Honda dispatched 480,896 units in April 2025, including 422,931 domestic sales and 57,965 exports, while Hero MotoCorp shipped a total of 305,406 motorcycles and scooters -- including exports -- during the same period.
02 May 2025 | 2409 Views | By Sreejith Rajan
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has significantly outpaced Hero MotoCorp in April 2025, with a difference of 175,490 units in wholesale shipments.
Honda dispatched 480,896 units in April 2025, including 422,931 domestic sales and 57,965 exports. In comparison, Hero MotoCorp shipped 305,406 motorcycles and scooters, including 288,524 in ...
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Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) has significantly outpaced Hero MotoCorp in April 2025, with a difference of 175,490 units in wholesale shipments.
Honda dispatched 480,896 units in April 2025, including 422,931 domestic sales and 57,965 exports. In comparison, Hero MotoCorp shipped 305,406 motorcycles and scooters, including 288,524 in India and 16,882 exports.
The gap between the Japanese and the Indian players may not come as a total surprise to analysts and observers, given that Hero MotoCorp had shut down four of its six factories mid April, citing the need for "short-term supply alignment".
Moreover, the shutdown is unlikely to affect Hero's retail sales -- which are likely to be out in a week -- given that it maintained that the pause would not affect its ability to cater to demand.
These April numbers align with Honda's recently declared ambition to become the number one two-wheeler manufacturer in India. Currently, it is behind market leader Hero by around 2 percentage points in the Indian market, but has been gaining on its rival every year.
During a media interaction in Tokyo earlier this year, Honda Motor Co Executive Officer Minoru Kato revealed that using the strength of 6,000 dealers and service networks across India, the company has increased its unit sales and believes that "securing the number one position is well within sight."
The Japanese auto giant has also announced plans to build an electric motorcycle plant in India by 2028, further cementing its commitment to the Indian market.
Daiki Mihara, Chief of the Motorcycle and Power Products Electrification Business Unit, had stated that Honda will begin operating a dedicated electric motorcycle production plant in India to produce various electric models, strengthening its position in the rapidly growing EV segment.
The April numbers add another chapter to the ongoing leadership contest between these two-wheeler giants. Hero had reclaimed its top position in March 2025 after temporarily losing its wholesale market leadership to Honda in February.
In March, Hero sold 549,604 units, reflecting a robust 12% growth compared to the same month the previous year, while Honda shipped 427,000 units. However, it has again slumped in April.
In February, Honda had briefly overtaken Hero when it delivered 384,000 units compared to Hero's 357,000 units. The competition for market dominance continues to intensify between these former partners-turned-rivals.
The gap between long-time market leader Hero MotoCorp and challenger Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) in the retail market has been narrowing consistently, if less dramatically.
According to FADA (Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations) data, Hero MotoCorp's market share has been gradually declining while Honda has been gaining ground.
In July 2024, Hero held 27.66% of the market compared to Honda's 25.55%, representing just a 2.11 percentage point difference between the two giants. This trend continued in subsequent months, with Hero's market share showing consistent pressure.
January 2025 saw Hero at 26.92% and Honda at 24.44% of the total two-wheeler retail market. However, Hero showed a bounceback over the last two months, showing 28.84% market share in March 2025, compared to HMSI's 25.37%. However, this is narrower than the year-ago figure, when Hero was at 30.79% and Honda at just 23.36%.
Both companies are actively competing in the electric mobility segment as well. Hero's electric mobility brand, VIDA, dispatched 7,116 units of the VIDA V2 electric scooter in April. Meanwhile, Honda has entered the EV territory with its Activa e and QC1 models, expanding its portfolio beyond traditional internal combustion engine vehicles.
Honda's planned electric motorcycle plant in India by 2028 signals the company's serious commitment to this growing segment and could potentially help it further challenge Hero's market position.
As the competition intensifies, both companies are implementing strategic initiatives to strengthen their positions. Hero MotoCorp is focusing on carefully managing wholesale shipments to maintain healthy inventory levels at dealerships. The company's expansion into global markets, including recent launches in Sri Lanka, signals its commitment to growth beyond Indian borders.
Honda, meanwhile, appears to be aggressively pursuing market share through increased shipments and product diversification. With over 35 production facilities worldwide and major hubs in Thailand, Indonesia, and India, Honda has the manufacturing capabilities to support its ambitious goals in the Indian market.
With Hero expecting production normalization in May 2025 and the ongoing wedding season in India traditionally boosting two-wheeler sales, the coming months will be crucial in determining whether Honda can sustain its wholesale advantage or if Hero will recalibrate its approach to regain leadership in both segments.
The dynamic competition between these companies continues to shape one of the world's largest two-wheeler markets, with consumers ultimately benefiting from their innovation and competitive strategies.