By T Murrali

As India will be moving to the new emission regime from April this year, the manufacturing companies are fielding new models of new variants with BS-VI engines. India Yamaha Motor (IYM) has announced a slew of new brands, in line with its concept of ‘The Call of the Blue’ that carved out the ‘The Yamaha Uniqueness’ of product line-ups and experiences through the ‘Blue Square’ network. IYM has fielded four vehicles with several innovative features and technologies, with plans to create a strong network of dealers; nonetheless, it has still kept a conservative sales growth target of 4 percent.

In 2019, the company sold 624,000 units (with 40 percent scooters and the rest motorcycles), witnessing a 13 percent drop in sales over the previous year, matching the industry average. It exported 296,000 units during the year. For 2020, IYM has set a target of 650,000 units with the same break-up for scooters and motorcycles. This is just 4 percent more than last year’s sales. However, it aims to raise exports to 315,000 units.

Ravinder Singh, Senior Vice President, Strategy and Planning Group, Yamaha Motors India Sales Pvt Ltd, said, “We have been able to increase our market share in deluxe and premium segments and maintain it in the scooter segment (for Fascino), thanks to our focused brand strategy: ‘The Call of the Blue.’ Our success in 2020 will depend on creating a strong network and we have started working on this direction. ‘Blue Square’ is one such initiative.”

‘Blue Square’ 

‘Blue square’ is a unique concept intended to offer Yamaha’s racing DNA to exciting, stylish and sporty products and experiences. ‘The Call of the Blue’ started in 2018 expanded to products and experiences in 2019.

‘Blue Square’ is created as a destination for all two-wheeler enthusiasts. The concept was to expand the company’s uniqueness for fuelling the passion for riding in India featuring a wide range of riding gears and accessories along with the two-wheeler line-ups that deliver good driving experience. Yamaha Blue Square Showrooms will serve the excitement to grow into a popular culture by turning it into an aspiration for every young rider.

To a question on how ‘Blue Square’ will help the company to strengthen its market position, Singh said the company’s objective is to focus on youngsters. It launched the brand campaign ‘The Call of the Blue’ mainly to connect with the young customers. Now IYM is taking it to the next level with ‘Blue Square,’ which according to him is more of the brand connection, linking its BTL (below the line) activities. “From ATL (above the line) activities to BTL, we are connecting the customers and giving the experience of sporty and stylish vehicles, which is our core DNA, to the product.” The additional dealerships planned for this year will be primarily for ‘Blue Square’ outlets, he said. 

Many of the existing dealerships will also be upgraded to deal with its new introductions of 155cc motorcycle MT-15 and the 125cc scooters, the Ray ZR 125 FI and Street Rally 125 FI, and the iconic Fascino 125 FI. Shifting from the 110cc segment, IYM is strengthening its market in the 125cc scooter segment and the motorcycle line-up.

MT-15

Known for its balance of torque and agility, MT-15 has enhanced control postures and single-channel ABS. A special colour ‘Ice Fluo-Vermillion’ was also introduced. It received rave reviews in many countries for its distinctively aggressive appearance. The new BS-VI compliant MT-15 has a rear radial tyre. Its advanced design expressing torque and agility is popularised further by a minimal look, dynamic headlight, short tail and an overall finish that illustrates its unique style.

The new bike comes with VVA engine for nimble acceleration with model-specific ECU,  optimized secondary reduction gear ratio for snappy riding in town, A&S clutch for stress-free gear shifts, motard-like riding position with a great deal of freedom on a tight, concentrated silhouette, 282mm front disc brake with single-channel ABS for excellent stopping power. The advanced design expressing torque and agility is further accentuated by dynamic front face styling headlight, short tail with a vertical tail light and overall graphics and finish.

Ray ZR 125 FI, Street Rally 125 FI

The new scooters come with several new features, new engine technologies and are available in a range of new colours. The new Ray ZR 125 FI and Street Rally 125 FI are powered by a BS-VI compliant, air cooled, fuel injected, 125cc blue core engine that produces a power output of 8.2 PS @ 6,500 RPM and a torque of 9.7 Nm @ 5,000 RPM. The power output and economy are 30 percent and 16 percent higher respectively than the earlier scooters.

