BMW is getting closer to signing a partnership agreement with India’s TVS Motor Company. The partnership, expected to be finalized before the end of March, would see TVS receive access to BMW technology while the German manufacturer would increase its footprint in the world’s second most-populated nation.

TVS is one of India’s largest manufacturers but it has recently slipped to fourth from third behind Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto and Honda. An injection of BMW technology may be what TVS needs to regain its market share. TVS’ competitors all either have links to foreign motorcycle manufacturers.

Hero MotoCorp recently ended its long partnership with Honda and is now working with Erik Buell Racing to develop new products. Bajaj owns a 47% stake in KTM and has begun introducing models that share components with similar KTM motorcycles, such as the Bajaj Pulsar 200ns which is based on the KTM 200 Duke. Baja also has a separate deal with Kawasaki which helps draw additional visitors to its showrooms. And Honda is, of course, Honda, with its own wholly-owned subsidiary recently surpassing TVS as India’s third largest motorcycle producer. Continue Reading »

A little while ago, we published a review of a motorcycle Honda produces for the Indian market called the Unicorn Dazzler. Yes, that’s the actual name of a production motorcycle designed by Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, a Honda subsidiary. In his review of the 150cc motorcycle, Rajeev Gaikwad said the Honda Unicorn Dazzler was “a handsome commuter with an enthusiastic and proven engine” though it was underwhelming in terms of performance and handling as the higher-priced successor to the regular Honda Unicorn also sold in India.

To western consumers however, the name “Unicorn Dazzler” may seem a bit odd for a motorcycle. But it’s not the only motorcycle with a peculiarly cutesy name. In honor of the Honda Unicorn Dazzler, we decided we should play a little game called “Actual Motorcycle or My Little Pony Character.”

Here’s how it works. We’ve cobbled together a list of five motorcycles and scooters and paired them up with characters from Hasbro‘s My Little Pony line of toys and cartoons. We’ll give you a pair of names and you guess which one is the motorcycle and which one is the pony. Continue Reading »

Not long after Honda launched its ultra low-cost Dream Yuga in India, Yamaha announced it is considering a new own model that will be nearly 40% cheaper.

The 109cc Dream Yuga is Honda‘s latest weapon in the battle for India’s 13-million unit per year motorcycle market. Priced at 44,642 Indian rupees (US$806), the Dream Yuga is the most affordable Honda model available in India.

Yamaha already offers a model at a lower price, the 106cc Crux (pictured above) at 38,365 rupees (US$693) but plans are underway for an even cheaper model priced under 27,500 rupees (US$497). Hiroyuki Suzuki, chief executive officer and managing director of India Yamaha Motor tells the Hindustan Times the company plans to offer the new model in India and Africa. Continue Reading »

In a case of East meets West, Hero MotoCorp has signed a partnership agreement with Erik Buell Racing that will see the Indian manufacture sponsor the EBR AMA Superbike team and potentially introduce Buell-designed motorcycles to India.

Hero MotoCorp will sponsor riders Danny Eslick and Geoff May and their EBR 1190RS race bikes in the AMA Superbike Championship. Eslick will represent Team Hero while May will represent AMSOIL Hero.

EBR will also provide research and development support to Hero for the development of new models. Hero currently claims the market share lead of the motorcycle in India, though much of that was built up from its former joint venture with Honda. Since the dissolution of the Honda partnership, Hero has sought out new partners, a search that wound its way to East Troy, Wisc. and Erik Buell.

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Indian manufacturer and former Honda partner Hero MotoCorp has unveiled a new hybrid scooter prototype at the 2012 Auto Expo in New Delhi.

The Hero Leap runs on a series hybrid powertrain with the battery-powered electric motor providing most of the power and the gasoline engine acting as a range extender, charging the battery and supplying power when the battery runs low. Hero claims fuel economy of up to 100 km/l, which translates to an eye-popping 235 mpg.

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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.

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