Bike Brands in India

Introduction

We have numerous bike brands in our country. Many of these brands are our own, and they have established their strength and quality and created a positive image in the minds of the people.

The second group of brands collaborated with their Indian partners and later decided to establish their own manufacturing and marketing base in India.

The third group of brands has entered the Indian market either with an agreement with an Indian partner to assemble and sell/sell their bikes in India, or setting up dealers independently. This group imports the motorcycle into India either in completely assembled condition or semi-knocked-down condition. A few of them use the facility of their Indian partners to manufacture one or two of the bike models.

In this article, I will be discussing bike brands in India belonging to all three groups. I will try to answer the questions- bike brands in India, Indian motorcycle brands, which motorcycles are made in India, high-end motorcycles in India, and motorcycle brands in India.

My purpose in writing this article is to help motorcycle buyers know the options available to them and make an evaluated decision.

Note: Motorcycles are designated by their engine capacity in cc (cubic centimeters). For example, Pulsar N 125 indicates it is a 125 cc bike.

Bike Brands in India

I will discuss this under three groups:

Group I: Motorcycle brands that are rooted in India.
Group II: Motorcycle brands that had collaborated with Indian partners, but now doing business on their own
Group III: Motorcycle brands that sell their fully imported or semi-knocked down (assembled in India) motorcycles in India. A few of these brands use the facility of their Indian partners to manufacture one or two of the bike models.

Group I: Motorcycle brands that are rooted in India

Royal Enfield

Royal Enfield is an Indian company owned by Eicher Motors Limited. It has its headquarters in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It has its manufacturing units at Tiruvottiyur, Oragadam, and Vallam Vadagal near Chennai, Tamil Nadu.

Royal Enfield was a brand of the United Kingdom and the first Royal Enfield motorcycle was made in 1901 in London.

In 1949, Shri K R Sundaram Iyer launched Madras Motors to import British motorcycles including Royal Enfield for sale in India. In 1952 the Indian army purchased 500 numbers of Bullet 350 cc motorcycles from Madras Motors.

Madras Motors India partnered with Redditch Company UK to form Enfield India in 1955. Initially, the production started by assembling the completely knocked-down units received from Redditch Company. But, gradually the manufacture of complete motorcycles was established in India.

Motorcycles: Hunter 350, Classic 650, Scram 440, Goan Classic 350, Bear 650, Classic 350, Guerrilla 450, Shotgun 650, Himalayan (452 cc engine), Bullet 350, Super Meteor 650, Meteor 350, Interceptor 650, and Continental GT 650.

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.royalenfield.com/in/en/home

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Enfield

Bajaj Motorcycles

Bajaj Auto Limited is a renowned manufacturer of two, and three-wheel automobiles in India. It has its headquarters in Pune, Maharashtra State, and manufacturing facilities at Chakan and Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad) in Maharashtra.

Shri Jamnalal Bajaj was the founder of the Bajaj Group. Bajaj Auto was initially established in 1945 as Bajaj Trading Corporation Private Limited for the import and selling of two and three-wheelers in India. It had an excellent growth over the years.

Bajaj Auto Limited is the second largest motorcycle manufacturer in India.

Motorcycles: Pulsar N125, Freedom 125, Pulsar N160, Pulsar N160, Pulsar NS 200, Pulsar RS 200, Pulsar 220 F, Pulsar N250, Pulsar NS 400Z, Dominar 250, Dominar 400, Avenger 220 Cruise, Avenger 160 Street, Platina 100, Platina 110 Drum, and CT110 X.

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.bajajauto.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bajaj_Auto

Hero Motorcycles

Hero Honda was started as a joint venture company between Hero Cycles of India and Honda Motors of Japan in the year 1984. Hero Honda had its manufacturing plants in Dharuhera and Mao Haryana. Its headquarters is in Gurugram, Haryana.

By the end of 2010, Hero Honda Limited had decided to terminate the Joint Venture. Hero Honda became Hero MotoCorp Limited in July 2011. Today, Hero MotoCorp is the largest motorcycle manufacturer in India.

Motorcycles: XTREME 250R, XPULSE 210, Karizma XMR (210 cc), PASSION+ (97.2 cc), SPLENDOR+ XTEC2.0 (97.2 cc), SPLENDOR+ (97.2 cc), SPLENDOR+ XTEC (97.2 cc), HF DELUXE (97.2 cc), HF 100 (97.2 cc), XTREME 125R, GLAMOUR (125 cc), SUPER SPLENDOR XTEC (124.7 cc), GLAMOUR XTEC (124.7 cc), XTREME 250R, XPULSE 210, XTREME 160R 4V, XTREME 160R, XPULSE 200 4V, KARIZMA XMR (210 cc), Mavrick (440 cc), and Harley Davidson X440 (440 cc).

