Kuldip Purohit, Co-Founder and Business Head, Royal Brothers, shares with us the journey so far, the challenges they faced and what lies ahead for this motorcycle rental company.

Purohit says, “Royal Brothers signifies brotherhood and brings a sense of belongingness. We wanted to showcase our brand as one which can be trusted like a brother and provides safety and comfort like a brother does.” He further explains that they wanted to use the term ‘Royal’ in some sense, possibly because one of their earliest achievements was securing a wide range of Royal Enfield motorcycles for their fleet, and also because the team members were all of the same age – like brothers in arms.

Speaking about the challenges the team faced in securing an RTO authorisation, Purohit said, “We took almost six months to procure the first licence in Karnataka. As the officials were not aware of the procedures and the bike rental scheme, we had to educate them about the Central Government’s scheme and the State Government’s role in processing the application.”

When asked if Royal Brothers was a passion product for a team that enjoyed motorcycles or more of a lucrative business opportunity, he said, “Royal Brothers was started with a passion to change the way the industry behaves. Even after 100 years, the rental market is still unorganised and is not treated as an industry. We wanted to change the unorganised sector into an organised one.” He further added by saying that the co-founders and employees are all passionate bikers and motorcycle enthusiasts; their common goal to serve people made it a lucrative business in the process.

Commenting on the recent Covid-19 ordeal, Purohit said, “Covid19 was a challenging and stressful period. Even though it’s not fully over, we believe we have been able to manage it well and will continue to do better in the future. Lockdown was announced suddenly and we had a lot of our assets deployed with customers and on the roads. The first month was difficult, but thanks to the team’s dedicated efforts, we were able to recover the vehicles from the customers and get them back to our yards.”

To ensure customer safety, all rental bikes are checked and sanitised before delivery. The company also makes sure that the assets are regularly washed, cleaned and sanitised, and a proper temperature log of the executives is also maintained.

Elaborating on how the company managed to cut losses when there was no revenue from bookings during the lockdown period, the co-founder spoke about Royal Brothers X, a long-term subscription model, conceived during the second month of lockdown. This enabled customers to book a vehicle for up to nine months and in-turn generated some revenue for the company to sustain the blow.

Commenting on the efforts that go into maintaining and servicing a large fleet of two-wheelers, the business head claimed that they would get the service done at the OEM service centres in the initial days when they had five motorcycles. Going ahead, the Vehicle Health Management team (VHM) was formed with the sole responsibility of maintaining the quality of the fleet across all 23 cities.

The VHM also determines when to retire a particular asset based on a certain number of KMs on the odometer or the number of years on particular models. Market factors also play a crucial role in the discontinuation of certain models in the Royal Brothers’ fleet.

Royal Brothers recently established a touchpoint at the Bangalore International Airport, making it one of the first bike rental companies to do so . Speaking about the operation, Purohit said, “The project took more than six months to materialise. We had a lot of restrictions due to Covid and also the way airports function. We had to procure a lot of approvals from various teams and authorities to begin with. Also, the vehicle models and their maintenance at the airport required a new set of SOPs which we had to develop specifically for the airport. All our executives were trained as per the airport security, functioning and operating guidelines.”

Taking innovation a step further, Royal Brothers has been working with Ather to spread awareness on EVs by facilitating test rides at select locations across Bangalore to help people understand the capabilities of the vehicle.

In these trying times of pollution and rising fuel prices, this initiative strengthens the need for eco-friendly mobility. Furthermore, the company offers Ather scooters in its fleet alongside other prominent EVs. “We believe in sustainable development and would like to play our part in a greener mobility solution,” he adds.

Speaking on the secret behind the company’s success, Purohit says, “Everything looked challenging in the beginning; however, we were determined to succeed. My personal motto is – If there is a problem, find a solution.”

“We have worked round the clock on the feedback of the customers and that has brought us success. The easiest way to figure out the loopholes and lags in the business model for a service-driven business is to listen to its users. We followed the same and kept making changes on a regular basis,” he adds.

