LML Limited is an Indian two-wheeler brand that manufactures, sells and exports motorized two-wheelers. LML Limited was incorporated in the year 1972 as Lohia Machineries Limited to manufacture machinery for the synthetic fibre industry. In 1983, the company commenced production of 100cc scooters as part of its technical collaboration with Piaggio S.p.A. of Italy. In order to commence operations for the Piaggio joint-venture, the company incorporated a new subsidiary by the name of Vespa Car Company Limited (VCCL) in 1984 to manufacture 2,00,000 scooters and 50,000 three-wheelers annually.
In 1986, the first scooter models of VCCL were launched, namely, the Vespa, NV3, Alfa, T5 and 4W. This was also the year when the company name was officially changed from Lohia Machineries Limited to LML Limited. In 1995, in a bid to expand its product portfolio, LML introduced two new 150cc scooter models, the Supremo and Star in the upper and middle price segments which proved to be two successful models for the company.
1996 saw LML launch their 125cc scooter offering, the Sensation.During this time, LML entered into several license agreements with Piaggio for using their technology to manufacture new models of scooters and other two-wheelers in different segments. Due to this support from Piaggio, LML went on to become the second largest scooter manufacturer in the country in 1997, with a market share of over 30 per cent. Buoyed by this growth spurt, LML quickly announced its intention to venture into the motorcycle segment and advanced the launch of its motorcycles from 1999 to the last quarter of 1998.
However, things took a drastic turn for LML when in November 1999, their joint venture with Piaggio ended and this inevitably delayed the launch of the LML motorcycles. In 2000, Castrol India entered into multiple strategic alliances with LML to introduce their customized products. In January 2001, LML launched its first motorcycles, the 150cc four-stroke Adreno and Energy, where Energy was the non-fairing version of the Adreno. However, these models failed to take off.
It was only in 2002 when LML launched the 100cc Freedom motorcycle, the company’s first deluxe commuter motorcycle which established LML in the Indian motorcycle industry. This was perhaps the most successful model for LML both in terms of sales and garnering popularity. In December 2003, LML Freedom was adjudged the best motorcycle in the price band of Rs 40,000 to Rs 45,000 by the BBC World Wheels programme.
2004 marked LML's transition from a single product company to a multi-product two-wheeler company with three simultaneous launches: the LML Graptor (150cc), the LML Freedom Prima 110cc and LML Freedom Prima 125cc. This was also the year when Shah Rukh Khan became the brand ambassador for LML motorcycles, providing a significant boost in sales. In May 2009, the company introduced a four-stroke version of their NV brand of scooters in India.
The range of LML bikes in India consists of the Freedom DX and Freedom LX which form the company’s 2018 product line-up.
LML bike prices in India start at around ₹49,000 for the 2018 Freedom DX and go up to ₹49,500 for the 2018 Freedom LX. All LML bike price listings can be found on the website of autoX.
