Hero MotoSports Team Rally, the motorsport team of the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, Hero MotoCorp, has taken the lead position at the ongoing Rallye du Maroc 2024 with an impressive performance in Stage 1. Hero team pilot Ross Branch emerged as the fastest rider of the stage.

Riders Ross Branch, Sebastian Buhler and Nacho Cornejo, who were competing in the premier Rally GP Class, finished the first stage in 1st, 6th and 8th place, respectively. In the overall Rally GP Class standings, they are currently ranked 1st, 6th and 9th. Branch had the advantage of starting 11th for Stage 1 after placing second in the Prologue, which he capitalised by finishing first by a 48-second cushion over his closest rival. Cornejo started the stage today and made a determined effort to go cautiously across the incredibly challenging terrain, reaching the finish line without suffering any significant errors.

The first complete Stage of the 2024 edition included 180 km of timed sections and an additional 200 km of liaisons. The event organisers had to make last-minute changes to the race strategy yesterday when floods caused delays in the cars' arrival at the bivouac in Zagora. Participants in Stage 1 were dispatched on the Stage 2 course, although with a shorter mileage and later start times. However, this circuit around Zagora turned out to be one of the most difficult stages that Maroc has experienced recently. On rocky, uneven paths badly harmed by the rains, the day began with dangerous pathways that lay ahead, with much of the original routes swept away. In the last stretch, where visible, rolling trails guided the way to the finish line, the riders finally found some solace after risking their journey across narrow dunes.

In Stage 2, the participants will return to the original course planned for Stage 1. This second loop around Zagora will be one of the longest specialities in this year, spanning 314 km in the Sahara and an additional 158 kilometres in road sections.

Rallye du Maroc is the fifth and final round of the FIM World Rally-Raid Championship (W2RC) 2024. Since the second race of this season, Branch has held the top place in the standings chart, and this impressive perfoemance in the Maroc Rally has increased his chances of winning the World Championship title.

Branch said, "I’m happy to have finished Stage 1 with a good result. It was a really tough one – definitely one of the most challenging stages I’ve ever ridden at Rallye Du Maroc! The tracks were really beaten up and washed away from yesterday’s rains, but I managed to pull through. Nacho did an amazing job opening the track; I can only imagine how much more difficult it would have been for him. Opening the Stage tomorrow will be a mammoth task, but we’re pushing forward with confidence."

Buhler said, "It was a very difficult Stage – perhaps one of the hardest I’ve ever ridden here at Maroc. The terrain was full of rocks and rivers, making it challenging to manoeuvre. I tried to maintain a good pace, but it wasn’t easy – every time I went full on the gas, I seemed to be hitting something. I’m glad to have finished well, and I hope tomorrow will be a bit smoother."

Cornejo said, "Stage 1 is complete, and it was very rough, thanks to the rains from yesterday. I did my best opening the Stage, and lost a few minutes here and there. But overall, I’m happy with my focus and navigation. Tomorrow is a new day, so we’ll keep pushing and doing our best – one day at a time."

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TVS Motor Company (TVSM), a global leader in the two-wheeler and three-wheeler segments and a part of TVS VENU, has announced the launch of its premium motorcycle experience channel – TVS Paddock.

The strategic initiative comes in response to India's rapidly growing premium mobility market, where rising affluent consumers and shifting luxury lifestyles favour personalised, community-oriented brand interactions over standard product transactions.

TVS Paddock introduces a holistic retail environment that brings motorcycles, merchandise, personalisation and community spaces together under a single roof.

To create these spaces, TVS Motor Company partnered with Checkland Kindleysides, a London-based boutique retail design agency recognised for creating culture-shaping retail experiences. The resulting network reimagines the complete customer journey from initial product discovery to long-term aftersales support.

The TVS Paddock store aesthetics are explicitly modelled after TVS Motor Co’s four decades of racing heritage and mechanical engineering. It integrates end-to-end digital pathways streamline the vehicle exploration, customisation and transactional phases.

Specialised areas for Built-To-Order (BTO) customisation allow buyers to personalise their motorcycles.  A unique product layout approach engineered to enhance physical bike discovery and experiential presentation. Immersive zones dedicated to exclusive brand merchandise, performance apparel and collaborative accessories. These outlets will house specialised service capabilities and expert technical consultation to ensure high-tier aftersales support.

TVS Paddock is scheduled for an official commercial rollout in Q2 FY2027 (July–September). The network will function as an independent, premium retail ecosystem designed to strengthen customer connections through community building and tailored brand touchpoints.

