[glikithvinayaka]

Six years since it parted ways with its erstwhile partner Hero Group, Japanese two-wheeler major Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India has captured the number 1 position across 15 states and two union territories, accounting for around 52% of the overall domestic two-wheeler market.

Honda has overtaken Hero MotoCorp in key markets, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, among other states, claimed the company.

On the back of continued demand for its models, led by the automatic scooter*Activa,*Honda 2Wheelers*has become the largest brand in as many as 15 states and two Union territories over the past six years which together account for over 52 per cent of the market. Quoting SIAM (the umbrella body of the industry) data, Honda said during the April-September period of this fiscal year, they were the No 1 two-wheeler brand in Maharashtra with 43 per cent market share, Gujarat (46%), Andhra & Telangana (33%), and it enjoys 30 per cent volume share in Tamil Nadu.

While in Karnataka it has 35 per cent volume share, in Kerala it leads with 41 per cent, Punjab (36), Delhi (29), Uttarakhand (43), Jammu & Kashmir (36), Himachal (33), Goa and Chandigarh (57 per cent each), Manipur (59), Arunachal (46), The Andaman & Nicobar Islands (52) and Nagaland with 31 per cent volume share, the company said. Honda said these 15 states and the two Union Territories together account for 52 per cent of all two- wheeler market in the country.

Link to NDTV auto article:
https://auto.ndtv.com/news/honda-bec...states-1789637

Link to Economic Times article:
https://m.economictimes.com/industry...w/62134172.cms

[GTO]

Originally Posted by glikithvinayaka

Honda has overtaken Hero MotoCorp in key markets, including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, among other states, claimed the company.

No 1 two-wheeler brand in Maharashtra with 43 per cent market share, Gujarat (46%), Andhra & Telangana (33%), and it enjoys 30 per cent volume share in Tamil Nadu.

Mind-boggling achievement whatever way you look at it....and this in only 6 years ! What Honda could never do in cars, it has done with 2-wheelers.

So, do these stats mean that Honda is the 2-wheeler of choice in urban India? And that it still needs to work in Tier 2 & 3 cities and rural India?

Is it because of the product or sales network? Asking this because I know that rural India finds some of Hyundai's designs too modern (e.g. Eon). If Hyundai is no.2 there, it's not because of a lack of sales outlets - it's because of the product. There's a big difference in the preferences of the inner lands.

[The Brutailer]

Haha, find this funny for 2 reasons.

1. Without the technology prowess of Honda, Hero is failing day by day.

2. Both Honda and Hero are centred around the low cost commuter segment. No interest in performance oriented bikes. Big applause to Bajaj and TVS for making motorcycling worth it.

Our country has still cares for ‘kitna deti hai’ instead of ‘kitna tez bhagti hai’. This news proves that.

[SmartCat]

Originally Posted by GTO

So, do these stats mean that Honda is the 2-wheeler of choice in urban India? And that it still needs to work in Tier 2 & 3 cities and rural India? Is it because of the product or sales network?

Easy. Indian two wheeler companies ignored the gearless scooter segment, and Honda did not. 10 years back, gearless scooters had 12% marketshare in two wheeler segment. Now gearless scooters have 30 to 35% marketshare.
http://businessworld.in/article/The-...4-2017-117076/

And who is the king of gearless scooters? What's the first thing that comes to your mind if you want to buy a two wheeler for grocery runs or school pickup/drop? Or a two wheeler for your sister/wife? I'm sure insane traffic levels too have contributed to rise in sales of gearless scooters.

Originally Posted by The Brutailer

Without the technology prowess of Honda, Hero is failing day by day. .

Not really. Hero's sales are not falling. It's just that Honda's sales are rising too quickly. Hero Motocorp is growing at around 10% per annum, the same as the growth in motorcycle segment.

Meanwhile, gearless scooter segment is still growing at 15 - 20% per annum.

Originally Posted by GTO

M Asking this because I know that rural India finds some of Hyundai's designs too modern (e.g. Eon). If Hyundai is no.2 there, it's not because of a lack of sales outlets - it's because of the product. There's a big difference in the preferences of the inner lands.

Key takeaway for car companies is -> Do not ignore any segment (Eg: MPV/sedan body style or diesel/petrol cars) just because sales are slowing down. You will never know when things will turn.

[payeng]

These 15 States would be the ones where Scooter Sales must be soaring high year on year.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by GTO

So, do these stats mean that Honda is the 2-wheeler of choice in urban India?

Is it because of the product or sales network?

Originally Posted by smartcat

Easy. Indian two wheeler companies ignored the gearless scooter segment, and Honda did not.

Absolutely spot on Smartie.

Honda is completely riding the Activa wave. Infact, the brand Activa is much bigger than the brand Honda too - as all their attempts to diversify Activa sales to other sub brands have flopped too - much like competition attempts to dethrone it.

Activa has established itself so well in the Indian mindsets that it is the Maruti Suzuki equivalent of the scooter segment. Even another Honda product will struggle against it.

A look at October 2017 sales chart shows that an incredible 60% sales came from just this one product, whereas the other 17 products (23 products if you include the premium ones also) contributed just 40% to the charts.

[srishiva]

Its not surprising to see Activa becoming a brand by itself. Even if someone has bought a competitor, they are asked if they have a Activa. It kind of denotes a class of vehicles.

Long time ago the same position was held by Kinetic Honda though there were no competitors sans Scooty at lower end.