Mahindra 100cc, 125cc and 150cc motorcycles soon

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), which bought out Kinetic Motors in 2008, has announced that it will enter every segment of the two-wheeler market soon.

M&M, known as India’s premier tractor and utility vehicles maker, will now take on premier players such as Hero Honda, Bajaj Auto and Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India (HMSI).

The company is expected to unveil models in the 100cc, 125cc and 150cc motorcycle segments, and also in the ungeared low and high-powered scooter segments.

Anand Mahindra, vice-chairman and managing director, M&M, has been quoted as saying, “Our two-wheeler project is complete; we have already begun marketing the fleet in Bangalore.”

A Business Standard report has said that M&M will draw from the research and development (R&D) capability of Engines Engineering Srl, an Italian engine and design company it bought in 2008.

M&M will use the technical expertise of Engines Engineering to develop small yet powerful and fuel-efficient engines for motorcycles. The company is said to be working on a 650cc-750cc petro-fired engine, with Engines Engineering.

The company already has a gearless scooter called Flyte, which was originally made by SYM. The Mahindras had altered it for the Indian consumer and it is doing well in the Indian market. Built by SYM, Flyte has been altered by M&M to suit the Indian consumer.

After M&M’s deal with Kinetic Motors, Flyte sales has gone up from 1,500-2,000 units per month to 3,500-4,500 units. Reports say that demand for the Flyte has been growing by 50-70 per cent every month.

The two-wheeler market is currently dominated by Hero Honda, which boats of a 60 per cent share of the motorcycle segment. HMSI holds 58 per cent of the scooter market.

When M&M starts rolling out the two wheelers, it is likely that it may go in for a co-branding of Mahindra Kinetic.

M&M holds 80 per cent in the new entity, while the remaining 20 per cent is held by Kinetic.