Hero Honda to launch 8 bikes this year

Two-wheeler market leader Hero Honda plans to launch eight motorcycles, including variants, in the current financial year.

The line-up includes a variant of the existing Glamour, which will be fitted with a fuel injection system. Slated for launch next month, it may become the first two-wheeler in the country to use this technology in place of a carburettor.

Hinting at a steep price for this new model on account of its expensive technology, Hero Honda Managing Director Pawan Kant Munjal said at a press conference in New Delhi: "This will be a statement of technology, which can be introduced in all our models at a later stage."

Hero Honda also announced its foray into the pre-owned two-wheeler market under the "Hero Honda Sure" banner. The company is also planning a new retail identity. Dealer outlets will be given a new look and feel and new brand ambassadors will be roped in.

On the technology front, the company, whose unique selling proposition for long has been fuel efficiency, will also introduce a Real Time Mileage Indicator, which will indicate fuel efficiency on a regular basis. No two-wheeler in the country has this feature as yet.

The company said it will keep its costs under check to ensure profit margins remain unaffected in a fiercely competitive two-wheeler market.