Author Topic: RE continue focus on mid size.  (Read 2256 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Gypsyjon

  • Grease Monkey
  • ****
  • Posts: 454
  • Karma: 0
  • 201o G5 Deluxe Black & Chrome
on: May 03, 2013, 11:25:24 pm
 TIMES OF INDIA 3 Days Ago
Royal Enfield to remain focussed on 250-650 cc range
by Nandini Sen Gupta

CHENNAI: Royal Enfield may command a staggering 90% of the Indian mid-size motorcycle market but the heritage bike maker has no intensions of going beyond the 650 cc displacement range, at least in the near future. The company, which has just inaugurated its brand new plant in Oragadam, near Chennai, wants to remain focused on the 250cc-650 cc range, both for its home market India, as well as in its export push in other emerging markets.

"We have thought about a higher displacement cruiser bike but it's a no for the five year horizon," said Siddhartha Lal, MD & CEO, Eicher Motors, the mother company for Royal Enfield. The reason, he said, is that the mid-size market has enough potential for him to scale up without getting into what's traditionally been the happy hunting ground for American and European lifestyle bike brands. "Globally the mid-size market is under-served and if we can replicate the Indian success story in 5 or 10 other markets, that's good enough for us," he said.

“Globally the mid-size market is under-served and if we can replicate the Indian success story in 5 or 10 other markets, that's good enough for us”
Currently the 1.7 million unit strong global mid-size market is dominated by the likes of Honda, Triumph, Ducati and Harley Davidson. Most of these brands focus on higher-end, faster and bigger bikes whereas the Royal Enfield range is a smaller displacement machine "that allows more interaction with the terrain and offers purer biking," said Lal. "We don't want to dilute this focus."

RE's new facility in Oragadam - which will take its total production capacity to 175,000 units by the year-end, up 55% over 113,000 units clocked last year - will be scaled up to hit a peak capacity of 500,000 units to cater to both fast-speeding domestic demand and larger geographical spread in terms of exports. Already the second phase has been initiated so production can hit 250,000 units in 2014. "We were taken aback by how quickly demand scaled up and when the new capacity comes on stream the waiting period on the bikes in India should come down from 8 months to 6," said Lal.


Jack Leis

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 634
  • Karma: 0
  • 2011 G5 Classic, F&%king Stolen
Reply #1 on: May 03, 2013, 11:32:50 pm
 I like the quote PURER BIKING. That is the honest truth .
I would much rather ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow    Jack


Arizoni

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 7,412
  • Karma: 2
  • "But it's a dry heat here in Arizona
Reply #2 on: May 03, 2013, 11:37:01 pm
But it does indicate the wished for 750cc twin is dead. :(
Jim
2011 G5 Deluxe
1999 Miata 10th Anniversary


jartist

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 761
  • Karma: 0
Reply #3 on: May 04, 2013, 01:50:56 am
Maybe it will be a 650 twin. Or a 500 twin like the old speed twin.  Would offer a bit more power and smooth engine in the same bullet frame.  That sounds sweet to me! I honestly don't know why they'd be motivated to take the risk on a new product when they still anticipate a waiting list after doubling production though.


Ice

  • Hypercafienated
  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 6,753
  • Karma: 0
  • Ride In Paradise Cabo, Don and Ernie
Reply #4 on: May 04, 2013, 02:30:13 am
But it does indicate the wished for 750cc twin is dead. :(

I hope it's not dead.

It does make sense for it to be a 650 at least to start with.

From the article at the top of this page
"wants to remain focused on the 250cc-650 cc range, both for its home market India, as well as in its export push in other emerging markets."

 "Globally the mid-size market is under-served and if we can replicate the Indian success story in 5 or 10 other markets, that's good enough for us,"

and
Currently the 1.7 million unit strong global mid-size market is dominated by the likes of Honda, Triumph, Ducati and Harley Davidson. Most of these brands focus on higher-end, faster and bigger bikes whereas the Royal Enfield range is a smaller displacement machine "that allows more interaction with the terrain and offers purer biking," said Lal. "We don't want to dilute this focus."


I find it interesting that Triumph ( 850cc ) and Harley ( Sportster?) are considered mid size

From 2 years ago
http://bikeadvice.in/royal-enfield-650-700cc-parallel-twin/

 So they have all this new manufacturing capacity + the new double down tube Cafe frame.... and the R&D that has been done so far on the P-Twin.......


 A 650 engine would give new power levels and new bragging rights to the Bullet world in the home market and other places that big cruiser road couches are unwieldy. 

 A 650 750  Super Meteor/Interceptor would be more freeway friendly than a 500 single, still usable around town and in the rough and should be a bit more compact than a Bonneville. 

 If it happens I will bet that within 6 months demand for the P-Twin outstrips the big single by 2 or 3 to 1 here in the US and in Europe.

Just my thoughts.
No matter where you go, there, you are.


ace.cafe

  • Grand Gearhead
  • *****
  • Posts: 14,457
  • Karma: 1
  • World leaders in performance/racing Bullets
Reply #5 on: May 04, 2013, 02:41:19 am
I think that the 612 is proven to be within reach of the single, and that might be their intention.
They did mention at one time that they intended the Cafe Racer to be a 600.

I think it means that the twin is pushed off further to the future.

However, that doesn't mean that the options for a twin are gone. It just might be coming from a different direction.
« Last Edit: May 04, 2013, 02:43:32 am by ace.cafe »
Home of the Fireball 535 !


Ekatus Atimoss

  • Scooter
  • **
  • Posts: 39
  • Karma: 0
Reply #6 on: May 04, 2013, 08:25:50 am
But it does indicate the wished for 750cc twin is dead. :(

Could be obfuscation.  :)  wait and see. In the meantime, I'm happy with my 500cc single.... :)
dopo notte, atra e funesta, splende in ciel più vago il sole e di gioia empie la terra
2012 C5 built for comfort, not for speed (click for pictures)


agram

  • Scooter
  • **
  • Posts: 21
  • Karma: 0
Reply #7 on: May 04, 2013, 02:09:26 pm
A 650 P-twin would be great and plenty enough - as long as it puts out circa 50 rear wheel ponies and relative buckets of torque.

I don't get why people say about the rumoured P-twin, 'Oh! But it must have 800cc's to be perfect!'. Why? Why?? Why does the displacement matter? Isn't it about how it feels and what it puts out at the rear wheel? Let the design of the engine dictate the displacement.

I'm just speculating, but there's plenty of reasons why they might not want to go above 650cc's. Many large non-US markets have 675cc limits for learner riders for example. Here in Australia, a huge portion of EFI Bullets are bought by learners. They'd probably rather get a W650, but it's 1 or 2 CCs too much for them to legally ride.
I'm also certain that bikes above a certain displacement in India are taxed far higher. That's also the case in most other countries.

Royal Enfield probably don't want a bike that directly competes/compares with something as successful worldwide as the new Triumph Bonnevilles. Better to either have something a bit smaller, cheaper, less taxed, available to learners in more countries than to have something that does exactly the same job as Bonnie.

Despite things like this mentioning they aren't working on it, the indications are pointing towards it happening at some stage.
The new frame is overkill for the current engine, they have definitely tested and rejected at least one V-Twin design from Australia, the constant rumours - sometimes from vaguely credible sources, the extensive future capabilites of the new factory...

More than likely, they don't currently have the tooling or mass manufacturing capabilities for a new engine to be built anywhere close to now. Likely that is what they're refering to.

They also have a good decade left to sqeeze out all possibilities for the current engine/models.