The first tones of Freedom

Can Yamaha and Bajaj come togather in India?

Posted by: Harshad Joshi on: March 12, 2007

After Kawasaki, could a Yamaha-Bajaj alliance be in the offering? While loss-ridden Yamaha doesn’t deny the possibility, it is giving the Indian market a last shot.Yamaha plans to put in another Rs 800 crore and may churn out a 250 cc bike at the next Auto Expo.In the pipeline, is to create a niche market in the 200 to 250 cc category. Yamaha is also exploring the possibility of hitting the market with high-end performance bikes.

Inpsite of six tough, loss-ridden years, Japan’s Yamaha refuses to exit India. Denying the reports, Yamaha’s new Managing Director, T Ishikawa, better known as the man who turned around Yamaha’s Thai operations says the company is in the process of realigning its India strategy.  He was quoted as  “When I joined in Thailand, things were just like what they are in India. Cost and features is what they looked at then i introduced unique models , created niche market. All we did was tried to sell lifestyle not just product.”

So, its official now, Yamaha is not exiting the Indian market. In fact, they have adopted a new startegy for Indian market – they are pumping in Rs 800 crore over the next four years and will ramp up the capacity from the existing 3 lakh units to 10 lakh units by 2010.

While Yamaha is giving India another shot, the market is abuzz with rumours of a possibility of a Bajaj – Yamaha alliance. While the company has not denied a possible tie-up, the timing may be bit premature.

The other company producing hi-end bikes in India is Hero Honda with its Karizma.

14 Responses to "Can Yamaha and Bajaj come togather in India?"

1 | Firestarter
March 14, 2007 at 6:22 am

Yamaha – Bajaj alliance is interesting…
I always thought Yamahas and Hondas should bring their 200CC+ bikes instead of competing with TVSs and Bajajs in 125cc and 150cc categories…

2 | Harshad Joshi
March 14, 2007 at 6:34 am

Actually, the strategy of introducing 100-125 cc bikes is to consolidate the position among the common masses, which has got a majority of market share;almost 88%. Its clear that common consumers do not want a fuel hungry-yet-sporty attractive bike, because petrol costs are higher in India and the price keeps on fluctuating. Besides, the Indian roads are a challenge for any tyre company. We dont want to see accidents due to tyres. The Indian traffic is one more biiig challenge. It would be an utter waste if you have a 400 cc bike, but you cannot ride it to the fullest, simply because, we do not have appropriate roads for it..

So even if Yamaha has the capacity to bring out a 200 or even 400 cc bike, it dosent do so, fearing the loss of market to other players. Note -Yamaha is numero uno in MotoGP.
:P

On the other hand, we see Bajaj business flourishing in 150-180 cc catagory, but Bajaj bikes have got poor pollution control. But because its the only player in that feild, we feel its #1.

3 | Nadir
March 24, 2007 at 6:27 pm

It upsets me to see that the Government makes the import of 500 cc and above motorcycles, such an expensive proposition. One needs only to look at all the offerings in India to know that no Indian manufacturer is going to invest in a 300 cc and above bike anytime soon – they had not ventured out of the 100 cc – 150cc area for so many years until Bajaj brought out the Pulsar – then things changed for indian bikers.
But why not permit (at a low duty) the import of bikes above 500 cc ?!?! Lower down i can understand shielding Indian manufacturers from Chinese competition or Japanese technology – but with certain criterion in place (quality etc cause one does not want crappy Chinese motorcycles flooding our markets in ANY cc ) why not let 500 cc bikes and above from Harley, Ducatti . Triumph, Bmw, Japanese 3 and other quality performance machines come in at a regular consumer goods duty of 25 % . This would make most high powered bikes available between the capacity of 500 cc – 900cc available to us in the 1.5 – 5 lakh bracket and would spring out a whole new market and industry

4 | t3h0n3
April 8, 2007 at 4:35 pm

Sorry to be so pesky but its “tog”E”ther. :)

5 | Madhu.M.S
May 15, 2007 at 8:56 am

I am not all intetrested in the allaince between yamaha and bajaj.Yamaha has already more than 5o years of experiance in bike making. then for what purpose they are going for such dirty business.if they do that definitely they will vanish from indian biker’s mind.

6 | Madhu.M.S
May 15, 2007 at 9:00 am

If yamaha try to change their marketing strategy and after sale support from the delears definetly they can survive here.

7 | Faisal Ansari
July 11, 2007 at 7:10 am

Absolutely. If a small player like Kinetic could import Knocked down units of Aquila and Comet why not Yamaha. Its just a question of willingness. When there is a will there is a way. Yamaha is still riding on the glory of the RX100 least realising they are losing some good custmers by not getting the latest offerings from the mother Company. YAMAHA please remember there is nothing like a good customer to get you the best publicity!

Please get your act together and lets see some good bikes on the Indian roads. Hey, and don’t worry about the road conditions leave that to us.

8 | Yamaha Gladiator 165cc « The first tones of Freedom
July 17, 2007 at 9:51 am

[...] 165cc. Its Yamaha Indias answer to Bajaj Pulsar DTSi, TVS Apache and Hero Honda CBZ and Karizma. The Bajaj-Yamaha alliance was just a speculation I never wished to be [...]

9 | Saurav tiwari
July 21, 2007 at 4:09 pm

The makers of yamaha are very back in comparasion to bajaj because they are not serious n over confidence too.

10 | Sunil
August 3, 2007 at 10:57 am

Yamaha in worldwide market has good cool bikes. But in india they r waiting for another 100 years to launch some bike above 150cc + It is really very long that we have waited after a bike like RX100. the BEST BIKE I EVER HAD.

11 | etaath
August 22, 2007 at 9:01 pm

bajaj is the best when they alliance with yamaha and become yamabajaj

12 | Coming Soon………..YAMAHA GADIATOR 165cc. « Bikezfreek’s Weblog
December 6, 2007 at 7:52 pm

[...] 165cc. Its Yamaha Indias answer to Bajaj Pulsar DTSi, TVS Apache and Hero Honda CBZ and Karizma. The Bajaj-Yamaha alliance was just a speculation I never wished to be [...]

13 | angad
January 17, 2008 at 9:23 am

when ?????????????????????????????????????????????????
would yamaha understand the indian bikers feelings for its bikes >

14 | tiger
November 14, 2009 at 6:31 am

yamaha ko bajaj jaisi tatti co. ke sath aane ki koi zarorat nahi hai. bajaj jaisi chootiyapanti ki co. kavel pulsar hee nikal sakti hai jiski gaand 100 ki speed tak jaane me hee phat jaati hai.

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