During the calendar year 2008, nearly 200 superbikes have been sold in India, the first year since the launch of the superbikes by Ducati, Suzuki and Yamaha. Of the total units sold, Yamaha accounts for 107 units, while Ducati sold over 50 units.  All the bikes were imported as CBU. Discerning the growing popularity of superbikes in India, numerous multinational two-wheeler companies like Yamaha, Suzuki Motor Corp., Kawasaki and Ducati are upping its ante on this segment by lining up a series of launches this year.  Even Honda recently launched its superbikes – the CBR 1000RR and CB1000R. This year 400-450 superbikes are expected to be sold.

Suzuki has sold 26 and 29 units of Hayabusa and Intruder (priced at Rs 12.5 lakh each) since its launch in November last year. Yamaha managed to sell 107 units of R1 and MTO1 (Rs 10.5 lakh each) in 2008 as against the target of 50-60 bikes. The company is expecting 100%  growth in sales of R1 and MT 01 in 2009 at 107 units.

According to industry analysts, top-end high performance bikes constitute a super niche segment that is neither dependent too much on finance and nor much impacted by the economic slowdown. Hence, the demand for such bikes is growing in India even when other two-wheeler segments are witnessing a slowdown. In recent years, Pune-based Kinetic Motors which first took the lead with the limited launch of the 250cc, v-twin-powered Hyosung Comet in India back in 2005.

At the Autocar Performance Show there were some awesome superbikes. JBL had got a lot of cool superbikes wheras Autocar had got two Suzuki Hayabusas. Checkout the awesome superbikes after the jump.

After the launch of the Yamaha superbikes the R1 and MT01 other bike manufacturers have expressed their desire of launching superbikes from their stable as well. Suzuki has been planning to launch its sports bikes since quite some time now. Finally Suzuki will be launching two superbikes in India officialy on the 26th of this month.

Suzuki will be launching the hyper sports bike the Hayabusa and sports cruiser the Suzuki Intruder. The Hayabusa is well known for being the first bike to break the 300 kmph barrier. It was used in Dhoom as the getaway bike ridden by John Abraham. We expect Suzuki to price the bikes very competitevely so as to give direct competition to Yamaha’s super bikes.

The concept motorbike is the work of Israeli designer Amir Glinik, who centered his design around the theoretical application of the Ferrari Enzo’s V12 engine, chopped down to four cylinders and modified to drive just one wheel in a motorcycle frame.

Around the V4 engine, Glinik has designed a fluid shape that may appear more futuristic in its styling than inspired by current roadcar designs, but certainly catches your attention. Glinik has even planned out the theoretical controls, which blend elements from an F-16 fighter jet (more common in his home country than Ferraris, anyway) and the Scuderia’s high-tech Formula One steering wheel, supplemented by a weatherproof touch-screen LCD atop the fuel tank.

Honda Motor Europe Ltd. exhibited the World Premiere V4 Concept Model at Intermot Cologne. The V4 Concept Model proposes a new, sensual design direction based on Honda’s trademark 4-cylinder V- engine.

This year Honda celebrates its 60th anniversary as a company and next year the 50th anniversary of its participation in road racing, as well as the 30th anniversary of racing with an innovative 4-cylinder V-engine with oval pistons. Considering these milestones, Honda chose “The New Beginning” as its exhibition theme leading into 2009 and exhibited the V4 Concept Model which signifies the beginning of a new era.

For Intermot, Honda collected and exhibited successive V4 race machines as well as mass-market motorcycle products which were developed by feeding back the technologies cultivated through participation in challenging race competition, enabling visitors to review the lineage of 30 years of V4 engine technologies and see how Honda will take motorcycling somewhere it has not been before. The exhibition also offers an easy-to-understand introduction to various challenges Honda has undertaken in order to create joy for its customers, by utilizing its technologies that have been continuously advanced through Honda’s 60-year history and by its participation in motorsports.

Honda understands the global trend today that motorcycle users see increasing value in more emotional and sensual performance during the real world riding experience rather than absolute performance measured in numeric specifications. On another front, user friendly features that meet with human sensibilities are also becoming important along with safety and environmental features, especially in mature markets.

Honda believes that the challenge to create attractive products with an increased focus on sensual performance will be the key for the future. At the same time, safety and environmental technologies as well as future energy technologies will continue to become an important theme for the development of motorcycle products. Moreover, in order to offer a comfortable life with motorcycles for a larger number of customers, Honda will put increased focus on the human-fitting match of rider and machine. Conceived around the trademark 4-cylinder V-engine, the V4 Concept Model expresses functional beauty as well as a more sensual image to appeal more to the emotions of people. Embodying Honda’s passion for motorcycle development, the V4 Concept Model expresses the unique characteristics of Honda for a new era.

The V4 Concept Model mobilizes the driving forces of Honda – dreams, challenges, and creating new value. Honda positions this model as “the new beginning” of Honda’s motorcycles.

Honda’s reputation for innovating new categories in motorcycling takes its latest form in the radical DN-01. This futuristic machine combines true sporting performance with a fully-automatic transmission, a low seat height and exceptional style with killer looks.

The new design features a 4-valve, 680cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine sending power through the HFT transmission, a continuously variable, hydromechanical automatic. This clutch-less “Human-Friendly Transmission” can operate in two fully automatic shifting modes or a six-speed setting that simulates a manual. The HFT has a lock up mode for cruising to increase fuel economy. The DN-01 also has combined ABS, a front and rear linked system with ABS. It carries 4 gallons of fuel and weighs 595 pounds.

It will be available in the US market in early 2009 and will cost about $14,599. With such pricing we dont think Honda will be bringing it to India but its high time we wished for something more than the Shine, Unicorn and the CBF Stunner.

Yamaha had set an initial sales target of 50 bikes in 2008, but the better than expected sales of its two debutantes has prompted the company to look for other superbikes for the Indian market. Yamaha sales head T Maeda said: “We have sold most of the bikes in smaller cities. Demand for such niche bikes is rising as customers come to know about the various models available. We are looking at increasing our portfolio in this segment to cater to these super rich customers.”

The main trigger for this roadster rush is the government’s emission relaxation on Euro III compliance for Indian roads. “The demand for big bikes is actually more of a hype. We don’t expect big volumes, but it’s an emerging segment and with the number of Indian millionaires rising, the demand for these aspirational bikes will swell. We will introduce Hayabusa because it will showcase Suzuki’s strength as a big bike manufacturer,” said Suzuki Motorcycle India’s vice-president (sales and marketing) Atul Gupta.

For bike aficionados in the country, Honda Motor Company, which is the largest bikemaker in the world, is launching CBR 1,000 and GLX 1,800 in October. Italian major Ducati, which is currently sold in two exclusive showrooms in Mumbai and Delhi, has generated more than 100 queries and secured 10 orders while Kawasaki high-end bikes are expected to roll out from the Bajaj dealer network sometime next year. More than 1,000 high-end bikes are sold in India every year, most of which come as direct imports by the customers.

Source – ET