Published on Tue, Nov 06, 2007 at 18:37 | Source : Moneycontrol.com
Updated at Wed, Nov 07, 2007 at 11:23
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Yamaha's R1 to burn Indian roads on Nov 19
Yamaha had a strong start with the popular RX100 in India, but today it's near the bottom of the pack. The company is set to reposition itself with the first official launch of a super bike in India, reports CNBC-TV18.
Yamaha had a strong start with the popular RX100 in India, but today it's near the bottom of the pack. The company is set to reposition itself with the first official launch of a super bike in India, reports CNBC-TV18.
This machine, with a 998 cc engine, is what makes many men and even some women go weak in the knees. It will be in a showroom near you, when Yamaha launches it on November 19. It will be the first official India entry of a super bike. What about the price? Rs 11 lakh only! The R1 will be accompanied by the MT-01 which has a 1,670 cc heart. This will mark Yamaha's repositioning in India as a maker of performance-oriented bikes, after unsuccessful attempts at making successful fuel-efficient motorcycles in the volumes segment.
According to Sanjay Tripathi, Head-Product Planning, Yamaha Motor India, "2008 onwards all bikes will have Yamaha DNA. We want to target all the segments right from the entry segment. From small bikes (135 cc, 150 cc, and 200 cc) to heavy bikes; all will be having the Yamaha DNA."
Before the volume models arrive, Yamaha is trying to woo the super rich in India who buy around 250 big imported bikes every year, many of them in the grey market. But the world's second largest motorcycle maker will have to move fast to produce India-specific bikes. They are due in the middle of next year and will be crucial in arresting the losses of around five consecutive years in India.
