Bajaj set to launch 125cc bike in Q2

Bajaj Auto, which commands a market share of 26.70 per cent following Hero Honda (the country's largest two-wheeler maker), has decided to launch a bike in the executive segment (125cc) in the second quarter of the current financial year.

The bike is expected to strengthen Bajaj's market share in the segment along with its other model Discover. Discover has a market share of around 20 per cent in the segment and competes with Hero Honda's Splendour and Glamour, Suzuki's Heat and Zeus, TVS Motor's Victor Edge, Yamaha's Gladiator and Honda's Shine.

The segment constitutes nearly half of the 7.86 million units per year of bike sales.

At the launch of a new campaign for Bajaj's Pulsar 200cc, Amit Nandi, general manager-marketing, Bajaj Auto, said, "Our new offering in the 125cc category will help strengthen our position in that segment. We are hoping to launch the bike during the second quarter." He, however, declined to comment on the pricing strategy but indicated that it could be in the range of Rs 42,000-46,000.

Ashutosh Goel, auto analyst, Edelwiess, said, "The launch could be very critical for Bajaj as they currently have only one bike in that segment. Discover, over the time, hasn't done a good business for the company but hasn't done badly either. It has been selling in steady numbers at an average of 75,000 units a month."

The bike will be the company's third offering for the year after it launched a scooterette Krystal in January this year followed by Pulsar 200cc.