Today, Erik Buell Racing announced Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest motorcycle manufacturer in terms of unit volumes by a single company in a calendar year, will return as title sponsor for the Team Hero EBR 1190RS in the 2013 AMA Pro Racing American Superbike series. Continue Reading »
Whenever we publish stories about the motorcycle industry in India, we still get comments from readers surprised at how big a role that nation’s market plays, and perhaps more poignantly, how small it makes the U.S. market look. The latest sales numbers from Hero MotoCorp, India’s market leader, should further highlight the importance of India’s motorcycle market.
According to Hero, Indian consumers bought 541,615 two-wheelers in December 2012. This includes scooters like the 109cc Maestro, the 149cc Impulse dual-sport pictured above and the 223cc Karizma ZMR faired sportbike. To put that into focus, consider the Motorcycle Industry Council reported Americans bought a mere 266,061 motorcycles total over the first half of 2012.
In other words, a single manufacturer in India sold more than twice as many motorcycles in a single month as the entire U.S. motorcycle industry over six months. And this wasn’t a single-month blip for Hero, as the company sold 540,276 units in the same month of 2011. December was actually expected to be a slow month, yet Hero stayed close to the pace set in the festive months of October and November which combined for sales of 1.1 million units (or 11 lakhs, the Indian word for 100,000). These three months accounted for 1.6 million units, or about three times as many motorcycles as U.S. consumers buy in an entire year. And Hero is just one manufacturer, albeit the market leader. Continue Reading »
Hero MotoCorp has launched the Ignitor, a 125cc premium model based on the CBF Stunner from former partner turned rival Honda. The Ignitor is one of the final models Hero will produce with technology licensed from Honda, and it is expected to bridge the gap before Hero introduces its own new models (with help from a gentleman named Erik Buell.)
Like the Stunner, the Hero Ignitor is powered by a 125cc single-cylinder engine. Both models claim 11hp and 8 ft-lb., but the Ignitor reaches its peak torque at 5000 rpm while the Stunner has to spin up to 6500 rpm. Honda produces both a carbureted and a fuel injected version of the Stunner but the Ignitor will only be available with carbs. Power is delivered through a five-speed constant mesh transmission.
Suspension is comprised of a telescopic fork and adjustable twin rear shocks. Hero will produce two versions of the Ignitor, one with front and rear drum brakes for 55,900 Indian rupees (US$1030) and another with a disc brake up front for 57,900 rupees (US$1068). Continue Reading »
Last month, news broke that Ducati is once again up for sale, with its owner, private equity firm Investindustrial is looking for a “world-class industrial partner” for the noted Italian manufacturer. Since then, a number of potential suitors have popped up as being interested in acquiring Ducati.
Audi has reportedly cut to the front of the queue to negotiate with Investindustrial. Audi is reportedly offering somewhere in the area of 850 million euro (US$1.1 billion), which is below the 1 billion euros Investindustrial is said to be seeking. The 850 million euro however includes absorbing about 800 million euro in debt. Audi still has a month to finalize its offer though, and unless a deal is struck, Ducati may still be on the market.
Here now is a look at some of the companies whose names have been linked to the Bolognese brand. Some of these companies have expressed some interest in buying Ducati, some have denied any interest, and some were only named because, and let’s face it folks, rumors are fun.
Related Reading
Investindustrial to Sell Ducati
Audi Poised to Buy Ducati
German automaker Audi is reportedly in exclusive discussions with Investindustrial to acquire Ducati.
British automotive publication CAR Magazine cites high-level sources within Audi in reporting the car maker has won first dibs to negotiate a deal. Audi reportedly has until mid-April to decide whether to buy out Ducati.
Investindustrial is reportedly asking for a billion euros (US$1.3 billion) for Ducati but Car reports Audi is offering just about 850 million euros (US$1.1 billion) while agreeing to pick up the tab on Ducati’s billion dollar deficit (estimated at about almost 800 million euros).
Honda’s former joint venture in India has officially rebranded itself as Hero MotoCorp, revealing the company’s new logo and signaling the beginning of a new era for India’s largest motorcycle manufacturer.
Formerly known as Hero Honda, the joint venture claims a share of nearly half of India’s two-wheeled vehicle market. Honda decided in late 2010 to end its 27-year partnership with India’s Hero Motors, buying out its 26% share for $855 million, about half the market price at the time. Hero MotoCorp has a license to continue using Honda technology until 2014.
