Hero’s Rally Team Signs Rider Franco Caimi, Preparation Underway For Dakar 2022
- By MT Bureau
- April 30, 2021
Hero MotoSports Team Rally has signed Argentine Franco Caimi as its fourth rider.
In 2004, Franco became the youngest rider in enduro history to win a gold medal at the age of 16. He has won two Latin American championships, three national championships each in Argentina and Chile and six gold medals at the gruelling International Six Days Enduro.
At the prestigious Dakar Rally, Franco won the Rookie of the Year title once in 2017 with an eighth-place finish and obtained the same result again – at the 2020 season.
Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the team is set to commence its Road to Dakar 2022 with the upcoming Andalucia Rally scheduled from May 11-16, 2021 at Villamartin, Spain. This will also be the first outing for Franco in Hero MotoSports colours.
Hero kicked off 2021 with an impressive performance at the Dakar Rally with two of its riders – Joaquim Rodrigues and Sebastian Buhler – posting their best-ever Dakar standings finishing at the 11th and 14th positions respectively.
The team’s campaign in 2020 was disrupted by the Covid-19 enforced restrictions; however, as motorsports activities gradually resumed across the globe, they had two very productive outings in the Andalucia Rally and the BAJA Portalegre, winning the latter, with Sebastian Buhler and Joaquim Rodrigues securing the 1st and the 2nd place respectively. With this win, Sebastian was crowned the winner of the FIM BAJA World Cup, giving Hero MotoSports Team Rally their first BAJA World Cup win.
Wolfgang Fischer, Team Manager, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “We are excited to kick off the Road to Dakar 2022 campaign with a strong addition to our team. Within a short span of time, Hero MotoSports Team Rally has created a differentiated position for itself and we are glad to appeal to talented riders like Franco. It is definitely a big boost for us. Currently, we are prepping up for the Andalucia Rally and are extremely excited to have Franco represent the Team. We wish him good luck for a successful journey with Hero Motosports Team Rally.”
Franco Caimi, Rider, Hero MotoSports Team Rally said, “It's an honour for me to be associated with Hero MotoCorp, which has a rich heritage and has achieved great significance in the rally sport. I am extremely thrilled to join the team and thank them for bestowing their faith in my abilities. The team has been delivering impressive performance over the years and I look forward to riding alongside some of the best and promising riders in the sport.” (MT)
Suzuki Motorcycle India Sells 91,264 2Ws In June 2026
- By MT Bureau
- July 02, 2026
Suzuki Motorcycle India, a leading manufacturer of scooters and motorcycles in the country, has announced its wholesales for June 2026.
The company recorded total sales of 115,030 units last month, a 21 percent YoY increase compared to the 95,244 units sold a year ago. Domestic sales reached 91,264 units, up 23 percent YoY, while exports grew 12 percent to 23,766 units.
Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales & Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “Our sales performance in June reflects the sustained momentum, supported by strong demand and the trust our customers continue to place in the Suzuki brand. As customer expectations continue to evolve, we remain focused on delivering products that offer reliability, performance and value. At the same time, we are strengthening our engagement with customers through meaningful initiatives and experiences that help us build lasting relationships beyond the purchase.”
Revenue from spare parts sales totalled INR 929 million in June 2026, marking 15 percent growth over the previous year.
During the month, Suzuki Motorcycle India conducted the Burgman Hangout Parade in Pune and Hyderabad. Additionally, the company held GIXXER Pit Stop events in Kumbakonam, Ranchi, Bengaluru and Dehradun, which involved 285 participants.
Yulu Enables Mobility For Over 12,000 Women Home Service Professionals
- By MT Bureau
- July 02, 2026
Yulu, an Indian shared electric mobility platform, has announced that over 12,000 women home service professionals across 12 cities have utilised its platform to facilitate their work.
By providing accessible, low-cost electric vehicles (EVs), Yulu is actively dismantling mobility barriers that often prevent women from entering or thriving in the gig economy.
The platform supports women working as home cleaners, meal preppers and laundry professionals in the fast-growing online home services sector. Yulu’s lightweight, speed-capped EVs – which do not require a driver’s license – have allowed these professionals to complete 25–30 percent more assignments daily.
The all-inclusive rental model, which covers battery swapping and maintenance, significantly lowers the barrier to entry for women who previously lacked reliable personal transport.
Beyond the 12,000 women in home services, Yulu says it has empowered over 550,000 gig workers and delivery partners nationwide, many of whom have seen their incomes rise by 30–40 percent compared to using traditional petrol bikes.
The integration of Yulu’s mobility solutions comes at a pivotal time for India's service economy. According to Redseer Strategy Consultants, India's online home services market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 18–22 percent, reaching nearly USD 1 billion by FY2030.
At present over 35,000 women professionals are providing on-demand home services across platforms such as Urban Company, Snabbit and Pronto to name a few.
Amit Gupta, Co-Founder & CEO, Yulu, said, "Access to a vehicle often spells the difference between being dependent on her family and having an additional income stream that unlocks independence and dignity."
Pune-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major Bajaj Auto has announced its wholesales for June 2026.
The company recorded total sales of 463,202 units last month, which was 28 percent higher compared to 360,806 units in June 2025. This includes 389,395 two-wheelers, up 30 percent YoY, as compared to 298,484 units a year ago.
Interestingly, while the company’s domestic sales grew by 12 percent to 166,956 units, its exports saw 49 percent YoY growth to 222,439 units.
Three-wheeler sales for last month came at 42,881 units (+10 percent YoY) in the domestic market and 30,926 units in the export market (+33 percent YoY).
For Q1 FY2027, the domestic two-wheeler sales came at 586,547 units, up 11 percent YoY, as against 529,344 units a year ago. Exports on the other hand saw a robust 52 percent YoY growth to 636,005 units, as against 419,447 units last year.
Three-wheeler sales in the domestic market grew by 13 percent YoY to 119,531 units, while exports grew 69 percent YoY to 96,168 units.
Chennai-headquartered two-wheeler and three-wheeler major TVS Motor Company has announced its wholesales for June grew by 47 percent to 590,003 units, as compared to 402,001 units sold last year.
Sales for two-wheelers came at 565,417 units, which includes 411,014 units in the domestic market, while exports came at 154,403 units. In the domestic market, scooter sales came at 247,950 units, while motorcycles accounted for 267,096 units.
Electric two-wheelers saw a substantial jump from 14,400 units sold in June 2025, to 48,537 units sold last month.
On the other hand three-wheeler sales came at 24,586 units, up 51 percent YoY.
For Q1 FY2027, the company recorded sales of 1.63 million units. Two-wheeler sales reached 1.56 million units, while three-wheeler sales totalled 67,000 units. The company's international business accounted for 468,000 units and electric two-wheelers sales reached 130,000 units for the quarter.
Comments (0)
ADD COMMENT