[TusharK]

According to a media report, Suzuki is planning to exit the commuter motorcycle segment in India and will focus on 150+ cc motorcycles instead. The company will be focusing on sports and cruiser bikes in the 150+ cc segment as the margins are higher compared to the commuter segment.



Earlier this week, Suzuki launched the Gixxer SF and Gixxer SF 250 in India. Going forward, the bike maker plans to introduce more products with engine capacities larger than 150cc. The same is true for the scooter segment. Suzuki plans to launch two new products every year in scooters and bikes with larger capacity engines.

Suzuki will continue to sell higher displacement bikes like the GSX S750, GSX R1000 and V Strom 650 in India. It also plans to have more cruiser bikes in its portfolio.

Source: Economic Times

Link to Team-BHP News

[SJM1214]

This move looks purely inspired by this news.

Government plans to ban under 150cc bikes and scooters in India

In order to curb vehicular pollution, the GOI is planning to ban petrol-powered two-wheelers up to 150cc engine capacity in India. A new media report claims that the Government is aiming to stop the sales of non-electric 3-wheelers by April 2023 and non-electric 2-wheelers up to 150cc engine capacity by April 2025. These 2 segments currently have annual sales of over 2 crore units.

News Source.

[NH08]

This proposed ban, if it happens, would be in the major cities only as the required infrastructure (charging stations) would not be possible for such huge number of vehicles in the entire country by 2025.

I think that Suzuki's move is more in line with the higher margins, as mentioned, and also the increasing demand for higher capacity motorcycles.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by SJM1214

This move looks purely inspired by this news.

Originally Posted by NH08

I think that Suzuki's move is more in line with the higher margins, as mentioned, and also the increasing demand for higher capacity motorcycles.

IMHO - These are the questions Suzuki wants you to have in mind while reading this press release. Whereas the fact is that their previous attempts have failed and they probably don't want to give it another shot.

Zeus was a market failure, followed by Hayate which was also selling an irrelevant 500 units a month till it seems to have been eventually discontinued last year.

The only motorcycle from their stable which has been successful is the Gixxer 150, and they probably just want to concentrate on this motorcycle and its variants (SF, Intruder, etc) going forward.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by SJM1214

This move looks purely inspired by this news.

I doubt it. The electrification of all small motorcycles is a pipe dream.

I think we can draw an analogy between the sub-150cc segment & hatchbacks in cars. Both are brutally competitive, market is obsessed with costs + pricing + slim margins and legacy players hold a majority of the market. At such a time, it's easier for players like Suzuki on one hand and Ford (as an example) on the other to look at more profitable categories. Lower volumes for sure, but the per unit $$$ will be more satisfying.

The contrasting success of Suzuki in cars & bikes is surprising though.