Japanese 2-wheeler giants Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki are working on toned-down versions of their international superbikes specifically for the Indian Market. The proposed bikes will come with engines of smaller size and smaller dimensions, carrying a price tag of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh ($1,250 to $2,500) !!!
The superbikes that are being contemplated for cloning are the Honda CBR 1000, Suzuki GSX R and the Kawasaki Ninja. The Yamaha YZF R1's 150 cc counterpart, the R15, has become very popular in India and more importantly, has attracted other manufacturers to design a smaller bike based on their international hit models.
These mini-bikes will use cheaper materials like aluminium and rubber in its construction. Complex electronics and premium features like twin disc brakes and wide tubeless tyres will be missing for lowering the cost of the bike.
“There are some superbikes in our international line-up of motorcycles that can be fine-tuned for India,” said Naresh Rattan, divisional head (sales and marketing), Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India.
Suzuki Motorcycle India is also contemplating to launch the GSX R series during this year end with an Engine Capacity of around 250cc. This model could cost close to Rs 1 lakh.
“We will launch two bikes before the end of the calendar year, of which one will be a mass-market premium model and the other a superbike,” said Atul Gupta, vice-president (sales and marketing), SMIPL. “The premium model will be a model which will be inspired by the GSX R range of superbikes,” he added.
Source: Rediff
