Bajaj Auto's ambition to zoom ahead of market leader Hero Honda in the entry-level motorcycle segment (75-125 cc) has taken a hard knock.
Bajaj Auto, which commands a market share of 26.70 per cent following Hero Honda (the country's largest two-wheeler maker), has decided to launch a bike in the executive segment (125cc) in the second quarter of the current financial year.
All iconic and very rare to find now, they are still high in demand among the youth
India has a history of jugaad, and retrofitting vehicles is one such manifestation of the legendary Indian skill. Not so long ago autorickshaws and small Marutis used to strap on subsidised LPG cylinders and power themselves to a cheap ride. There were the odd explosions, lives were lost, but the jugaad continued. Then compressed natural gas (CNG) was introduced in Delhi following a court order. Initially, customised CNG kits were fitted to conventional (internal combustion engine or ICE) autos cheaply, enabling commuting at less than half of what you would cough up for diesel. The industry is better organised now with Suzuki and Hyundai designing CNG-fired vehicles, and Mahindra and TVS manufacturing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)-powered three wheelers.