Commenting on Bangalore, the metropolitan city of blossoming entrepreneurs and countless start-ups, Purohit says, “Bangalore is Love. We all love the city and believe that there is no other city in the world that could have given us what this city offered us. Bangalore and its people are not averse to new ideas and offer full support to budding entrepreneurs.”

In Royal Brothers’ case, he says, Bangalore has grown over the years and so has the acceptability of bike rentals in the market. He appreciates residents whose entrepreneurial spirit knows no bounds. “There is no dearth of talent in the city. One can find capital, talent, guidance and mentors in abundance,” he concludes.

When asked on what lies ahead for Royal Brothers and if we could expect a gradual inclusion of four-wheelers in the fleet, Purohit said, “We are not looking to move into the four-wheeler category anytime soon, but also not ruling out the possibility. Currently, we want to focus on the two-wheelers and make Brand RB the largest in SE Asia.” (MT)

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Hero MotoCorp, a leading two-wheeler manufacturer globally, has announced its official entry into the Republic of Italy. This expansion marks the company’s entry into its 49th international market.

Product distribution will be managed by Pelpi International, a large distributor that offers sales, service, and parts through a network of over 160 dealers. Initial distribution will focus on key cities with 36 dealers, with plans to expand to 54 touchpoints.

The three models available at launch are the Xpulse 200 4V, Xpulse 200 4V Pro and Hunk 440. Both models comply with E5+ and EU standards.

Hunk 440: This model enters the L3e−A2 performance category. Its engine delivers torque of 36.0 Nm at 4000 rpm and power of 27 BHP at 6000 rpm. It features dual-channel ABS with 320 mm front and 240 mm rear discs, USD Cartridge Forks by KYB, a full-digital TFT display and navigation. The Hunk 440 starts at EUR 3,990 (Incl. VAT) and is available in Twilight Blue and Phantom Black.

Xpulse 200 Family: The Xpulse 200 4V Pro has a 4-Valve head that produces 18.9 BHP and 17.35 Nm torque. It includes three ABS Modes (Road, Off-road, and Rally). It is equipped with a digital speedometer, inverted LCD Display, navigation, and LED Projector headlamps. The Xpulse 200 4V starts at EUR 2,990, and the Xpulse 200 4V Pro at EUR 3,190.

Hero MotoCorp will offer a standard 3-year warranty and an additional 2-year warranty as a launch offer, extending the total warranty to 5 years.

Sanjay Bhan, Executive Vice-President, Hero MotoCorp, said, "Entering Italy, the very heartland of two-wheeler culture, marks a defining milestone in Hero MotoCorp’s global expansion journey. We aim to redefine ‘The Future of Mobility’ at a global scale with next-gen smart mobility solutions that cater to diverse riding preferences. With products that reflect both the Explorer and Liberator spirit, we are inviting Italian riders to experience Limitless Freedom and Limitless Adventure every day. Our success in the Dakar Rally with Hero MotoSports is a testimony of our global engineering excellence and the innovation in products that we are bringing for Italy market."

Cesare Gali, Managing Director, Pelpi International, said, “We are proud to champion Hero MotoCorp’s entry into Italy. Their global scale, product quality, and the unparalleled commitment of a 5-year warranty give us immense confidence. The Hunk 440 and Xpulse 200 fill crucial, highly competitive segments in Italy, offering a unique blend of technology and value that will resonate deeply with Italian consumers.”

Pelpi International will make the brand available with 36 dealerships across key cities.

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Chennai-headquartered mid-size motorcycle major Royal Enfield has further expanded its online presence on e-commerce platform Amazon India. The company is making available its entire range of 350cc motorcycles on the e-commerce platform.

The partnership aims to offer convenience in the purchasing process, in addition to payment options available on the platform. The purchase option is currently open to customers in five cities: Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Pune.

The range of 350cc models available includes the Classic 350, Bullet 350, Hunter 350, Goan Classic 350 and the new Meteor 350. These will be sold through a dedicated Royal Enfield brand store on Amazon India.

