[Newsbot]

Superbikes may be fast. But in India, speed doesn’t matter. After big-ticket bike makers such as Ducati and Yamaha failed to make an impact with their much-hyped superbike launches, it is now the turn of domestic biggie Bajaj Auto to shy away from the fat cat segment of the two-wheeler market.

Sample this: In the last seven months, India Yamaha Motor managed to sell only 73 of its superbikes that are priced at around Rs 10.5 lakh. And for the Japanese bike maker, superbikes barely contribute around 1% to its total revenues in India. Similarly, Italy’s Ducati Motor Holding that hit Indian shores with its full range of motorcycles — priced between Rs 15 and Rs 50 lakh — has just managed to snap up around 22 bookings in the last three months.

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[Yogesh Sarkar]

Interesting statistics, but I can’t really say I am surprised by all this. After all majority of those who were making a hue and cry about non availability of larger capacity motorcycles, wanted them at costs which are surely impractical and doesn’t make economic sense to the manufacturers.

Those who had the money to shell out for these types of motorcycles always had access to them and were importing them before the motorcycle companies even started thinking of launching them here.

[R3x]

but I can’t really say I am surprised by all this.

Even the bike companies might not be surprised though...

[kamikaze]

Those who had the money to shell out for these types of motorcycles always had access to them and were importing them before the motorcycle companies even started thinking of launching them here.

To some extent this it true. However there were always people who had hte money but might not have wanted to go through the grey market route or were worried about repairs and maintainence in the long run. You might call them Dhoom inspired people but companies do not care what is the motivation for people to buy their products.

I think the companies who are present are catering to a market which existed but might not be big. What is the duties go down? Yamaha would definitely be at an advantage since they are already present and have a presence in the market longer than those who would be scrambling ast once.

It is like selling limited edition bikes which also attract customers to other bikes from a company's stable. I think R1 might drive the sales of R15.

[Yogesh Sarkar]

Surely motorcycles like R1 do help build brand image, especially when you are selling a motorcycle which kind of looks like a replica of a motorcycle costing 11 times more.

As for duties, weren’t they lowered for motorcycles with 800cc+ capacity?