launched the R 1250 GS and R 1250 GS Adventure costing Rs 20.45 lakh and Rs 22.40 lakh (ex-showroom) respectively, this month. More than 100 motorcycles were booked within a week of the launch. 84504928Devjyoti Patnaik, CEO of Jyote Group, who has a collection of 45 luxury cars and a dozen premium bikes, is a proud owner of the BMW R1250. “Riding is the safest way to relax and re-energise. It sets the mood for the week,” says Patnaik, 51, who insists on riding gears and responsible riding as “these bikes are unforgiving”.Bikemakers like Triumph Motorcycles see an opportunity to capture a higher market share in India. “It is becoming a competitive market,” says Shoeb Farooq, business head, Triumph Motorcycles. The company launched several bikes this year, including Speed Triple, the Bonneville range, Trident, Scrambler and, recently, the Bobber. It expects to launch more models in August. 84504816Actor Kumud Mishra, who recently bought a Triumph Bonneville T120, says he always loved retrolooking motorcycles. When he was going through a tough phase, the 53-yearold took off from Mumbai to Hampi. “The ride helped me get better emotionally and mentally,” he says.Actor Prince Cecil rides to the sets of his Telugu films on his 765 cc Triumph Street Triple RS, with his driver accompanying him in a car. “Riding a bike is an art, and you do it because you feel something within,” he says, Every weekend he goes on a ride of 100-200 km to unwind. 84505049Considering the demand for super bikes, Suzuki Motorcycle India launched V-Strom 650 XT as its first BS6-compliant big bike in India in November 2020. “Soon after the global launch of the thirdgeneration Suzuki Hayabusa in February 2021, the BS6-compliant Suzuki Hayabusa was launched in April to fulfil the demand of customers eagerly waiting for its arrival in India,” says Satoshi Uchida, MD, Suzuki Motorcycle India.All the three lots of Hayabusa, approximately 300 units, available for booking flew off the showrooms in record time. “For those who own it, it is an ultimate sports bike and a companion, too,” says Uchida. The premium segment is a niche but high-margin category, say industry analysts. While twowheeler sales in FY 2021 were 15.12 lakh units, only 13,000 super premium motorcycles (500+ cc) were sold in the period — a 50% fall from 26,000 in FY 2020.The top-end motorcycle market in India is projected to grow to 39,000 units by FY 2025, primarily driven by young riders, according to industry estimates. Due to Covid-induced challenges, the growth will continue to be high in the premium motorcycle segment, say experts. The next four-five months are crucial as the premium bike players expect pent-up demand and the festive season to buoy sales. “With consumers forced to cut down on foreign trips and other discretionary spends because of Covid, many are indulging in high-end bikes,” says Shivapada Ray, head, BMW Motorrad India.While premium bikes have always had a cult status, a growing riding culture and the move towards personal mobility are going to upshift the ride. Ducati has announced that it will soon launch Multistrada V4 in the Indian market.“While we have already launched the Scrambler, Streetfighter, Diavel and Panigale this year, we expect to launch a total of 12 top-end bikes in 2021,” says Bipul Chandra, MD, Ducati India. “Customers who were wary of riding motorcycles are now choosing it as their preferred mode of transport,” says Chandra. “And those who were just using it as a mode of transport are now going beyond and indulging in experiential activities.”

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