The styling concept is ‘Armored Energy’ which evokes the feeling of a powerful motorcycle laced to proportions, details, striking design and new technologies. The sporty, sharp-looking headlight is Class C-compliant while the Y-shaped LED position light adds greater originality to the design. The turn signals at the front and rear use individual mounting stalks like those used for motorcycles. The Ray ZR 125 FI is available in both drum and disc brake versions, and the disc brake version gets digital instrument cluster as a new feature. The new Ray ZR 125 FI is available in a wide range of colour variants including Dark Matte Blue, Metallic Black, Cyan Blue, Matte Red Metallic and Reddish Yellow Cocktail.

The new Street Rally 125 FI also fuses motorcycle elements with those of a scooter and scatters them throughout the design. Brush guards shield the rider's hands from oncoming airflow and add a sporty, adventure-influenced touch to the machine. It additionally offers fully digital instrument cluster, side panels designed to look like a rugged frame, block-pattern tyre, sporty coloured wheel stripes (front and rear) and side panels intended to look like metallic protectors. The new Street Rally 125 FI is available in two colours: Deep Purplish Blue Metallic and Sparkle Green.

Fascino 125 FI

The new Fascino 125 FI is powered by a BS-VI compliant, air cooled, fuel injected, 125cc blue core engine that produces a power output of 8.2 PS @ 6,500 RPM and a torque of 9.7 Nm @ 5,000 RPM. The power output and economy are 30 percent and 16 percent higher respectively than the earlier scooters.

Along with the new features and technologies, the visual impression of the new Fascino 125 FI rests on its classic European styling as it gets an all-new exterior design, higher quality bodywork, newly designed headlight, new gauges and other features that produce a feeling of elegance and status. The new scooter is designed to be a fashionable vehicle with styling that embodies strength, refinement and beauty along with classical touches. The vehicle is available in disc and drum brakes and a wide range of colour variants including Vivid Red, Metallic Black, Yellow Cocktail, Matte Blue, Dark Matte Blue, Suave Copper and Cyan Blue.

Lightweighting

The body weight of the new Ray ZR 125 FI, Street Rally 125 FI and Fascino 125 FI is 99 kg, which is, at the least, 4 kg lighter than Yamaha's earlier scooters. All the new scooters come with ‘stop & start system’ that prevents engine idling and subsequent start with a single throttle twist which uses the sensors to assess the riding environment. The vehicles have front disc brake with unified brake system. In addition, the smart motor-generator fitted to these vehicles uses electronic controls to bring a quieter engine start without the need for a separate conventional electric starter. One of the key features is the ‘side stand engine cut-off switch,’ which prevents the engine from starting if the side-stand is not retracted. This is a unique feature as it can prevent accidents and ensure safety of the rider.

Talking to this publication on the objective to introduce the engine cut-off switch to the side-stand, Yasuo Ishihara, Managing Director, Yamaha Motor Research & Development India Pvt Ltd, said that in Europe these safety systems are mandatory. Since it is a safety feature the company wanted to introduce it in India also. “We have decided to incorporate this feature in the two-wheelers (Ray and Fascino) that we have launched now. In a phased manner this feature will be introduced in all the models we produce.”

The company has also introduced stop-start systems and this was possible as it replaced the starter motor with a combined generator-cum-starter motor. Ishihara said that in India the traffic is dense with more stopping and starting conditions, not only at traffic lights but also on congested roads. This mild hybrid helps in managing these situations while conserving fuel. However, when there are frequent stops and starts, the power drawn will be more from the battery; therefore the company has increased the battery capacity.

Yamaha has also reduced the total kerb weight by 4 kg. This was achieved as the design team was given very stringent targets to reduce weight. There were targets set for every major part in the vehicle. This combined with high-end design helped the company achieve weight reduction despite increasing the sheet metal content. For instance, in the earlier version of the scooters, the front fender was in plastic but in the BS-VI version this has been replaced with metal. According to him, one of the reasons for weight reduction was that the vehicles have no starter motors, since the generators do that function. Despite introducing new technologies, localisation in all the models is over 90 percent, he said.

