Bajaj Auto plans 55 Probiking outlets

Bajaj Auto Limited is planning to open 55 company-owned 'Probiking' showrooms across the country at an investment of around Rs 77 crore by the end of March 2008.

The Probiking showrooms exclusively offer high-end bikes such as the 180-cc Avenger and 200-cc Pulsar.

Addressing the media on the occasion of the launch of its first Probiking showroom in Hyderabad, K Srinivas, vice-president (human resources), Bajaj Auto, said, "Since these high-performance bikes are exclusively designed keeping in view the high-end customers and setting up of such showrooms involve huge investments, we are separating the sales channel from the franchisee model and plan to open 55 company-owned Probiking showrooms across the country. Each of these showrooms involve an investment of roughly Rs 1.4 crore, excluding the land cost."

Bajaj Auto currently runs six Probiking showrooms including the one in Hyderabad. Designed for biking enthusiasts, the 2,300-sft showroom offers prospective probikers a chance to test-ride the bikes on specially designed indoor dynamometers and help them update themselves with the details of the bikes and technology.

The company has also arranged for first-of-its kind delivery of Pulsar 200 DTSi and Avenger in specially designed vans.

The company also launched its Pulsar 200 DTSi in the Hyderabad market today and expects the Hyderabad showroom to deliver 250 Avenger and Pulsar bikes per month.

"Nationwide, we have set a target of selling 3,500 bikes in both the models by the end of 2007-08 and 7,000 by 2009," Srinivas said. It is also set to roll out a 220-cc Pulsar with fuel injection technology by April this year, he added.