Bajaj XCD Recall

[varma]

According to industry sources, the company has contacted customers who bought the 125cc XCD to replace faulty electronic components for self-start and headlamps along with a part of 'noisy' centre-stand. When contacted, Bajaj Auto Ltd Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said it was not a case of recall but admitted of "possibly a particular case somewhere".

Bajaj's XCD bike runs into rough weather [Source: Sify]

[SRK]

Why does this always happen with Bajaj?
1st the Pulsor then the Krystal and now possibly the XCD.

IS there any lack of testing at their Centers?

[rider60]

i think tvs is doing better job compared to bajaj, they need good quality control policies and technicians.

they have been setting a bad trend where a model does not last for more than 4 years, nor do the bikes they sell and then there is new launch even before the launched model properly settles in the market, losing an opportunity to do proper research on the bike and they lose the long term ROYALTY and the customers! unlike honda and hh they want long term customers and their bikes really last! all this because honda has better designs,quality and policies!

these end up making a good name for honda in terms of long term reliabilty and royalty!

man bajaj is doing the wrong thing at least according to me they should first build their service network in terms of mechanics qualified to handle the new vehicles and then release their new products.

[deep_bang]

In my opinion, Bajaj is doing a great thing. To offer a recall, the company must be thinking of long term customer satisfaction. Most Indian companies would rather leave the electricals to go bust and then replace them if warranty is still present. So, although I would like to get a product that is free of problems, i feel good to see this trend being set by Bajaj.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by varma

Rajiv Bajaj said it was not a case of recall but admitted of "possibly a particular case somewhere".

Originally Posted by deep_bang

In my opinion, Bajaj is doing a great thing. To offer a recall,

Sending kinda mixed signals to my brain!
It amounts to a recall - good.
Denying it is a recall - silly!
Or is it shoddiness and that the Indian customer will accept it?

[HellwratH]

Originally Posted by deep_bang

In my opinion, Bajaj is doing a great thing. To offer a recall, the company must be thinking of long term customer satisfaction. Most Indian companies would rather leave the electricals to go bust and then replace them if warranty is still present. So, although I would like to get a product that is free of problems, i feel good to see this trend being set by Bajaj.

I wouldn't call it a great thing for the only reason is because as a customer I am paying for it and I am entitled to get the working stuff. These kind of actions are permissible only once from my perspective, or I start losing trust in Bajaj's products. I seriously think Bajaj should delay the release of any product than send out bad products and recall them. This will only leave a scar on their image. I think Bajaj is trying too many things in short time, I dont deny that experimenting is good, but not at this level! I hope they learn a thing or two from Honda.

[kuttapan]

Muddied thinking is what Bajaj does best. But the Indian customer thinks that Bajaj is a saviour and relishes their poor quality offerings by thousands.

Adding cc's by the 5's or 10's has been their mantra since long. Kawasaki 4s, Boxer(with the luggage rack) - later used Boxer name on the 4s and called it AT, CT etc, then added 100 to CT and made CT100, Caliber 110, Caliber Kroma(How many did they sell? - They tried to make a prowler out of the Croma by giving it the 125cc 2 stroke engine but bombed), Caliber 115, Azure(or some wierd name like that), Wind 125(Touted as world bike, later dumped in the dustbin), Discover 110, Discover 125, Discover 135 and then the Pulsar 150, 180, 200, 200 and continuing saga.....Now the XCD - Confusion, anyone?

In the scooterette segment they came up with something called Saffire, which you can see abandoned at your corner mech's, because Bajaj still did not have the expertise to build an automatic gearbox, but they still wanted to try _ though they promptly went back to CVT later. They also changed the name of a scooterette that did not sell(couple of times, I guess) - forget the names.

With such a muddled portfolio, I wonder why the Indian customer still buys Bajaj bikes. God knows if the spares will be available after 5 years.

In fact in one Interview, Rajiv Bajaj admitted that quality of the initial 4S bikes were very suspect because his employees(who made scooters) could not build bikes properly for a long time. Part of the reason why they opened a new plant at Chakan. But did it stop him from producing those ****ty bikes? NO !

KB100 and KB125 were instant writeoffs if abused in anyway. Whereas Yamaha/Suzuki/Hero Honda bikes would withstand lot of abuse/rough use. Anybody who owned the SX Enduro would know the quality issues it had.

While I admit that Bajaj has come a long way, they still have a lot of ground to cover. At the expense of the hapless customer, of course.

