Japanese auto giant Honda today launched a new motorcycle ‘Dream Neo’ in the volume-driven commuter segment, priced at Rs 43,150, making it the company’s cheapest two-wheeler in the country.
The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India’s (HMSI) 110cc scooter ‘Dio’ was its lowest cost two-wheeler so far in the country at Rs 44,718.
“Dream Neo is Honda’s next big leap towards creating deep inroads into the Indian commuter segment,” HMSI President and CEO Keita Muramatsu told presspersons here.
On the back of its new products and network expansion, HMSI aims to grow over 150 per cent in the 100-110 cc motorcycle segment, he added.
“Overall, we are confident of customer demand for Honda two-wheelers and eye 43 per cent growth with 39.3 lakh unit sales in FY’14,” Muramatsu said.
HMSI is expanding its sales outlets to about 2,500 by the end of this fiscal from 1,950 outlets in FY’13.
Developed specifically for Indian customers, the new entry-level ‘Dream’ series motorcycle is powered by a 110 cc engine and the company claims that it will give a mileage of 74 km per litre of petrol.
HMSI’s other mass segment bike ‘Dream Yuga’, with an 110 cc engine, is available between Rs 45,101 and Rs 48,619 (ex-showroom, Delhi) according to its official Website.
Honda’s erstwhile two-wheeler joint venture partner and the market leader Hero currently sells its cheapest motorcycle ‘HF Dawn’ at a starting price of Rs 36,600 (ex-showroom, Delhi).
Earlier this month, Honda’s compatriot Yamaha had said it is working towards rolling out the world’s cheapest motorcycle, priced at around $500 from India with the setting up of its fifth global research and development centre here.
Yamaha had said India would become the global hub for development of low-cost bikes, which would be exported to other countries in Africa and Latin America.