Bajaj Auto volumes drop nearly 20% in the 100 cc segment

Bajaj Auto's market share in India has taken a major hit. In the first quarter of the current fiscal (April to June 2017), the company sold 426,562 motorcycles, a big drop from 548,880 units of the same months last year. The company's 100 cc portfolio is one of the biggest losers, dropping nearly 20 percent on a year on year basis.

In the first quarter of the financial year 2017-18 Bajaj Auto sold 185,861 units of the 100 cc motorcycles. In comparison, last year both the Bajaj Platina Comfortec and Bajaj CT100 amounted to 231,481 units. Exports too have dropped from 1.71 lakh units last year to 1.67 lakh bikes in Q1 FY17-18.

Volumes were first hit by the the heavy discounting of competitor brands before BS4 norms kicked in, and later because of the anticipation for GST when customers were holding off purchases. The company acted on this proactively and was the first two-wheeler manufacturer to announce a rate cut even before GST became applicable, passing on the benefits to consumers.

The entry-level CT 100 gets a 99.27 cc mill. The gearbox is a 4-speed unit. The engine is capable of producing 8.2 PS of maximum power and 8.05 Nm of peak torque. A bare bones Bajaj CT 100B is also on offer. The bike with a price tag of just INR 32,653 (ex-showroom, Delhi), makes it one of the most affordable motorcycles in the country.

The Platina Comfortec focuses on comfort and is positioned as a slightly more premium product. The bike gets longer suspension (both front and rear) and a spring soft seat. The bike also gets rubber footpads. Bajaj Auto also claims that the Bajaj Platina Comfortec has a 60 percent lower maintenance cost as against its competition.

Also Read: 100 cc bikes is the bicycle of the future: Rajiv Bajaj

The company is the only brand, apart from Mahindra, in the 100-110 cc segment, which has registered a degrowth in sales.