Hero Moto to step up premium play with a dozen launches this fiscal

The country's largest two-wheeler manufacturer Hero MotoCorp, which has long ruled Indian roads with its range of commuter motorcycles such as Spendor and Dawn, is set to make a splash in the premium segment. As part of this, the company plans its biggest ever product onslaught of nearly a dozen new motorcycles and scooters in the current financial year.

The biggest of these will be the return of the iconic Karizma and the first motorcycle the company has co-developed with cult American bike maker Harley-Davidson.

The Karizma XMR was unveiled by Hero MotoCorp chairman Pawan Munjal at the company's National Dealer Conference (NDC) held in Bengaluru last month. A new 210 cc, liquid-cooled platform will power the new Karizma XMR, a Delhi-based Hero dealer said on condition of anonymity.

"This is the perfect time to bring back the iconic Karizma for the evolved youth of today," Munjal was cited as having told dealers.

Hero MotoCorp didn't respond to queries.

The new bike being made with Harley-Davidson will have a 400 cc engine and is on track for launch in this fiscal year, CEO and chief financial officer Niranjan Gupta said in a May 5 call with investors.

"This fiscal, we'll see the maximum number of launches that Hero's ever seen in its history. We will be launching new products every quarter in this fiscal," Gupta said.

The company will continue to build its presence in the premium segment with multiple launches over the next few quarters, he said.

"While I can't specify the dates of those... there will be big launches that will then ensure that we can build the right premium portfolio and get our market share on that," he said.

At 4.73 million units, motorcycles less than 125 cc comprised more than 90% of Hero MotoCorp's sales in FY23. In the last few years, the company has inked partnerships with Harley Davidson and California-based Zero Motorcycles to increase its footprint in the premium category.

Hero MotoCorp took over the distribution of Harley-Davidson motorcycles, parts, accessories and merchandise in India after the American company decided to shut operations in India in 2020. As part of the partnership, the duo at the time also agreed to co-develop and sell a range of premium Harley Davidson motorcycles in India. This dovetailed into Hero's strategy to climb the value chain and register its presence in the performance bike segment.

Apart from the Karizma XMR, Hero MotoCorp showcased a line-up of upcoming products that include the Xtreme 160R 4V motorcycle, the new Glamour and the XOOM 125cc scooter at the dealer conference.