Team-BHP - 2010 Kawasaki Ninja 250R. EDIT - Launched at Rs. 2.7L Ex Showroom

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proxima (Post 1359047)

That's good to hear sammyboy. My gut feel is that the Ninja will cost about 3.5-4 L. It costs 4000 USD in the US so if it is a CBU, it should cost 4L.

But even if it is launched at 4L, it will have many takers IMO. I'm hoping its launched at less than 3L.

Straight6 - will it be the 2008 or the 2009 Ninja 250 that will come? The 2009 one looks good.
2009 Ninja® 250R Sport - Kawasaki.com

What is the bikes BHP rating? Mileage is 61 MPG which is 20KPL. Should get atleast 15 KPL I guess.

Yeah Proxima, I am really excited as well.

The C&B show mentioned the price of approx 2.5L , I think they are doing some indianization to keep the prices lower and 2009 model is what they mentioned . Straight6 is THE man though for this info :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proxima (Post 1359047)

Straight6 - will it be the 2008 or the 2009 Ninja 250 that will come? The 2009 one looks good.
2009 Ninja® 250R Sport - Kawasaki.com

What is the bikes BHP rating? Mileage is 61 MPG which is 20KPL. Should get atleast 15 KPL I guess.

They will launch the '09 for sure. They can't launch the '08 when we are half way through '09!

Its a 33 bhp bike abroad. Don't know what they'll do to it by the time it comes here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyboy (Post 1359107)

It will probably cost close to 3L on road. 4L is just too much and it will be a huge flop at that price.

I heard a lot of the cosmetic stuff like the mirrors and turn signals would be made here. Lets hope that's true or its going to be expensive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by devarshi84 (Post 1359946)

I have confirmed but old news that the price is below 2 lacs. Bajaj is just localizing the parts.

Cool just as I thought. BAL will not venture in no man's land with a product priced at 4 odd lakhs. They certainly don't want sales of 40 bikes per month or so in these times.
Having said that, if they mess up with the pricing then all wanna be Ninja owners will go for the Yam R-15 + accessories (read riding gear).
So be careful BAL.

Below 2 lacs - Not a chance! - IMHO

It costs more than 2 lacs on road in the US, how do you think they can launch it here at 2L?

Look at the Corolla for example, it costs much less in the US but it sells quite well in India too. A 3+L (or even a 2L) bike will not sell as much. BAL knows that even at 4L, the bike will have takers. Why would they price it lower? There is NO competition for the Ninja at the 4L rupee range. So someone who wants to buy a second hand, 10 year old SBK will be tempted to buy a Ninja, I think that is Bajaj's target market.

I think the bike will cost atleast 3L ex showroom, anything less will come as a pleasant shock to me.

Prince - how can you compare a R15 (plus riding gear) with a Ninja 250?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proxima (Post 1360479)

bajaj pulsar 220 is costing 70K. If a 250cc hi-tech kawasaki bike sells in the same showroom for four times the price, what is the probability of the consumer buying it?

Secondly US market sells more than twice the corolla's than in the Indian market but the inverse is true with motorcycles.

Remember the pricing of the R15 and the hyosung Aquila which again was one of the better 250cc bikes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by devarshi84 (Post 1361158)

bajaj pulsar 220 is costing 70K. If a 250cc hi-tech kawasaki bike sells in the same showroom for four times the price, what is the probability of the consumer buying it?

Secondly US market sells more than twice the corolla's than in the Indian market but the inverse is true with motorcycles.

Remember the pricing of the R15 and the hyosung Aquila which again was one of the better 250cc bikes.

That may precisely be the point. An M3 costs twice as much as a 3 series, it brings people to the shop floor. What they walk out with is irrelevant. Bajaj could do well to get some eye balls on its 220, its been a very neglected bike.

Anyway, all this idle talk is useless. The N250 is a genuinely good bike, perhaps one of the best to come to India. People who know its value will pay whatever the sticker price is.

With all due respects to your logic, Bajaj is No honda and Honda is god in India. They can bring in the S2000 and charge 1crore and people will buy it.

I think there is always a price point for a product to sell when we talk about bikes and cars (minus Honda). If fully faired R15 which is a soundly engineered bike costs 1 lac, how can a Kawasaki Ninja Charge more than 2 under any conditions?

Quote:

Originally Posted by devarshi84 (Post 1361464)

This isn't a numbers game. We have to wait and see how many units are actually being brought down. Price is set not only taking cost + profit, but also the willingness of consumer to pay.

If I were Bajaj, I would set it closer to 3 lakhs. Again, this depends on how many units we are getting. Last thing anyone wants is a 2 year wait, like the old days.

I would want to disassociate N250 from R15 and Comet as much as possible, and position it as a higher notch vehicle. Price being the easiest way to achieve that. This also has the effect of making the bike harder to buy. Last thing you want to see is everyone on a N250.

Bajaj can sell 100 N250s for 3 lakhs each or sell 150 N250s for 2 lakhs each. Which option would you choose? At the higher price point, it makes more profit, creates an aura around the bike, and limit the sales for the exclusivity factor.