Delivery and aftersales service will be handled by the customer’s chosen Royal Enfield dealership in the city. The brand page also allows customers to buy genuine motorcycle accessories (GMAs), riding gear and merchandise.

Royal Enfield 350cc motorcycles are now available on two e-commerce platforms, reaching ten cities in India. They are sold through Amazon.in in Ahmedabad, Chennai, Hyderabad, New Delhi and Pune, and via Flipkart.com in Bengaluru, Gurugram, Kolkata, Lucknow and Mumbai.

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Aprilia Racing has achieved global success with the limited-edition RSV4 X-GP, announcing that all 30 units sold out in just fourteen days following its introduction at the Catalunya Grand Prix.

The company stated that the immediate sell-out confirms the strong international appeal of Aprilia's ‘X’ brand, which the company states is a reference point for exclusivity, innovation and pure performance.

Enthusiasts from markets including Europe, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Malaysia and the United States secured the bikes, with booking requests reportedly exceeding availability during the presentation weekend itself.

The RSV4 X-GP was created by the Noale Racing Department to mark the 10^th anniversary of the RS-GP's debut in MotoGP, featuring the official MotoGP Team livery. It is the most powerful RSV4 ever built, boasting 238 HP for a mere 165 kg of weight, creating an ‘unprecedented riding experience.’

The bike introduces several track-focused innovations derived directly from the RS-GP prototype, notably becoming the first factory derivative bike in the world to feature leg and tail wings – aerodynamic solutions previously exclusive to the MotoGP machine. It also includes a structural carbon seat support.

Massimo Rivola, CEO, Aprilia Racing, said, “X confirms its status for Aprilia Racing as an exclusive and niche brand with enormous potential. Aprilia Racing is synonymous with innovation and it fills us with pride to see that, even at a strategic and product level, we have created an iconic brand and a new type of absolutely exclusive bike, conceived specifically for track enthusiasts.”

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Suzuki Motorcycle India, the two-wheeler subsidiary of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Japan, has introduced new colour line-up for the Suzuki Gixxer SF and Gixxer motorcycles.

The fully faired Suzuki Gixxer SF priced at INR 137,231 (ex-showroom Delhi) gets two new colours - Metallic Oort Gray + Pearl Mira Red and Glass Sparkle Black + Metallic Oort Gray. The company is also providing exchange benefits up to INR 5,000 and extended warranty at INR 1,999 or insurance benefits up to INR 7,000 as part of the festive sales offer.

On the other hand, the Suzuki Gixxer priced at INR 126,421 (ex-showroom Delhi) gets three new colours - Metallic Oort Gray + Pearl Mira Red, Glass Sparkle Black + Metallic Oort Gray and Metallic Triton Blue + Glass Sparkle Black. The company is offering exchange benefits up to INR 5,000 along with an extended warranty at INR 1,999 or alternatively insurance benefits up to INR 6,000.

The Suzuki Gixxer SF and Gixxer are powered by a 155 cc, BS-VI OBD-2 B-compliant single-cylinder engine equipped with Suzuki Eco Performance (SEP), delivering 13.6 PS of power and 13.8 Nm of torque. This engine has a proven track record, having set a national endurance record in the 150cc category.

Both motorcycles feature European-inspired styling, highlighted by a LED headlamp and tail lamp, a sporty dual-muffler and split seats. The motorcycles also get a Bluetooth-enabled multi-function digital console with the Suzuki Ride Connect application. Key safety and performance features include single-channel ABS, wide radial tyres and a 7-step adjustable mono-shock for handling across varied conditions.

Deepak Mutreja, Vice-President – Sales and Marketing, Suzuki Motorcycle India, said, “The fresh colours of Gixxer SF and Gixxer underline Suzuki’s commitment to blending style, performance and innovation while catering to the aspirations of young Indian riders. With these enhancements, the motorcycles reflect Suzuki’s engineering and design philosophy, combining sporty character with comfort for both everyday city rides and long-distance touring. Along with attractive purchase benefits and easy ownership options, the updated line-up adds to the festive excitement and strengthens the connect of the GIXXER brand with customers across the country.”

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