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Old 15th December 2009, 17:26   #31
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anjan_c2007 View Post
Product launches By M/s Bajaj Auto Ltd: From 1960-2009

1960-1970 - Vespa 150 - Under the licence of Piaggio of Italy
1971 - three-wheeler goods carrier
I believe Vespa 150 was sold by the name of Bajaj 150, Because we had a Bajaj 150 in our family for about 30 years!

My dad brought the 150 for 3000 rupees at that time, and sold for 3500 a 5-6 years ago, that scooter stood up its value and I cant imagine any vehicle lasting that long in this day and age.
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Old 15th December 2009, 19:40   #32
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anjan_c2007 View Post
Product launches By M/s Bajaj Auto Ltd: From 1960-2009

1960-1970 - Vespa 150 - Under the licence of Piaggio of Italy
1971 - three-wheeler goods carrier
1972 - Bajaj Chetak
1976 - Bajaj Super
1977 - Rear engine autorickshaw
1981 - Bajaj M-50
1986 - Bajaj M-80, Kawasaki Bajaj KB100
1990 - Bajaj Sunny
1991 - Kawasaki Bajaj 4S Champion
1994 - Bajaj Classic
1995 - Bajaj Super Excel
1997 - Kawasaki Bajaj Boxer, Rear engine diesel autorickshaw
1998 - Kawasaki Bajaj Caliber, Bajaj Legend, India's first four-stroke scooter, Bajaj Spirit
2000 - Bajaj Saffire
2001 - Eliminator, Bajaj Pulsar
2003 - Caliber115, Bajaj Wind 125, Bajaj Pulsar
2004 - Bajaj CT 100, New Bajaj Chetak 4-stroke with Wonder Gear, Bajaj Discover DTS-i
2005 - Bajaj Wave, Bajaj Avenger, Bajaj Discover
2006 - Bajaj Platina
2007 - Bajaj Pulsar-200 (Oil Cooled), Bajaj Kristal, Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi (Fuel Injection) , XCD 125 DTS-Si
2008 - Bajaj Discover 135 DTS-i - sport (Upgrade of existing 135 model)
2009 - Bajaj Pulsar 135(December 9), Bajaj XCD 135 cc , Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-i , Bajaj Discover 100 DTS-Si.
From the above it is quite clear that Bajaj tried their hardest to crack the changing scooter mkt (esp gearless) but failed time and time again. No amount of snazzy advertising can sell a lousy product, Sunny, Safire, Spirit, Wave and Kristal will stand silent testimony forever. So it is in utter frustration that Bajaj bids adieu and concedes to the japs that it can't make scooters no more.
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Old 15th December 2009, 21:29   #33
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Originally Posted by windiesel View Post
...changing scooter mkt (esp gearless) but failed time and time again.... Sunny, Safire, Spirit, Wave and Kristal ...can't make scooters no more.
I think they were leaders till it was a 2s market. Came late eighties, 4-stroke small motors were getting popular. Hero Honda pioneered and won that race with 100 cc fill it, shut it, forget it engine. In new millennium with Bharat-X and fuel prices going up made 4s small engine imperative for scooters too and then that is where they could not get Kawasaki to give them a blueprint for small 4s motor to plonk into light and zippy scooters. None of their homegrown 4s scooter engines were successful.

We should not forget that parting of Japs from Indo-Jap ventures brought the demise (or near demise) of companies like Kinetic and TVS. Hero Honda is clever in retaining the Honda surname. I would like to give kudos to Bajaj for attaining decent success in motorcycles despite parting with Kawasaki badge.

-BJ

Last edited by bj96 : 15th December 2009 at 21:38. Reason: typo
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Old 15th December 2009, 22:07   #34
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sids911 View Post
I believe Vespa 150 was sold by the name of Bajaj 150, Because we had a Bajaj 150 in our family for about 30 years!

My dad brought the 150 for 3000 rupees at that time, and sold for 3500 a 5-6 years ago, that scooter stood up its value and I cant imagine any vehicle lasting that long in this day and age.
Yes the Vespa 150 became Bajaj 150 sometime in 1971 after the collaboration with Piaggio fell through due to the indigenisation policies.
And a few years later it was Piaggio versus Bajaj Auto in the US courts as the Chetak was being exported to the US by Bajaj Auto, despite as Piaggio pleaded a MOU was in vogue wherein it was agreed upon that Bajaj would not export the Chetak (technology by Piaggio) to any market where there would be competition between Piaggio and Bajaj.
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Old 18th December 2009, 18:51   #35
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Tribute to Great Bajaj Scooters

I live in Mumbai but I do have a house in Banswara (Rajasthan). I don't have the support of any bikes in Banswara. What comes in handy is the reliable Bajaj Chetak scooter which my uncle had baought 11 years ago and gifted it to me after using for 9 years. When you don't have any other options then the Bajaj Chetak is not a bad option at all because even today it is running fine. I used to own a Bajaj sunny also which couldn't really bear the brunt of my rough riding and which I had to ultimately sell off. Nonetheless, Bajaj scooters have been a part of my support system and I thank Bajaj for it. Farewell Hamara Bajaj.
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Old 26th December 2009, 18:55   #36
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Rahul Bajaj says no 'hamara Nano' for now.