[benbsb29]

I kinda agree with Hellwrath here. I feel Bajaj is working on too many things at a time. Good for the industry, but bad for the user.

Imagine the plight of those who went and bought the Bajaj Wind, with all the ads and portrayal, one thought it would last for a while in the market. It vanished faster than it ever came. If i had bought one, i would be very unhappy now.

[Technocrat]

This is not new for Bajaj. Although i am proud of Bajaj for bringing all the latest tech & being the trendsetter. The new launch first issues is something consistent with all such releases by BAL & also thats what I advise people to stay away form a new launch by BAL till a revision comes along.

Kawasaki 4s, Boxer(with the luggage rack) - later used Boxer name on the 4s and called it AT, CT etc, then added 100 to CT and made CT100, Caliber 110,

Well HH is a champion here all the models right from CD100, ss, Deluxe to Splendor, Passion & its variants have the same engine.

Take Yamaha all they have is the single 125 cc engine(till recently when they launched a 150) which featured on their cruisers as well as city & sports bikes.

[Steeroid]

Ahh....this explains the ad! The components get added on as you keep riding.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

The components get added on as you keep riding.

EXACTLY!
Soon there is a wifey, then in no time at all there is a kiddy, and shortly after that yet another.
That's when you realize that the bike will just not do!

[HellwratH]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Ahh....this explains the ad! The components get added on as you keep riding.

Haha, Nice one Steeroid. If you have observed, the parts come in a little late after the biker brakes. So that explains this situation. The "good" parts are on its way and will come soon! And may be Bajaj will make another ad that will have the biker losing all the parts one by one..

[ravi@64bhp]

Originally Posted by Steeroid

Ahh....this explains the ad! The components get added on as you keep riding.

...Well said steeroid.

[kuttapan]

Originally Posted by Technocrat

Well HH is a champion here all the models right from CD100, ss, Deluxe to Splendor, Passion & its variants have the same engine.

Take Yamaha all they have is the single 125 cc engine(till recently when they launched a 150) which featured on their cruisers as well as city & sports bikes.

But in case of HH, the models(CD100, SS, Deluxe, Joy, Dawn etc) are pretty much the same bike. And models have longevity and they last. Parts are not an issue.

In case of Bajaj, constant improvements(as they call it) leaves the original buyer high and dry and some critical parts may become unavailable as no dealer can stock the entire pile of bajaj parts.

Yamaha is a master, I agree but they sell same engine in different bodywork/name. And you have to admit, the products are much much better than Bajaj quality wise.

[extreme_torque]

Originally Posted by HellwratH

I wouldn't call it a great thing for the only reason is because as a customer I am paying for it and I am entitled to get the working stuff. These kind of actions are permissible only once from my perspective, or I start losing trust in Bajaj's products. I seriously think Bajaj should delay the release of any product than send out bad products and recall them. This will only leave a scar on their image. I think Bajaj is trying too many things in short time, I dont deny that experimenting is good, but not at this level! I hope they learn a thing or two from Honda.

Originally Posted by kuttapan

But in case of HH, the models(CD100, SS, Deluxe, Joy, Dawn etc) are pretty much the same bike. And models have longevity and they last. Parts are not an issue.

In case of Bajaj, constant improvements(as they call it) leaves the original buyer high and dry and some critical parts may become unavailable as no dealer can stock the entire pile of bajaj parts.

Yamaha is a master, I agree but they sell same engine in different bodywork/name. And you have to admit, the products are much much better than Bajaj quality wise.

Chill dude.... a noisy center stand and a 'probable' failure of electric start due to a small component will not stop you from riding the bike.
Before you lambast bajaj for shoddy quality, I dont think there has been a problem with their engines and hence engineering ever.
Caliber was the most hardy bike in the 100cc catagory, for 42k's wind gave you a 125cc kawasaki designed engine, 5 speed gearbox and long list of standard equipments which you only saw on high end hero honda's.
The legend and the chetak engine is more reliable than the Eterno engine till date. My uncle rides a 68000 kms old chetak four stroke with minimal maintenance still going strong and giving him more than 60 kmpl still!
The Pulsar 150 and 180 engines have always been reliable. The 2 stroke engine were in a class of their own when it came to lugging loads and reliablility.
I dont know why some go as far as calling them 'Unreliable'

By the way recall's are a global phenomena.... why single out Bajaj.