The Indian two-wheeler segment, the largest in the world, recorded an increase in sales of 22.69 percent year-on-year (YoY) in June 2018, according to sales data provided by top six Indian two-wheeler manufacturers. The total dispatches for June 2018 (including exports for Hero MotoCorp) for the six companies totalled to 18,06,486 units.
Hero MotoCorp
Hero MotoCorp reported total dispatches of 7,04,562 units in June with a YoY growth of 12.88 percent. It was the fourth instance when the company recorded sales of more than 7 lakh units. Apart from June 2018, Hero MotoCorp achieved this feat in April with 7,06,365 units and in March 2018 with 7,30,473 units, while the company sold 7,20,739 units in September 2017.
The company recorded the highest sales in Q1 FY2018-19 (April-June) with total sales of more than 2.1 million units. The previous quarterly record was in Q2 FY2018, with total dispatches of 20,22,805 units. To give sales a further push, the company is planning a range of new products like Xtreme 200R, XPulse 200, Maestro Edge 125 and the Duet 125 this year.
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India
Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) recorded YoY growth of 28.61 percent in June 2018, with total sales of 5,35,494 units in India as compared to 4,16,365 units sold in June 2017. Scooter sales grew 33 percent YoY in June 2018 for Honda with total dispatches of 3,61,236 units. Honda’s motorcycle segment saw a growth of around 20 percent YoY, with total shipments of 1,74,258 units in June 2018. The company’s domestic sales in Q1 FY2019 stood at 16,90,405 units, with a growth of 14.33 percent YoY as compared to the same period last year.
TVS Motor Company
TVS Motor Company, the country’s third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer, recorded YoY growth of 7.73 percent in June 2018 with total sales of 2,46,176 units in the domestic market. In comparison, TVS posted sales of 2,28,518 units in June 2017. Scooter sales for TVS grew by 13.6 percent YoY with 1,02,763 units sold in June 2018. The growth is primarily a result of consistent demand for its best-selling model, the TVS Jupiter, and the new TVS NTorq 125 premium scooter, which has breached the top 10 scooters list in India.
The company is the second largest scooter manufacturer in India behind Honda. TVS recorded YoY growth of 14.9 percent in the motorcycle segment with total sales of 1,28,825 units in June 2018. The TVS Apache range continues to sell in large numbers for the company, especially the new Apache RTR 160 4V. The TVS Apache range consists of engine capacities between 160cc-310cc.
Bajaj Auto
Bajaj Auto recorded the most significant YoY growth of 86 percent in June 2018 with total sales of 2,00,949 units as compared to 1,08,109 units sold in June 2017. The increase is a result of strong sales registered by the new 2018 Bajaj Pulsar range followed by Discover, Platina and CT100 brands. The company also witnessed decent sales for the Avenger and Bajaj V brands in June 2018, but the fate of the V12 hangs in the balance.
Royal Enfield
Royal Enfield continues to grow in June with total sales of 72,588 units, a growth of 18 percent YoY. In Q1 FY2019, the company registered total domestic sales of 2,19,725 units, with a YoY increase of 23 percent. The Classic 350 continues to be the bestselling product. Royal Enfield is gearing up to launch the Continental GT 650 and the Interceptor 650 twin-cylinder motorcycles in the next few months. The company exported 5,636 units in Q1 FY2019.
Suzuki Motorcycle India
Suzuki has reported a YoY growth of 39.15 percent with total sales of 46,717 units in June 2018. Strong demand for the Access 125 and the Suzuki Gixxer series drove the company's success. The company will launch the Suzuki Burgman Street maxi-scooter in India on June 19. The scooter will sit above the Access 125, as the company plans to consolidate its position in the premium scooter segment.
