[wheelguy]

The world’s largest two-wheeler company, Hero MotoCorp will be making strides into the big bike segment as it graduates into heftier and sporty machines that would be ideal for millennials and also meet its appetite to enter developed markets, says its CMD and CEO Pawan Munjal, who has charted its global footprint for 50 countries across multiple continents over the next 10-years.

Q. What are products that will ride the future of Hero? Some time back you had told me that Hero also be looking at boutique bikes in terms of bigger displacement engines for overseas markets. How has been the progress so far?

We've shown a hint of the direction in which we are heading. We clearly are looking at bigger cc (cubic capacity) engines and they're already on the design boards. And very soon we should also be launching big capacity engine motorcycles. We have a technology centre near Munich in Germany, which is part of the larger design to make bigger products for global markets.

Q. The year 2020 also marks your decade of a solo journey after breaking from your erstwhile partner Honda Motor Company. So what’s your vision for the next 10 years in terms of Hero in 2030?

For Hero, the best is yet to come. As the market leader, clearly there is a huge transformation happening right from the rapid yet stringent migration to BS-VI. The entire team of engineers have been extremely busy for the switch. Now that we are moving to be a BS-VI, we've started launching several new products across the segments. And at our recent event, we have shown a big range of new bike products and a new scooter in the electric segment.

We have for some time back already started work on different technologies. And amongst those technologies, there's a huge focus on electrification. As you know we have invested in Ather a start-up, we have almost 30% stake, which clearly shows our direction in which we are headed for the future.

Other than that, We also have in our own company, an incubation centre, which we call it ‘Hero Hatch’. We have a couple of very young engineers who have taken up different topics for future development.

We are also working on electric products. We are working on used vehicles, bascially the pre-owned vehicle business. And recently we have two more batches working on new products and projects. We have completed more than 150 projects in our own R&D, whereas part of electrification e-Maestro, an electric scooter is something being designed going forward. So, there will also be electric motorcycles as well.

Source & full interview at ET Auto

[Samba]

I must appreciate their intention, but Hero is a mass market player.
After Honda left Hero, we have seen how they messed up with the KarizmaR and the ZMR. They even failed to launch the HBX250 which they planned for a long time. They have to slowly regain their lost image in the performance bike category first.

What Maruti is in cars, Hero is in the two wheeler category. So if Maruti launch a sedan/suv in Rs 30-50 Lac range people will hardly buy them. People will trust the big brands in that range!

Am not saying the product will be bad. People will not accept it, as in that category brand value matters.

Rather than going for higher cc bikes directly, Hero should take it slow and steady. Let them first have some respectable market share in the 200 to 250 cc category and win peoples confidence and then move on to more powerful bikes. Else they will burn their hands!
In the current portfolio, the only product from Hero I like is the X-Pulse 200.

Launching new electric two wheeler's by Hero is definitely a move on the right direction.

[SoumenD]

Not sure what their definition of big bike is but I will be more than happy if they can plonk the Karizma's engine into XPulse 200. It needs a torquey engine. Please Hero

[timuseravan]

By "big bikes", I suppose they mean they new "Super Duper iSmarter iBBSS Really Splendourous Splendor" in Racing Red color. The Red means it will go faster!!

Hero had the claim to performance segment (in Indian context) at the start of 2000s with two fantastic bikes - CBZ and Karizma. They not only blew their lead but did nothing for next 15 years except for paint jobs. I don't have any high hopes from them.

[Red Liner]

Originally Posted by Samba

Rather than going for higher cc bikes directly, Hero should take it slow and steady. Let them first have some respectable market share in the 200 to 250 cc category and win peoples confidence and then move on to more powerful bikes. Else they will burn their hands!
In the current portfolio, the only product from Hero I like is the X-Pulse 200.

I think global warming is faster than Hero and their godforsaken product development.

And so is glacial movement up in the Himalayas.

Hero is sitting on a massive pile of cash. But they still think like a pedestrian motorcycle maker. No vision, no glory, no dream. That’s hero for you.

[IshaanIan]

Haven't we all heard this stuff for a decade now? They showcased a 400cc (I think?) concept few years back, then they said they would bring performance biking with the help of Buell I think?

In order to sell big bikes, they really need to be distinguished. So far we have only seen hero take its time and then launch a lackluster product; impulse 200 was much awaited but did not meet the expectations set after the 150. I feel they should simply utilize whatever Buell tech they have access to. A burbly sounding big bike with the fuel tank integrated thick perimeter frame and zero torsional load perimeter floating brake discs, would really pique the market's interest. Until then nobody cares.

[drt_rdr]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Hero is sitting on a massive pile of cash. But they still think like a pedestrian motorcycle maker. No vision, no glory, no dream. That’s hero for you.

They're not the hero that India needs, but the one it deserves right now.


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By big bike, I guess they're talking about 300-400 cc motors at best.