Sudarshan Venu, Chairman, TVS Motor Company, said, "TVS Paddock is our strategic commitment to redefining premium ownership by bringing together innovation, personalisation, and immersive engagement to build deeper customer connections. The future of premium motorcycling will be defined by the experiences, communities, and ecosystems we create around them. As premium motorcycle customers continue to evolve, seeking deeper, meaningful and holistic engagement, TVS Paddock will cater to these aspirations and deliver a truly elevated brand experience."

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has introduced its first flex-fuel vehicles – the Splendor+ Flex Fuel and the HF Deluxe Flex Fuel. The launch introduces the first flex-fuel motorcycles to India's 100cc mass-market segment, establishing a new milestone in the country's transition toward alternative fuels.

The Hero HF Deluxe Flex Fuel will be sold at INR 72,792 and Hero Splendor+ Flex Fuel at INR 82,710 (ex-showroom Delhi).

Engineered for everyday commuting, these new models are fully compatible with ethanol-blended petrol ranging from E20 up to E85. The localised technology supports India's national directive to lower economic carbon intensity by 45 percent by 2030.

The vehicles were unveiled ahead of World Environment Day in New Delhi in the presence of Nitin Gadkari, Minister of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) and Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), alongside Hero MotoCorp leadership.

Developed at Hero MotoCorp's Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, the flex-fuel line features minimal-to-no imported component content. The initial market release is scheduled for July 2026 across Delhi and select regions of Maharashtra, with a nationwide rollout to follow shortly thereafter.

Both motorcycles are powered by a modified 97.2cc engine architecture engineered to dynamically adapt to varying ethanol-to-petrol ratios. When running on E85 fuel, the powertrain delivers a peak power output of 6.3 kW at 8,000 rpm and maximum torque of 8.3 Nm at 6,000 rpm. To handle the corrosive and chemical properties of high-concentration ethanol blends, both models incorporate revised Electronic Control Units (ECUs) and structurally upgraded fuel system components.

Harshavardhan Chitale, CEO, Hero MotoCorp, said, "The launch of the Flex Fuel-ready Splendor+ and HF Deluxe marks another important step in our commitment towards cleaner and sustainable mobility. Developed at our Centre for Innovation & Technology (CIT) in Jaipur, these motorcycles underscore our commitment to delivering future-ready and locally relevant technologies. With minimal-to-no import content, our motorcycles strongly reflect India’s disruptive capabilities in manufacturing, while reinforcing the Government of India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat, Viksit Bharat and long-term energy security.”

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Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of motorcycles and scooters, has reported total wholesale dispatches of 570,068 units for May 2026, up 12 percent YoY, as compared to 507,701 units sold last year.

Overall domestic dispatches stood at 536,784 units for the month, registering around 10 percent growth compared to May 2025. The growth, the company said, was primarily driven by double-digit volume gains across the Deluxe 125cc, premium motorcycle and scooter segments. To further consolidate its position, the company launched the all-new Super Splendor XTEC 2.0 in the 125cc category.

On the exports front, sales grew around 78 percent YoY, albeit a low-year-ago base, with dispatches rising to 33,284 units in May 2026 from 18,704 units in May 2025. This global momentum was backed by an expanding premium product portfolio and targeted market entries.

The company's domestic retail momentum remained robust, supported by 496,957 official VAHAN registrations (excluding Telangana) recorded during the month.

Furthermore, VIDA, Hero MotoCorp’s emerging electric vehicle (EV) brand, continued its rapid retail scale-up, registering 19,052 units on the VAHAN platform in May 2026, up 166 percent over the corresponding period last year.

VIDA also commenced retail operations for the Dirt.E K3 electric motorcycle in select markets, expanding its product accessibility to target younger riding demographics.

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Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL), the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has recorded its highest-ever monthly sales volume, delivering 132,244 units in May 2026, up 3 percent YoY, as compared 128,897 units sold last year.

The milestone performance was driven by an all-time high in domestic dispatches alongside steady growth in international export markets.

Suzuki Motorcycle India saw positive momentum in both the domestic market and exports. The company sold 110,028 units in the domestic market, up 2 percent YoY, while exports came at 22,216 units, up 5 percent YoY.

In addition to whole vehicle distributions, the manufacturer's spare parts division recorded financial gains. Spare parts sales generated revenue of INR 953.60 million in May 2026, marking a 14 percent growth rate over the prior year's corresponding month.

The volume growth highlights the impact of rising customer demand and SMIPL's expanded market outreach. Moving into the next phase of the fiscal year, the company plans to focus on brand activations and targeted engagement initiatives to maintain momentum.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President of Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “SMIPL’s strong performance in May 2026, marked by the highest-ever monthly sales, reflects the positive response to our products and services in the market. The domestic growth highlights the impact of a customer-centric approach and sustained engagement efforts in building deeper connections. Going forward, the focus remains on further enriching customer experiences through impactful engagement initiatives and brand activations.”

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