TVS Motor Company Limited, the
flagship company of the TVS Group, is among the top five two-wheeler
manufacturers in India. The company manufactures a wide range of two-wheelers
ranging from mopeds to racing-inspired motorcycles. Out of the company’s four
manufacturing plants, three are set up in India. They are situated in Tamil Nadu’s
Hosur, Karnataka’s Mysore, and Himachal Pradesh’s Nalagarh. The fourth plant is
based out in Indonesia, at Karawang.
TVS Motor Company Limited is a part
of the Sundaram Clayton Group in the TVS group of companies. Sundaram Clayton
was founded in 1962 in collaboration with Clayton Dewandre Holdings, UK. It
manufactured brakes, exhausts, compressors and various other automotive parts.
The company’s Hosur plant became operational in 1978 to manufacture mopeds as a
part of their new division. In 1980, TVS 50, India's first two-seater moped
from TVS, rolled out of the Hosur plant.
In 1982, the company entered into a
technical know-how and assistance agreement with Suzuki Motor Company Limited
of Japan. It led the company to the commercial production of motorcycles in
1984. It made TVS two-wheeler became the first Indian brand to introduce 100cc
Indo-Japanese motorcycles in India. TVS and Suzuki shared a 19-year-long
relationship that was aimed at technology transfer. This partnership was to
enable designing and manufacturing of two-wheelers specifically for the Indian
market. In 1994, TVS-Suzuki continued with the string of “India’s first” with
the launch of the 110cc Shogun and Shaolin. They featured a catalytic converter
and five-speed transmission, respectively.
In 2001, after separating ways with
Suzuki, the company was renamed TVS Motor Company. It relinquishes its rights
to use the Suzuki name for all the TVS latest bikes. As per the agreement,
there was also a 30-month moratorium period. During this period, Suzuki was not
allowed to enter the Indian market with competing two-wheelers.
In March 2008, the company ventured
into the three-wheeler segment by launching the TVS King in two variants. One
of them was a two-stroke petrol variant and the other one was a two-stroke LPG
version.
In early 2015, TVS Racing became the
first Indian factory team to take part in the Dakar Rally. The Dakar Rally is
deemed as the longest and most dangerous rally in the world. TVS Racing
partnered with French motorcycle manufacturer Sherco and named the team Sherco
TVS Rally Factory Team. TVS Racing also won the Raid de Himalaya and the Fox
Hill Super Cross held in Sri Lanka. In three decades of its racing history, the
team has won more than 90% of its races.
TVS India has numerous two-wheeler
firsts accredited to its name. It has also been a pioneer in introducing
cutting-edge technologies to its products. This is evinced by several
offerings. India’s first Digital Ignition was seen on the TVS Champ while
India’s first fully indigenous motorcycle was TVS Victor. The Apache RTR Series
came with ABS; it was the first time ABS on any motorcycle in India. TVS Jive
and India's first oil-cooled chamber construct with Ram-Air assist seen on the
TVS Apache RTR 200 4V.
The
TVS two-wheelers, ever sold in India, have been the XL 100, the King, the Zest
110, the Wego, the Jupiter, the NTorq, the Sport, the Star City+, the Victor, the
Apache RTR 160, the Apache RTR 180, the Apache RTR 200, and the Apache RR 310, among
others.
