India now global leader in bike sales
Necessities and partnerships sees India pip China to the postWhile Australia sold 91,949 new two-wheeled motorcycles during the 2016 calendar year, India managed 17.5 million new bikes in the 2016-2017 financial year period, a feat which means it has overtaken China as the world’s largest motorcycle market.
While motorcycle ownership in this country could be seen as a luxury, it’s a very different scenario in India with public transport systems in such a way that small-capacity motorcycles end up being the cheapest form of transport for many. Adding to the incentive is the recent pledge by the Indian government to improve the country’s deteriorating roads and highways, announcing new stretches will be built at a rate of 41km per day, making motorcycles not only a more practical option, but a safer one, too.
Unsurprisingly, small-capacity motorcycles and scooters between the 100cc and 125cc capacity range dominate the country’s sales figures, with locally-produced Royal Enfield the only marque with a machine higher than 300cc to land a spot in the overall top-10 best sellers.
The recent trend of British and European motorcycle brands forming partnerships with Indian-based manufacturing plants has also been attributed to the spike in popularity of two-wheel transport in India.
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