Why step thru/underbone 2 wheelers not popular in India?

S

srdigit16

In the zone
In India only few 2 wheelers like Honda street, Bajaj M80 etc were available. Currently the only one is TVS XL 100 which is a bit basic. But In countries like Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand etc 2 wheelers under this category seem popular & are updated with modern features like gear indicator, LED lights, semi digital instrument panel, etc. They have some advantages like auto clutch, rotary gears. Some have under seat storage as well. I like the Honda Wave 125. Why these kind of vehicles not in India now?

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Desmond

Desmond

Destroy Erase Improve
Staff member
Admin
If I had to guess, I think it's for marketing reasons. Perhaps Indian consumers consider the design too archaic and thus manufacturers don't consider them marketable?
 
DestGod

DestGod

Journeyman
Most likely because of BS6 norms. Not sure what other countries have but BS6 is hella strict. It took Suzuki nearly 3 years to bring the Katana here, after debuting it in the Auto Expo 2020. They had to make the engine match BS6 requirements.
Those other features would probably crank up the cost even more, which might not be affordable for some. Current 2 wheeler prices are already bonkers.
 
Stormbringer

Stormbringer

Ambassador of Buzz
In Bali(Indonesia), the streets were narrow and also limited spaces. Maybe due to this I guess, the scooters are smaller and most don't come with much storage space under the seat either. So much sleeker designs and I assume design is an important factor too. When in comes to Scooters in India, we look at cost of ownership, under seat storage and fuel efficiency.
 
OP
S

srdigit16

In the zone
DestGod said:
Most likely because of BS6 norms. Not sure what other countries have but BS6 is hella strict. It took Suzuki nearly 3 years to bring the Katana here, after debuting it in the Auto Expo 2020. They had to make the engine match BS6 requirements.
Those other features would probably crank up the cost even more, which might not be affordable for some. Current 2 wheeler prices are already bonkers.
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Totally agree with the last point. But do you think they will be priced much higher than a bike with similar engine capacity?
 
DestGod

DestGod

Journeyman
soorajdigit said:
Totally agree with the last point. But do you think they will be priced much higher than a bike with similar engine capacity?
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Well for starters, engines vary from each manufacturer, despite having the same displacement. Raider 125 is more sport oriented than the Honda SP125, but the latter has a smoother engine.
soorajdigit said:
But do you think they will be priced much higher than a bike with similar engine capacity?
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Easily. Crap like silent start/stop, digital instrument cluster (very annoying thing to advertise IMO), bluetooth connectivity, charging port, wide variety of colour options, etc. are things that manufacturers add to attract a buyer. Sadly, more customers today lean more on the features the bike comes with rather than the engine itself. With buyers like these, it's easy for manufacturers to drive up the cost by adding these stuff.
 
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ankushv

ankushv

Journeyman
On a lighter note , the basic criteria a scooter must fulfill to sell here ,
1 At least accomodate five people ( 2 adults 3 children ) .
2 Must fit two gas cylinders .
3 Must give atleast 80kmpl .
4 No spare must cost above 50 rs at local mechanic .
Cheers ! Ankush .

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DestGod

DestGod

Journeyman
ankushv said:
At least accomodate five people ( 2 adults 3 children ) .
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Dude, this would give any policeman a heart attack.
ankushv said:
Must give atleast 80kmpl .
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Almost no scooter can touch those figures today. A typical 110cc scooter will give max 60-70kmpl. It's mostly the 100-110cc bikes that touch 80kpl.
ankushv said:
No spare must cost above 50 rs at local mechanic .
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Unfortunately, with increase in 2 wheeler prices, spare part prices have increased as well. It differs between each brand and what type of spare part you want. 50 Rs is becoming the bare minimum for spare parts today.
 
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