Top 10 motorcycles | Four Heroes still rule this blockbuster

The Indian two-wheeler industry has a cumulative sales figure of more than 10 million in almost every month. So, it is quite obvious that the two-wheeler industry is the most bankable segment of the Indian automobile industry. This hit segment is however ruled by two superstars. Hero’s Splendor and Honda’s Activa.

If you go through Ajit Dalvi’s 'Top 10 scooters' for the month of February, then you will find that Honda Activa has a clear lead over the runner-up. In the motorcycle segment, it is Hero that showcases its dominance with not just one but four of its models finding its place in the list of top 10 motorcycles in India as per sales figures.

At 238,722, Hero Splendor sells 73,517 units more than its sibling, the HF Deluxe. Honda CB Shine comes in at third place and spoils a podium finish for Hero by selling 16,125 more than Hero Glamour. The fourth Hero, Passion, sits at the fifth place by registering its sales figures at 61,895, which is closely followed by Bajaj Pulsar with 60,772 units. The only other Bajaj that slides into this fray is the Platina of the commuter segment. Royal Enfield, that entered this list for the first time in December 2016, has the Classic 350 that registered 48,557 units for February 2018 and has become a routine fixture in this list along with the other top four motorcycles. However, the entry of some other mid-size segment motorcycles like the Yamaha FZ-25 and the Bajaj Dominor (with updated colour options) has caused its sales figure to go down by 4,664 units as compared to the previous month. With the KTM Duke 390 and the Dominor getting timely updates, both mechanically and aesthetically, it is safe to say that it’s time for the Classic 350 to up its ante with some modern gadgetries while maintaining its familiar retro look, which it did attempt with the launch of the new trim of Thunderbird recently (Thunderbird X).

The only TVS motorcycle that finds its mention in this list is not one of its commuters, but a bike from its premium performance segment, Apache, which has been catering to all the sports enthusiasts since 2006. TVS sold 1361 more Apaches than in January, aiding it to maintain its ninth position. TVS’s improved sales figure is partly due to the new 200cc variants that have raked in quite a lot of attention with all the options it comes bundled with.

In February 2018, Honda CB Unicorn replaces its 100cc sibling, Honda Dream, by going to 29,223 buyers in the month. Coincidentally, Unicorn was on this list in February 2017 and had sold 9328 units less than this year. On the same note, in comparison to last year’s figures, Splendor sold 30,151 units more, while HF Deluxe sold 43,303 units more. Honda CB Shine, Bajaj Pulsar and the RE Classic 350 sold 15,787, 6,840 and 7,789 units respectively.

In comparison to January 2018, Splendor sold 7366 units less, while the sales for Hero Glamour reduced by 9469 units. Other considerable changes were seen in Bajaj Pulsar that sold 3852 units more, while Hero HF Deluxe sold 5962 units less.

Mayank Dhingra’s report on the market share analysis reveals that the entire two-wheeler segment is poised for some stunning figures with new launches and upgrades lined up in the coming months.

These figures only point out that Hero and Honda have strongly proven competence in the commuter segment, while Bajaj and TVS are strong in the performance segment. Hero is trying its best to cause a disruption in this performance segment with the launch of its Xtreme 200s and Honda is doing its part with the revised CBR 250 and the X-Blade, which were showcased during the 2018 Auto Expo. Royal Enfield, on the other hand, looks to strengthen its hold in the mid-size segment with the introduction of its new models, based on the Interceptor series, which are powered by its new 650cc engine and is expected to be launched somewhere in the middle of 2018.