We will continue to focus on premiumisation: Yamaha Motor India Chairman

Yamaha has acquired around 20 per cent market share in the premium motorcycle segment (149cc to 155cc), and 6 per cent market share in the premium 125cc scooter segment. Features and specs in our premium bikes and scooters are at par with our global offerings. Every product introduced by Yamaha is designed to target specific customer requirements that are gathered through our ongoing market research. We also keep updating these products with the changing market demand and actively educate our customers about all the new technological advancements through various on-ground and digital activities.

The scooter market saw an overall decline of 20 per cent in FY21 compared with FY20, owing to the impact of Covid-19 and growing fuel prices. But, Yamaha’s 125cc scooter sales have been increasing steadily, with 5 per cent market share in the year 2019 and 6 per cent in 2020. This steady market share is owing to a well-planned customer focused digital marketing strategy, backed by a product range that’s packed with several unique features. Nonetheless, our hybrid scooter models — the Fascino 125 Fi, Ray ZR 125 Fi and the Ray ZR Street Rally 125 Fi — are highly popular in the 125cc space due to performance, mileage, safety, and utility factors, while they are also the lightest scooters in their segment.

To make our 125cc scooter range even more attractive, we have recently introduced hybrid technology, making the Fascino 125 Fi and the RayZR 125 Fi the first ever Indian scooters to have received this technology. While we will create awareness about our features-packed 125cc scooter range, we will also be taking feedback from our customers and closely monitoring the competition to identify the scope for new segments. Yamaha will also focus on building a strong network and strengthen its position in the premium segment through a strong portfolio of strategically planned products, under ‘The Call of the Blue’ campaign that has already set its stage in sportiness, and style. Overall, Yamaha will focus more on reaching out to a wider audience in the metro cities and surrounding districts with aggressive digital and on-ground customer engagement activities, as the demand for personal mobility in these areas will surge more than ever.

We have been focusing on the premium 150cc segment since 2018 and will continue to do so , as it has been one of the most rapidly growing segments for motorcycles in the Indian market. Today, motorcycling has become a part of lifestyle for the young generation, which is also our target audience. Herewith, the customers focus more on the features and technology on offer and are willing to pay, if the product justifies it. Hence, even with higher displacement products entering the market, the 150cc category has continued to be an exciting class offering the perfect balance of performance, practicality, and cost effectiveness. As a result, the 150cc class holds enormous value for both new and experienced customers. Other factors that have led to the growth of this segment over the last few years are increasing urbanisation, aspirational needs and improved purchasing power.

We will emphasise more on the digital medium to promote our products, especially in the metro cities and the surrounding districts. We have also started organising on-ground activities allowing the customers to not only experience our products but also enabling us to educate them about the class-leading features offered. To further boost the festive spirit, we are also providing a host of attractive finance schemes, and offers in the form of insurance benefits, low down payment and exchange schemes, among others. For a more hassle-free buying experience, there is an online sales facility called Virtual Store, which comes equipped with features like 360-degree product view and specifications comparison between Yamaha products. We have also tied up with Amazon for online sale of Yamaha merchandise and accessories.

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