Honda increases Unicorn’s waiting period to six months due to huge demand

If you are looking to buy yourself a new 150-cc CB Unicorn motorbike, you should keep in mind that Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India has increased the waiting period for its flagship model to six months on account of huge demand.

The company, after entering India, introduced the Unicorn in 2005. Built by Honda’s R&D team in Japan and internally called the CBF150M, it was made to order for Indian road conditions.

However, after the launch of its first edition, the company silently revamped it with minor changes and termed it “CB Unicorn” to comply with Euro III norms.

Unicorn competes in the fiercely fought 150-cc segment, which has Pulsar from Bajaj Auto Ltd and the Apache 160-cc of TVS Motor Company.

A senior company official confirmed that the waiting period has been increased to six months due to the unprecedented demand.

“We have not stopped production. It is well on course. We have only increased the waiting period. It should be available in six months,” the official told PTI, requesting anonymity.

After setting up its first manufacturing facility in Gurgaon with a capacity of 16 lakh per annum, Honda also embarked on increasing the capacity with escalating demand for its products.

To increase productivity and to address “long waiting periods”, HMSI recently inaugurated a new facility at Tapukara in Rajasthan with an annual capacity of 12 lakh units. The company will invest over Rs 800 crore on the plant.

Besides the Unicorn, the company’s popular selling scooterette Activa comes with a waiting period of four to five months for specific colours like white, gold and metallic silver. However, basic colours like red and black have a waiting period of one to two months, he said.

On the Unicorn, the official said the bike fitted with mono-shock suspension, a first of-its-kind in India, has become one of the most sought after two-wheelers in India.

While the earlier version featured spoke wheels and a kick start option, HMSCI equipped the new “CB Unicorn” with a BS III engine, large logos and electric-start option.

It is pertinent to note that the company’s other 150-cc offering, the CB Unicorn Dazzler, equipped with double disc brakes and mono-shock absorbers, also has a waiting period of three to four months.

While CB Unicorn Dazzler models in red and black colour are delivered after 30 days, customers looking for colours like metallic grey and gold need to wait for three months.

Despite the demand for its products, the company witnessed a 5.89 per cent jump in motorcycles sales to 70,135 units in June 2011 from 66,234 units in June 2010. Total sales stood at 1,48,937 units in June 2011 against 1,45,973 units in the corresponding month of the previous year.