Target Customers               

The target customers for the three scooters, according to the company, are the youth (18-24 years) who are high on adventure, and who find the true reflection of their riding personality by the mobility they ride and its performance. Motofumi Shitara, Chairman, Yamaha Motor India group of companies, said, “Customers can now take the experience of all such exciting Yamaha two-wheelers at the new ‘Blue Square’ outlets of Yamaha which is conceptualized to garner the racing spirit along with its comfort, ambience and the beacon of the Yamaha Blue. The company also plans to expand its brand strategy of ‘The Call of the Blue’ including product strategies and networks in 2020. The ‘Blue Square’ which was opened recently in Chennai will expand to 100 outlets in 2020 and eventually would consolidate the 125cc scooter market share and sports market share for the brand. The ‘Call of the Blue’ will be scaled up in 2020 to offer the excitement, sporty and stylish experiences to a wider audience.”

Digital Communication

On the communication side, he said, the company is more focused on the digital platform. Despite fielding new stylish models with more safety features and power, the company has set itself a growth of just 4 percent for the current calendar over 2019. Seeking his reason for this, Singh said it is justified. “At this moment we are very conservative. We are talking to dealers and we are also taking feedback from people like you. We see a clear shift from 110cc to 125cc (in scooters) and it will increase in the coming years as people are further upgrading.” Therefore, the segment will further evolve. But it all depends on increasing affordability, which is directly linked to economic growth. The key point is that India is a country where more than 50 percent of the population is young. This is precisely the reason for the company to field products targeting the youth, he said. “Based on the features and the pricing we are going to get a good amount of market share in this segment; still we are taking cautious steps,” he explained.

The company will focus on three areas to connect with its customers easily - Premium, Deluxe and Scooters. Otherwise, connecting with customers from the commuting point of view would be difficult for Yamaha. This is the reason for the company to upgrade its scooters to 125cc, Shitara said.

Currently, IYM has 593 dealers across India with about 2,000 touch points. The company has allotted INR 1,500 crore for building capacity and capabilities, to be spent over four years from 2018. It had to invest INR 16 crore to develop BS-VI engines. Though modifications to the engine were minimal, the additions were in the form of double catalytic converters for exhaust, O2 sensors and advanced OBD modules. Investments have also gone into precision machining of parts for BS-VI related elements, and the development of new parts.  (MT)

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TVS Motor Company hosted the TVS Apache Racing Experience International (ARE GP) in Nepal. The event, held at the Vehicle Academy and Research Centre in Satungal, Kathmandu, marks the 20th anniversary of the TVS Apache series and represents the first international expansion of this racing programme.

The initiative provides a platform for owners to operate their motorcycles in a championship environment. Participants receive instruction in race craft and riding techniques from professionals. The selection round in Kathmandu attracted over 55 riders and 300 spectators. Competitors navigated a circuit featuring 10 corners, with performance tracked by lap timings.

The event featured three classes based on engine displacement: 160cc, 200cc and 310cc. The top three finishers in each category qualified for a final at the Madras International Circuit (MIC) in India, scheduled for April 2026. These finalists will compete against riders from four different nations.

Rewards for the championship winners include a trip to a MotoGP event, entry into the TVS India One Make Championship (OMC), and team apparel. The programme also provides winners with a tour of the TVS factory and access to brand events such as TVS MotoSoul. The day included stunt shows, gymkhana sessions and music to create a festival format for enthusiasts.

Vimal Sumbly, Head – Premium Business, TVS Motor Company, said, “As we celebrate 20 years of TVS Apache built on a legacy of TVS Racing, performance and racing led technology the international expansion of ARE GP is a natural extension of our journey to push boundaries and set new benchmarks in motorsport. ARE GP has played a pivotal role in nurturing grassroots motorsports, and Nepal’s rapidly growing community of performance enthusiasts makes it an ideal destination.”

Shahil Agrawal, Executive Director – Jagdamba Motors, added, “Motorsports has always inspired the younger generation and with the launch of TVS ARE GP internationally, starting with Nepal, the platform will support in channeling the aspiration and structure it professionally. The racing format will significantly enhance the visibility for performance motorcycling, nurture local talent and energise dealerships while bringing riders, enthusiasts and communities together. We are proud to partner with TVS Motor Company in creating opportunities for Nepalese riders to compete, grow and represent the country on an international stage.”

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Yulu, an electric vehicle company, has conducted rider awareness initiatives in Bengaluru and Delhi to mark National Road Safety Month. The activities, aligned with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) theme ‘Sadak Suraksha, Jeevan Raksha’, aimed to promote traffic discipline among electric vehicle (EV) users and delivery partners.

