Yamaha working on super affordable motorcycle for Indian market

Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer Yamaha introduced the updated version of its FZ series yesterday. The most noticeable addition to the engine was the introduction of fuel injection which is not a usual sight in a 150cc mass production motorcycle.

In latest news, Yamaha is working on a USD 500 (approximately Rs 30,000) motorcycle. The company, however, has not given any timeline for the launch of this super affordable motorcycle.

Speaking to the reporters, Yamaha Motor R&D India Managing Director Toshikazu Kobayashi said, “The project is on. At this time we are not sure if the end product will cost USD 500, less or more. But we are working on the project keeping USD500 as the benchmark price. We are trying our best.”

When asked about global sales of this USD 500 motorcycle, Yamaha Motor India Sales CEO and Managing Director Asano Masaki said, “It is too early to comment as we don’t know when it will be out but would like to add that India would be the first market for the product.”

Yamaha managed to get a good grip on the 150cc market with its R15, FZ, FZ-S and Fazer. But now, the company is targeting the Hero MotoCorp dominated 100cc segment.

Yamaha Motor India Sales Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Roy Kurian said: “We are working on a top-down approach. We would first like to consolidate our position in the Deluxe segment (150cc) and the scooter vertical before venturing into other segments.”

Yamaha also plans to retain the current FZ and FZ-S in the market and will continue to sell them. Expressing his view, Kurian added, “We will keep selling them. There is a cost difference of around Rs 5,300 between the FZ and FZ-S and the newer variants launched today, so we would like to give customers a choice to buy whichever products suits their budget.”

What do you think of Yamaha’s plan to introduce USD 500 motorcycle? Share your views through comments below.