Hero MotoCorp is India’s best-selling 2W automaker by a wide margin and has consolidated its position there for a very long time. We are talking about the formidable Splendor, an unstoppable force in India’s 2W industry. Splendor defines the brand and has given Hero MotoCorp the image of a commuter manufacturer.
It is difficult for Hero MotoCorp to get rid of this image and the company will soon double its premium lineup. This could mean more premia showrooms (premium dealerships) and new premium motorcycles and scooters in the 150cc and 350cc segments, which have emerged as the sweet spot and are compliant with the 18% GST slab.
Hero Harley Premium Lineup
The timeline for introduction of these new nameplates is said to be FY2026-2027 and the displacement is said to be in the ballpark 150cc to 350cc. This segment has seen massive demand and sales growth across all styles and could prove to be a good option for a motorcycle giant like Hero MotoCorp.
This 150cc to 350cc segment has proven to be one of the fastest growing segments in India. The recently implemented GST 2.0 tax structure also favors motorcycles with a capacity of less than 350 cc. These premium motorcycles will be launched under both the Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson brands.
If we look at the sales pattern of Hero, it is clear that around 60% of the total sales come from the Splendor lineup alone and up to 20% of the total sales come from the HF lineup. Adding other commuter nameplates like Passion and Glamour, almost 90% of Hero’s total sales are budget and affordable commuters with 100cc or 125cc engines.
Only 10% of the company’s total sales come from premium nameplates like Extreme, Karizma, Xpulse, Zoom, Vida and 440 offerings under the Hero (Maverick) and Harley-Davidson brands. Hero MotoCorp has now revealed that there will be more premium nameplates to boost sales and appeal around its premium lineup.
what to expect?
For wider reach, we would like Hero MotoCorp to expand its Premia dealership network as well. These Premia dealerships currently host Vida electric scooters, Harley-Davidson 440 bikes, XPulse 200 and 210, Xtreme 160 and 160 4V, Xtreme 250R, Karizma XMR 210, Zoom 160 and others.
We can think of some premium offerings that Hero has already designed and developed and may launch in the coming months. The Karizma XMR 250 is one such bike with the 250cc engine from the Xtreme 250. More nameplates are expected in the future and there are also likely to be more derivatives of the 440 platform, under the Harley-Davidson brand.