[niks_devil666]

@essyouwe : See at the end of the day , it is your choice of buying this bike. They are not forcing anyone to buy it are they? You stretched your budget to 2L but it did not fit . We can't criticise the company because we can't afford the bike.

The point behind the comparison to R15 was it is an expensive and a brillant bike(like the r15 which is a 150cc 17ps bike). It is not a VFM in any way.If you had to buy a 150 cc bike which usually costs 60k , would you buy an R15 for a lakh? again it is far superior , expensive and a brilliant bike for a 150cc.

[prince_pervez]

I'm not sure what enthusiasts we are talking here. Last time I checked enthusiasts had 500+cc under their behinds. Something very close to it here is the Ninja 250 cc. Thats a starters bike, not an enthu's.
Ninja is very strategically placed that all I can think of as of now. Can't say they messed up and can't say they will cater to all.

[EssYouWe]

Originally Posted by niks_devil666

@essyouwe : See at the end of the day , it is your choice of buying this bike. They are not forcing anyone to buy it are they? You stretched your budget to 2L but it did not fit . We can't criticise the company because we can't afford the bike.

The point behind the comparison to R15 was it is an expensive and a brillant bike(like the r15 which is a 150cc 17ps bike). It is not a VFM in any way.If you had to buy a 150 cc bike which usually costs 60k , would you buy an R15 for a lakh? again it is far superior , expensive and a brilliant bike for a 150cc.

They have to force consumers to buy their stuff. The very principle of a competitive market. If I am in the market for a product, every company should try and take my business. If they do not, they'll eventually fail. No company can afford the luxury of arrogance in today's market.

The reason I dispute the pricing is not because I think its too high a price or whatever. The reason I say this is because BAL is going to enjoy huge markups with the Ninja. A bike which costs them 1.5-1.6 lacs being sold for 2.7 lacs is definitely a case of ripping off.

Don't you agree?

[Axe77]

does anyone know if its on display anywhere in bbay? perhaps the pro biking showroom at vashi if that's still around?

are they offering TDs in bbay?

[Speed-Freak]

Originally Posted by Axe77

does anyone know if its on display anywhere in bbay? perhaps the pro biking showroom at vashi if that's still around?

are they offering TDs in bbay?

Hi..

They have the bike on display tomorrow onwards at the Kanjurmarg - Probiking store. The store in Vashi will not have untill a couple of months.

[Mpower]

Cant compare European prices directly. If you do so then all the 100cc scooters will cost more than 1 lakh.

Originally Posted by vabs78

I don't understand this pricing debate going on here. People, this is not any ordinary 250cc we are talking about here, its Ninja, and that too its full blown 2010 EU spec model. Its the highest selling 250cc in the world. Please keep this in mind.

Bajaj could have brought in an older generation model with minimal specs and still sold it for 2.2L. And it would have sold equal numbers if not more. I appreciate the fact that they didn't and brought us the latest model.

This 250 is actually a very old model. Probably first came out 10-15 years ago. They did a major cosmetic redesign in 2008 and so it looks sharp now...thats it.

The Comet was a CBU whereas this is CKD so we really expect a better pricing.

[yzfrj]

Looking at the pics, the dials look el-cheapo to me.
At 2.7L people might expect more.

However have to give the credit to bajaj to have the balls to introduce the latest Ninja 250.

I ain't gonna buy one, even if I could. (well I can't right now, no money).
I'm too brand specific. So my bike is yet to arrive.

When it comes even if the price is high, I'll have no complaints
But its not really fair for the company to think that all bike/car enthusiasts are rich and keep the price in the stratosphere.

Anyway its better that way I guess, because these bikes are like an M16.

EDIT : Just saw the post from Mpower. So, booo...! to Bajaj for giving us an old model with a ridiculous price to match.

[manson]

Quite a debate over pricing here, and some valid points too.