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.heromotocorp.com/en-in.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_MotoCorp

TVS Motorcycles

TVS Motor Company is a reputed brand of two, and three-wheel automobile manufacturers including motorcycles. It has its headquarters in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. TVS has its production units in Hosur (Tamil Nadu), Mysuru (Karnataka), Nalagarh (Himachal Pradesh), and Karawang in Indonesia.

Sundaram Clayton Ltd (holding company of TVS) entered into a collaboration with Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan in 1987. Commercial production of motorcycles under the brand TVS-Suzuki began in 1989.

The company parted ways with Suzuki in 2001 and changed its name to TVS Motors Company.

Motorcycles: Apache RR 310, Apache RTR 310, Apache RTR 200 4V, Apache RTR 180, Apache RTR 160 4V, Apache RTR 160, TVS Ronin (225.9 cc), TVS Raider (124.8 cc), TVS Radeon (109.7 cc), TVS StaR City+ (109.7 cc), and TVS Sport (109.7 cc).

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.tvsmotor.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TVS_Motor_Company

Mahindra Two wheelers

Mahindra and Mahindra is a reputed and respectable automotive manufacturer in India. They are well established and known for quality products.

Mahindra was manufacturing and marketing Mojo motorcycles. It was a 300 cc touring motorcycle. Presently, it appears that Mahindra has discontinued the manufacturing of MOJO motorcycles.

You may visit their website https://www.mahindratwowheelers.com/

Group II: Motorcycle brands that had collaborated with Indian partners, but now doing business on their own

SUZUKI Motorcycles

Suzuki Motorcycle India Private Limited is a subsidiary of its parent company Suzuki Motor Corporation Japan. It manufactures scooters and motorcycles under the brand Suzuki and has a wide range of motorcycles.

Suzuki India has its headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana. It has manufacturing plants in Gurugram and Kharkhada, Sonepat district Haryana.

Motorcycles: V-STROM SX (249 cc), GIXXER SF250/GIXXER 250, and GIXXER SF/GIXXER (155 cc)

Big Bikes: KATANA (999 cc inline 4-cylinder engine), HAYABUSA (1340 cc 4-cylinder engine), GSX-8R (776 cc parallel-twin engine), and V-STROM 800 DE (776 cc 2-cylinder engine).

Please visit the Suzuki website for more details: https://www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in/

Honda motorcycles

Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, (HMSI in short) is an Indian subsidiary owned by Honda Motor Company, Japan. It was launched in May 2001. It has its headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana, and manufacturing plants at Manesar (Haryana), Tapukara (Rajasthan), Narsapura (Karnataka), and Vithalapur (Gujarat).

Motorcycles: Shine 100, Livo (110 cc), Shine 125, SP 125, Unicorn (162.71 cc), SP 160, NX 200, Hornet 2.0 (184.4 cc), NX 200, CB 300 F, CB 300 R, CB 350, CB 350 H’ness, CB 350 RS, NX 500, Rebel 500, CB 650 R, Hornet 750, Transalp (755 cc parallel-twin engine), X ADV (745 cc parallel-twin engine), XL 750 Transalp, Hornet 1000 SP, Gold Wing Tour (1833 cc 6 cylinder Boxer engine).

Please visit these websites for more details:

http://honda2wheelersindia.com/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honda_Motorcycle_and_Scooter_India

YAMAHA Motorcycles

YAMAHA motorcycles entered the Indian market in 1985 as a joint venture with Escorts India. In 2001, it became a 100 percent subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Company Limited, Japan.

Yamaha Motorcycles has its headquarters at Surajpur, Gautam Budh Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, and manufacturing plants at Surajpur, Uttar Pradesh, and Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.

Motorcycles: R3 (321 cc parallel-twin engine), R15M (155 cc), R15 V4 (155 cc), R15S (155 cc), MT-03 (321 cc), MT-15 Ver 2.0 (155 cc), FZ-s Fi Hybrid (149 cc), FZ-S Fi (149 cc), FZ-Fi (149 cc), FZ-S Fi Ver 4.0 DLX (149 cc), FZ-S Fi Ver 4.0 (149 cc), FZ-S Fi Ver 3.0 (149 cc), and FZ-X 149 cc).