In Bengaluru, the company held a 5-kilometre rally focused on road safety and anti-drug awareness. The event was flagged off by Inspector R. Veeresh of the Vivek Nagar Police Station and included the participation of 30 police officials. The route covered junctions in Koramangala and surrounding areas to engage with residents and road users regarding responsible riding.

In Delhi, Yulu joined a two-wheeler rally organised by MoRTH and the Delhi Traffic Police at Connaught Place. Flagged off by Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) DK Gupta, the event involved 200 riders. These participants interacted with commuters to highlight safety protocols.

The company utilises various platforms to communicate safety information, including in-app notifications, WhatsApp alerts, training videos and workshops held with local authorities. In Bengaluru, Yulu has also stationed safety marshals at junctions to assist riders and ensure compliance with traffic regulations at the request of the city's traffic police.

RK Misra, Co-Founder and President - Ecosystem Partnerships, Yulu, said, “Enabling people to navigate cities safely and securely is a vital part of Yulu’s mission. Therefore, we work closely with all relevant stakeholders — from delivery brands to gig workers and transport officials — to sensitise communities to the importance of responsible and safe riding.”

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Vega Auto has launched a nationwide public safety initiative, ‘Pehnoge to Bachoge’, to address the practice of two-wheeler users carrying helmets rather than wearing them. The campaign aims to shift consumer behaviour from owning helmets to avoid traffic fines to using them for protection on every journey.

India records over 400,000 road fatalities annually, with data showing that more than 55,000 two-wheeler riders die because helmets were not worn at the time of an accident. The campaign features a 60-second film set in Mumbai traffic, depicting everyday scenarios where riders treat helmets as accessories. The narrative ends with a crash to highlight that carrying a helmet provides no safety benefit.

The initiative uses the hashtag #WearItDontCarryIt and focuses on the gap between helmet sales and actual usage.

Vega Auto is calling on influencers, policymakers and citizens to promote helmet wearing as a non-negotiable habit. The campaign identifies a trend where helmets are frequently carried on arms, handlebars, or used as footrests while the rider's head remains unprotected.

Dilip Chandak, Chairman, Vega Auto, said, “Every year we sell lakhs of world-class helmets, yet we see the same heartbreaking sight on our roads where helmets dangle from handlebars, arms, or are used as footrests while heads remain unprotected. At Vega Auto, we celebrate when someone chooses Vega, but our job isn’t done until that helmet is worn on every journey. The statistics are heartbreaking because the solution already exists in millions of homes. Pehnoge toh Bachoge is our commitment to shift the nation from helmet ownership to helmet usage, from evading fines to embracing life. Let’s turn every helmet into the protection it was designed to be.”

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Classic Legends, one of the leading mid-sized motorcycle manufacturers, has been granted a patent for an adjustable visor and speedometer system. The patent, initially featured on the 2025 Yezdi Adventure, is valid for 20 years from 21 March 2023. This mechanical innovation allows riders to modify the height and position of the interface to suit their stature and comfort during road or off-road use.

The company has developed a portfolio of intellectual property, including a previous patent for an Airfilter Multifrequency Resonator used in its 650cc models, such as the BSA Gold Star. Unlike standard resonators that target a single frequency, this technology dampens air-filter noise across the engine's entire revolution range. Classic Legends also introduced the Alpha 2 liquid-cooled 334cc engine, which focuses on thermal efficiency and performance within the mid-capacity segment.

The OEM’s approach focuses on ergonomics and mechanical function. On the 2025 Yezdi Adventure, a centrally routed exhaust is used to manage heat and improve comfort, while twin headlamps are employed for illumination width. For the 2025 Yezdi Roadster, design decisions regarding chassis geometry and mounting strategies allow for adjustable seating and specific riding triangles.

Susheel Sinha, Head – R&D, Classic Legends, said, “This patent may solve a specific rider-interface problem, but it represents how we think about motorcycles. At Classic Legends, performance engineering is not about feature accumulation. It has to bring mechanical clarity and durability to how a motorcycle feels over years of use. It is the same with design decisions that start with the rider and the road. The recognition is fresh encouragement for us to keep building rider-centric motorcycles with a strong engineering foundation.”

Classic Legends continues to invest in in-house R&D and engineering talent, resulting in two granted patents and two pending filings. The company manufactures the 650cc engine for the BSA Gold Star, which is among the largest single-cylinder engines in production in India. Its product range has previously introduced technologies to the mid-sized category including six-speed gearboxes, traction control, and assist and slipper clutches.

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