Rahul Bajaj says no 'hamara Nano' for now

26 Dec 2009, 1334 hrs IST, Shishir Arya, TNN


NAGPUR: Tata Nano doesn’t appear to have too much competition in sight. At least not in the near future since twowheeler maker Bajaj Auto
suddenly seems to have
had a change of heart on its plans to hit the market with its own version of the Nano in 2011.

Bajaj Auto chairman Rahul Bajaj said the company no longer finds it a “good idea” .Called the Ultra Low Car (ULC), the concept was planned as a joint venture with Nissan and Renault and it would have led Bajaj’s foray into the car market. Priced at Rs 1 lakh, it would have taken on the Nano on Indian roads. However, recent reports had suggested that the car may not even have the Bajaj brand name too.

A fortnight ago, Bajaj - synonymous with scooters - had announced that it will stop production and focus on motorcycles . “There appears to be no point in launching a new car when there are already so many models in the market - from Mercedes to Nano. We did want to launch a low-cost car but now we have changed our mind,” said Bajaj. With his tongue firmly-in-cheek , he added, “Let the company focus on bikes and then think of cars. First, the company can upgrade the three-wheelers . Maybe, we can add a fourth wheel to it and make something like a carry van, but it will certainly not be a car.”

Bajaj’s car project had run into rough weather over branding and product details. The company had decided that it would have components similar to those in its two and three-wheelers .

Ostensibly , this was being done with pricing in mind. Bajaj Auto’s managing director Rajiv Bajaj, who is Rahul’s son, was reported to have said that since there is an excess capacity in the global car market , “the company thinks that ULC, being a standalone project , will be vulnerable to business cycles” .

The senior Bajaj who was referring to a recent TV interview with his son, said he felt bad over the decision to stop production of scooters. “My son says there is no place for emotion in business. Though we have a very good understanding between us, there can certainly be genuine differences,'' he signed off.

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Last edited by bblost : 26th December 2009 at 21:01.
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Old 26th December 2009, 19:18   #37
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1) I am in a way happy with this move. Bajaj has truly lost focus on two wheeler business. Although the new offering i.e. P135 is nice, they have to concentrate more on two wheelers. They have capacity in R&D that can bring up good products and technology. But they need to focus on Quality Control, A.S & S. They do everything good at R&D level, then lose everything when it comes to actually implementing those standards.

2) Behind this move, I think Renault is playing a negative role. They first of all messed up with M&M, which IMHO, did their best to sell a car like Logan in a market where even Rs. 4 lakh hatchbacks were more exciting and better to drive. Logan had no USP except Space. Now Manza has simply beaten down Logan here.

Next, they are not giving out new products i.e. not coming up with new products. Where is Sandero ?

Renault is getting all the things wrong here. I dont know what is coming in their way. May be its ego, but I am not sure. Renault is trying to be dominant with an Indian player, and frankly speaking, in the past too this strategy has not worked.

Renault will eventually lose in Indian market if its attitude remains same.
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Old 26th December 2009, 19:39   #38
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Bajaj is a great 2-wheeler company, but it was outright silly if they thought car majors renault and nissan would let bajaj take away all the credit for this ULC.

IMHO bajaj was chosen as a partner by the 2 bigger companies mainly due to its trusted brand name and local presence.

Nevertheless Renault needs to learn from Fiat's follies.
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Old 26th December 2009, 20:05   #39
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The bajaj small car seems to have been a scam to steal tata's thunder at the nano launch. Was any serious though put into it at all ?
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Old 26th December 2009, 20:47   #40
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Seems like we do not have the scoop on what went on in the negotiations between bajaj and Renault-Nissan. I do not think this is a scam because Carlos Ghosn discussed about this in his interview.

I would not be surprised if Bajaj forms an alliance with another company if they really have done R&D and have a prototype or something close to it - Mahindra could make a nice partner.

Competitor to my Competitor is my partner?
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Old 26th December 2009, 20:55   #41
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The change of plans may be because of the increased competition in the 3-wheeler sector with players like TVS and Piaggio going on an aggressive mode. So they must have thought it to best to consolidate their position in the 2/3-wheeler and the commercial segment before entering the fiercely competitive passenger car market.

Last edited by harishnair : 26th December 2009 at 20:57.
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Old 30th December 2009, 20:48   #42
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Saw the NDV interview with father and son Bajajs. It looked like as if they both were leaders of two politicial parties. Spoke without even looking at each other.

Btw Rajiv Bajaj says he has not closed the doors on producing scooters. He will re enter the market possibly with a totally novel design so that he can carve out a segment of the market.
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Old 13th April 2010, 14:31   #43
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"Hamara Bajaj" the jingle still plays in my subconscious mind as i am typing this....

Sure its Hamara ..........
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Old 13th April 2010, 15:20   #44
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Can anyone help me out? I recently purchased a 1982 model Bajaj Viking scooter (they was exported in the 80s). Considerably few of them around, i must say. The scooter is in moderate shape. I then spent around IRS. 3,000.00 to get it started and in running condition. I would appreciate if anyone could post some pictures of it (for restoration purpose) and also information if i can still get the Viking monogram, indicator lights, switches and speedometer. The speedometer is smaller than the normal Chetak. Any help will be appreciated.
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