After launching the GT250R sportbike in India, DSK MotoWheels and its South Korean partner, S&T Hyosung, wants to move into the high volume commuter motorcycle segment of the Indian two wheeler market. The alliance is developing a 150cc commuter motorcycle which is expected to compete with the popular Bajaj Pulsar 150 and the Honda Unicorn which is expected to be launched by 2014.
Usually, bike manufacturers in India start off by concentrating on small capacity bikes and then gradually enter into the premium segment. But Hyosung has decided to play it different by moving in the descending order of cubic-capacity. DSK-Hyosung, being a young brand in India, with very little brand awareness, will need to come up with an outstanding product if it wants to make a lasting impact. Hyosung will have to compete with the popular brands from Hero MotoCorp, Honda, Yamaha and Bajaj Auto, which have been well established in India and deliver high levels of performance, reliability and quality.
Hyosung isn’t a new face in the Indian bike market, it has been selling the GT650R, GT650 and ST7 cruiser bikes since some time in India. The South Korean motorcycle major launched one of the most technologically commuter motorcycles in the Indian market a decade ago, when it teamed up with the now defunct Kinetic Engineering Limited’s two wheeler division to launch the Hyosung GF 125, followed by Hyosung GF170 a few years later. But these bikes didn’t do well in the market because of its high price, so it is now interested to see how well it fares with a different partner.
The bike is still in the intial stages of development and Hyosung might showcase this in the 2014 Auto Expo. On a personal note, we hope it comes out with a diesel-powered bike, if it really wants to be successful in the market.
Also see – Hyosung plans to launch GV650 & GV250 cruiser motorcycle in 2012
Source – Autocarpro.in