Please visit the Yamaha website for more details: https://www.yamaha-motor-india.com/yamaha-bikes.html

Jawa and YESDI Motorcycles

Jawa is a motorcycle brand in the Czech Republic. They have been making motorcycles since 1928. In 1961, Rustom and Farrokh Irani established Ideal Jawa in Mysore, Karnataka. Ideal Jawa manufactured 250 cc motorcycles under license from Jawa and later under the brand name -Yezdi’. Ideal Jawa was closed in 1996.

Jawa motorcycles reentered the Indian market in 2018, courtesy of Anand Mahindra, Anupam Threja, and Boman Irani. The Indian operation of Jawa motorcycles is managed by Classic Legends owned by Mahindra and Mahindra. They have a license agreement with the Czech Company JAWA Moto.

Jawa Motorcycles has its headquarters in Pune, Maharashtra. They are manufactured at the Pithampur, Madhya Pradesh plant belonging to Classic Legends. Both Jawa and Yezdi brand motorcycles are manufactured here. This plant was earlier used for manufacturing Mahindra two-wheelers.

Motorcycles: JAWA 350, JAWA 42 FJ (334 cc), JAWA 42 (294.72 cc), JAWA 42 Bobber (334 cc), JAWA PERAK (334 cc).

YEZDI Roadster (334 cc), YEZDI Scrambler (334 cc), YEZDI Adventure (334 cc).

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.jawamotorcycles.com/motorcycles

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jawa_Moto

https://www.mahindra.com/blogs/the-yesteryears-an-icon-becomes-a-legend

Kawasaki motorcycles

Kawasaki is a Japanese motorcycle and has established ‘India Kawasaki Motors Private Limited (IKM)’ in 2017 for the production and sale of Kawasaki motorcycles in India. Earlier they had an arrangement with Bajaj Auto Limited.

IKM has its headquarters in Pune and its manufacturing plant in Chakan Industrial Area (both in Maharashtra). Ninja 650, Ninja 300, Z650, Z250, Versys 650, and Ninja 1000 were planned for manufacturing in the Chakan plant. However, IKM may sell other models also by importing them to India.

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.kawasaki-india.com/en/motorcycles.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/India_Kawasaki_Motors

https://global.kawasaki.com/en/corp/newsroom/news/detail/?f=20170117_9956

Group III: Motorcycle brands that sell their fully imported or semi-knocked down (assembled in India) motorcycles in India.

Some of these motorcycle brands have manufacturing and selling arrangements with Indian partners. Their Indian partners produce I or 2 motorcycle models at their plant in India. These motorcycles are normally high-end, except those manufactured in India.

Triumph motorcycles

Triumph Motorcycles is a U K based company. It has been manufacturing motorcycles since 1902. They have a major manufacturing base in Thailand.

Triumph Motorcycles (India) Private Limited has its headquarters in Delhi. It has an arrangement with Bajaj Auto Limited. In 2023, they announced the launching of Triumph models Speed 400 and Scrambler 400, manufactured at the Bajaj plant. Triumph has an assembly unit in Haryana.

Triumph can sell other models also by importing them into India.

Motorcycles: Tiger 1200 Range, Tiger 900 range, Tiger Sport 660, Scrambler 400 XC, New Speed T4 (398 cc), New Speed Twin 1200, New Speed Twin 900, Speed 400, Scrambler 400 X, Bonneville T 100 (900 cc), Scrambler 1200, Bonneville T 120 (1200 cc), Bonneville Bobber (1200 cc), Bonneville Speed Master (1200 cc), New Speed Triple 1200 RS, New Trident 660, Street Triple 765, Street Triple 1200 RS, Rocket 3 Storm (2458 cc), and All-New Daytona 660.

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.triumphmotorcycles.in

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triumph_Motorcycles_Ltd

Aprilia Motorcycles

Aprilia is an Italian motorcycle and they are designed and produced in Italy. It appears that Aprilia motorcycle models RS 457 and Tuono 457 are built at the Piaggio India plant in Baramati, Maharashtra. These are made for India as well as for export.

Aprilia has dealers in India to sell their motorcycles RS 457 and Tuono 457. They also sell other Aprilia motorcycle models through import.

Motorcycle Models: Aprilia RS 457, TUONO 457, RS 660, TUONO 660, TUAREG 660, and RSV4 (1099 cc).

Please visit https://apriliaindia.com/ for more details.

BMW motorcycles

BMW Motorrad is a German motorcycle brand and is a division of BMW, Germany. BMW has been producing motorcycles since 1923.

BMW India has its headquarters in Gurugram, Haryana. G310 series of motorcycles are produced at TVS Plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. It appears that all other models are imported into India and sold.