But someone mentioned F650? You probably know it was priced at almost 6 lacs on road at the time of its launch, and the 2L tag was closeout pricing to clear stocks. Even today, half a decently well kept funduro commands 2L or a chunk more. Some got lucky, and thats the story, you cannot expect a company to launch its products at prices based on another major's clearance sale which happened a decade ago. Factor in the index value for the mid 90's to 2009 and you would not want to compare the funduro fiesta to the baby Ninja.

From a strictly commercial point of view though, I do not see why Bajaj should not get an extra piece of the pie when they have the only product in the concerned segment while their Japanese counterparts do not think twice to job the Indian enthusiast.
The question is are any of these companies pricing their premium offerings at competitive & reasonable prices while factoring in the import duties? Probably not!
But then there is a cost to setting up service facilities and other initial expenses which would be passed on to the first bunch of buyers with a lot of moolah or way over the top enthusiasm to own one of these fancy machines.

The market will get competitive once the buyer has some more choice, at the moment there is hardly a motorcycle for each premium segment. A couple of years, and hopefully the majors would have recovered their costs, and there would be more choice for the Indian motorcycle enthusiast.

manson.

[Ashpillai]

Originally Posted by EssYouWe

No company can afford the luxury of arrogance in today's market.

The reason I say this is because BAL is going to enjoy huge markups with the Ninja. A bike which costs them 1.5-1.6 lacs being sold for 2.7 lacs is definitely a case of ripping off.

Don't you agree?

Believe me, Arrogance sells. It just needs to be packaged well. This product is a "marketing concept". The market is still not ready for the kind of biking experience the "enthusiasts" look for. But this is the only way to begin building Rome. Few will be able to buy, most will wish for it, and of those many will soon have incomes that will bring them for more.

As far as margins are concerned, I dont have the correct numbers but I know, I was shocked when someone told me the margin on an Maruti 800 sale! If the market perceives that it is getting what it was promised (and a bit more) it will not bother about how much the company earns.

[EssYouWe]

Manson just made a very sensible point.

Why should BAL not rip us if there is no competition?

Absolutely correct and that is exactly what BAL has done. I guess that smashes the 'BAL prices right' point to smithereens.

No blaming BAL though. The bike is overpriced and not just expensive.

Perhaps, someone can find out how much the Ninja costs Kawasaki in reality and not what they sell it at.

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by Ashpillai

Few will be able to buy, most will wish for it

I am not sure if BAL wants the latter. Any company would want more sales, not hopes and wishes. People with hopelessness are asking for the nearest Yaam dealer.

and of those many will soon have incomes that will bring them for more.

Again same as above.

I was shocked when someone told me the margin on an Maruti 800 sale!

Thats now, because of the same machinery and logistics over a decade and more. It is their 1 Lakh car now. Round about. I can't say the same 15 years back.

No offenses meant, only IMHO.

[Axe77]

thanks. i s'pose they may offer a TD just yet right?

Originally Posted by Speed-Freak

Hi..

They have the bike on display tomorrow onwards at the Kanjurmarg - Probiking store. The store in Vashi will not have untill a couple of months.

[RuffRyder]

did anyone get to hear its exhaust note?? yet??

[Ashpillai]

I wonder is the self anointed tag of " an enthusiast" is causing a bit of a heartburn! BAL may have unknowingly "challenged" many enthusiasts with the pricing!

I guess it is the same old paradox of value. Most of the Most Expensive Things in The World are Most Useless (eg; Diamonds) and Most of the Most Useful Things are Cheap (eg Water)

So, let's sell the damn diamonds, pick up a green Kwacker and drink some water....

[vabs78]

Originally Posted by Mpower

This 250 is actually a very old model. Probably first came out 10-15 years ago. They did a major cosmetic redesign in 2008 and so it looks sharp now...thats it.

Well.. there were quiet a few changes/upgrades to the engine, suspension and breaks too. There are many reports mentioning these improvements.

My point was that they are selling us what they are selling in EU and not some phased out version.

And then, its supposed to be the best 250 in the world for a very long time. That speaks of something about the bike's capability.