While the entire Indian two wheeler industry is still trying to find answers to the "Bajaj Pulsar 150 DTSI" menace... the latest Pulsar 200 C.C DTSI displayed by Bajaj at a Auto Expo held in Mumbai last month was something no one had anticipated (bike enthusiasts included)...
Dec 2006: This is the present scenario of the Indian two wheeler industry in the 150 C.C plus segment
- TVS, Hero Honda and Honda has been trying hard to break the dominance of the Pulsar in the 150 C.C segment (where Bajaj enjoys around a considerable 60 % of the industry sales) with its own 150 C.C offerings
- TVS is rumoured to be toying around with the idea of a 180 C.C model (a category which the Pulsar 180 C.C gave birth 5 years back and has been the only model available so far)
- Hero Honda trying hard to find ways to shield its 225 C.C "Karizma" from the inevitable Pulsar 220 DTSFi onslaught, probably with a speculated Fuel Injected version of the "Karizma"
- Yamaha and Suzuki still contemplating to think beyond 125 C.C
- Kinetic Engg. seems to be more interested with scooters and LML is lying on its deathbed
"looks like Bajaj wants to plug all possible gaps with its Pulsar range and give no opportunities to its slow moving competitors..."
While bikers all over the country are waiting patiently with their checkbooks in one hand and the pen on the other for the Fuel Injected, Liquid cooled "Pulsar 220 DTSFi, Bajaj have once again delivered a surprise to its competitors (which I presume would be scratching their corporate heads in disbelief) and the unsuspecting biking community (which would definitely be more than plesantly surprised) by launching a 200 C.C Pulsar DTSI at a recently held Auto Expo in Mumbai last month.
With the 200 C.C Bajaj would have the 150, 180, 200 and 220 C.C covered. There was just 40 odd C.C's between the 180 and the to be launched 220, but it looks like Bajaj wants to plug all possible gaps with its Pulsar range and give no oputunities to its slow moving competitors.
Similar to the 150/180 C.C DTSI Pulsar twins, the Pulsar 200 C.C DTSI looks like a brilliant strategy of leveraging the opportunities provided by the 220 C.C DTSFi platform. The Bajaj Pulsar 200 C.C DTSI has all the bells and whistles of the 220 C.C Pulsar DTSFi, which includes...
- Oil Cooled Engine
- Electric only start
- Same chassis and suspension of the 220 Pulsar DTSFi
- Same set of tubeless Tyres and split seats of the 220 Pulsar DTSFi
The 200 C.C Pulsar DTSI differs from the 220 C.C Pulsar DTSFi in
- Conventional Carburetor instead of Fuel Injection
- Rear Drum brakes instead of Disc brakes
- Normal Pulsar headlamp instead of the twin projector headlamps
Apart from these the 200 would make 18 PS compared to the 20 PS of the 220
"Bajaj has to find a price where the 200 doesn't canniballize the sales of the 180 and at the same time differentiate itself from the 220...
It is a brilliant move by Bajaj Auto. I doubt if anyone else saw the opportunity in the 200 c.c segment. Bajaj meanwhile needs to be carefull with the pricing of the 200. There is now just a slim margin of Rs.2000 between the Pulsar 150 and 180 . Bajaj clearly wants the consumers to make a choice between the fuel economy of the 150 and the power of the 180. The same strategy of slim price difference would not work for the Pulsar 200 DTSI and 220 DTSFi.
Bajaj has to find a price where the 200 doesn't canniballize the sales of the 180 and at the same time differentiate itself from the 220. Also the 220 need to be priced so that it gives a tough competition to the 225 C.C Hero Honda "Karizma".
The coming months seems to be quite exciting for potential motorcycle customers.
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This is to remind that the Views or Opinions in the blog are entirely mine unless explicitly stated. The Views and Opinions published in this blog should in no way be related to any other person or organization associated -- directly or indirectly -- with me.
1 Comments:
Hi Payeng,
Me definately surprised to see the 200 cc pulsar, good fairing.
I thinks this one's gonna affect the sales of 180, seriously... may they scrap the 180..i dont think so.. But i did read in Overdrive that they are quiting the 100cc segment.. and the volumes are goin to increase..
Thins one's gonna b a blockbuster, but the dominance of the brand 220 wont be there, rather the Pulsar brand will be glorified..
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