Hero MotoCorp Planning “Maximum Number Of Launches” This FY

Hero Rally Bike Dakar

Hero will bring in “a lot of launches in the premium segment” according to the brand’s CEO Niranjan Gupta

Hero MotoCorp’s Chief Executive Officer Niranjan Gupta said in an analyst call that his brand is preparing to launch a host of new two-wheelers every quarter this financial year. He was quoted saying, “..we’ll see the maximum number of launches ever seen in the company’s history,” It does not come as a surprise, considering that the brand has been working on new models across different segments.

Over the course of this FY, Hero will bring in “a lot of launches in the premium segment” according to Gupta. The first motorcycle from Hero MotoCorp and Harley Davidson partnership is expected to launch in the coming months and its pictures have already been leaked. It will be a neo-retro roadster with all the bells and whistles to compete in the middleweight space.

The ‘HD 4XX’ will come with premium features such as upside-down front forks, LED headlamp, turn signals and tail lamp, a fully-digital instrument cluster with Bluetooth connectivity, dual-channel ABS system, slipper and assist clutch, etc. It will likely use a new 400 cc single-cylinder engine, producing around 35-38 bhp and will be linked with a six-speed transmission.

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It takes design inspiration from the Harley-Davidson XR 1200 and could be priced around Rs. 2.6 lakh (ex-showroom) courtesy of high localisation. Gupta expects the domestic economy to grow further resulting in double-digit revenue growth for the two-wheeler industry. Besides the premium segment, Hero will also focus on further strengthening its entry-level portfolio.

The largest two-wheeler manufacturer in the world will aim to grab a large pie in the 125 cc segment as well. The motorcycle space will see the return of the Passion Plus while the Xtreme 200S 4V will also be launched. Perhaps, the most interesting of them all will be an all-new faired supersport, powered by a 210 cc liquid-cooled single-cylinder engine.

hero karizma 300

It could be dubbed the Karizma XMR 210 and get heavily influenced by the original Karizma. Moving up the ladder, Hero also has a flagship dual-purpose 400 cc adventure tourer and a faired supersport in the pipeline and they are expected to launch next CY.

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