Motorcycles: S1000 RR, G 310 RR, F900 XR, S1000 XR, M1000 RR, M1000 R, M1000 XR, R1250 RT, K1600 B, K1600 Grand America, K1600 GTL, S1000 R, R 18 Transcontinental (1802 cc 2-cylinder Boxer engine)), R12 (1170 cc 2-cylinder Boxer engine)), R12 Nine T (1170 cc 2-cylinder Boxer engine), R1300 GS Adventure, R1300 GS, F900 GS Adventure, and F900 GS.

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.bmw-motorrad.in/en/models/modeloverview.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Motorrad

Harley Davidson Motorcycles

Harley Davidson is an American brand and manufactured motorcycles in the United States since 1903. Harley Davidson has an agreement with Hero MotoCorp to sell and service their motorcycles through its dealer networks in India. Harley Davidson model X440 is produced at the plant of Hero Moto Corp.

Motorcycle Models: Harley Davidson X 440, Grand American Touring Street Glide and Road Glide (1923 cc), Street Bob (1923 cc), Breakout (1923 cc), Fat Boy (1923 cc), Heritage Classic (1923 cc), Fat Bob (1868 cc), Nightster (975 cc), Nightster Special (975 cc), and Sportster (1252 cc).

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.harley-davidson.com/in/en/index.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_India

https://investor.harley-davidson.com/news/news-details/2020/Harley-Davidson–Hero-Motocorp-Announce-Agreements-For-India-Market/default.aspx

Benelli Motorcycles

Benelli is an Italian motorcycle built by six Benelli brothers. Presently, it appears that the Benelli is owned by a Chinese entrepreneur.

Benelli returned to India in 2018/19, partnering with Adishwar Auto Ride International (AARI), Hyderabad, a subsidiary of Mahavir Group. They have signed a MOU with the Government of Telangana for starting its manufacturing facility at Medichal, near Hyderabad.

It is not clear if they are making the motorcycle using the imported kits or manufacturing it in their plant.

Motorcycles: Nacked 502 C, Touring TRK 502 and TRK 502 X, Leoncino 500. All these models are powered by a 500 cc 2-cylinder engine.

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.benelli.com/in-en

https://www.benelli.com/in-en/news/benelli-re-enters-india-with-mahavir-group-to-launch-7-models-including-trk-502-and-leoncino-500-in-2018-19

Keeway Motorcycles

Keeway Motorcycles was a Hungarian-based company that started manufacturing motorcycles in Hungary in 1999. This company is owned by a Chinese entrepreneur.

Keeway Motorcycles entered India in May 2022 with a plan to sell motorcycles of capacity 125 cc to 300 cc engines. The marketing of Keeway motorcycles in India is looked after by Benelli with its headquarters in Hyderabad, Telangana. Benelli and Keeway motorcycles are under the same Chinese ownership.

Motorcycles: SR 250 (223 cc), SR 125 (125 cc), K300 R (292.4 cc), K 300 SF (292.4 cc), V 302 C (298 cc), K-Light 250 V (249 cc).

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://keeway-india.com

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qianjiang_Motorcycle

The motorcycle brand ‘Indian’

‘Indian’ Motorcycle is an American motorcycle brand that has been producing motorcycles since 1901. Presently it has its manufacturing plant in Minnesota and Iowa, United States. ‘Indian’ motorcycles have dealers in major Indian cities who import and sell the ‘Indian’ motorcycles in India.

Motorcycles: Scout, Scout Bobber, Scout Bobber twenty, Scout Rogue, (all 1133 cc V-twin engine), Scout Sixty Classic (999 cc V-twin engine), Scout Sixty Bobber (999 cc V-twin engine), Scout Classic (1250 cc V-twin engine), Scout Bobber (1250 cc V-twin engine), Sport Chief RT, Super Chief Dark Horse, Chief Dark Horse, Chief Bobber Dark Horse, (all with1890 cc V-twin engine),

There are many more, please visit https://www.indianmotorcycle.in/

Ducati motorcycles

Ducati is an Italian brand of motorcycles and is primarily manufactured in Italy. Many of their motorcycles are assembled in their assembly plants in Thailand and Brazil. Ducati has dealers in selected Indian cities who import and sell Ducati motorcycles in India.

Some of the Ducati motorcycle models are DESERTX (937 cc), DIAVEL (1158 cc), HYPERMOTARD (659 cc), MONSTER (937 cc), STREETFIGHTER (955 cc), MULTISTRADA (1158 cc), PANIGALE (1103 cc), SUPERSPORT (937 cc), and SCRAMBLER 2G.

Please visit these websites for more details:

https://www.ducati.com/in/en/home

https://www.ducati.com/ww/en/company/ducati-at-a-glance