The Indian two-wheeler industry has surpassed the 14 lakh-unit sales mark in February 2024, according to a report released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). At 4,13,470 units and a market share of 29 per cent, Hero MotoCorp was the best-performing two-wheeler OEM in February, followed by Honda and TVS Motor Company with 3,55,223 units and 2,47,880 units, respectively. Meanwhile, Bajaj Auto reported selling 1,71,155 units last month, with the Pulsar NS range of motorcycles emerging as the brand's best-seller. The OEMs with five-figure sales include Suzuki Motorcycle India (73,167 units) and Royal Enfield (64,708 units). As for the all-electric OEMs, Ola Electric with 33,846 units had a 2.35 per cent market share of the two-wheeler market, while Ather Energy (with 9,004 units) had a 0.63 per cent share.
Compared to February 2023's overall sales (12,71,073 units), two-wheeler retail sales increased last month to 14,39,523 units, marking a 13 per cent YoY growth. Here is a list of motorcycles which were among the top 5 best-sellers in February 2024:
Hero Xtreme 125R
Hero's recent launches include the Xtreme 125R and the Hero Mavrick 440 – the latter is yet to be delivered. The Xtreme 125R, on the other side, has been on sale for over a month, contributing to the brand's best-ever retail sales of 4,13,470 units alongside the Karizma, Destini, and Splendor in February 2024.
Launched in January 2024, the Xtreme 125R is a sporty commuter bike that rivals the TVS Raider and the Bajaj Pulsar NS125. Design-wise, it offers a low-slung LED headlamp, a chunky fuel tank, slimmer LED indicators, split seats, multi-spoke alloys, and an upswept tail section.
The Xtreme 125R uses a 125cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine coupled to a five-speed transmission, churning out 11.4bhp and 10.5Nm. Hero's premium 125cc bike features a disc brake at the front with an option of a drum or disc at the rear. It comes in two variants: base-spec IBS (Rs 95,000) and top-spec ABS variant (Rs 99.500). The prices are ex-showroom.
Royal Enfield Hunter 350
This is Royal Enfield's most affordable bike in India. Launched in August 2022, the Hunter 350 crossed the 1 lakh unit sales milestone in India in February 2023 – around 6 months from the start of the sale – and completed another one lakh unit sales milestone in the following five months. Moreover, 90 per cent (66,157 units) of the brand's February 2024 sales came from its 350cc range of motorcycles, including the Classic 350, the Bullet 350, the Hunter 350, and the Meteor 350.
The Royal Enfield Hunter 350 is built on the same J-Series platform, which also underpins the Classic 350, the Meteor 350, and the Bullet 350; however, it is lighter than its siblings. Powered by a 349cc single-cylinder engine, the Hunter 350 delivers 20.8bhp at 6,100rpm and 27Nm of peak torque at 4,000rpm. The engine is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
In India, the Hunter 350 is available in two variants – Retro Hunter and Metro Hunter, with prices ranging from Rs 1.50 lakh to Rs 1.75 lakh. All prices are ex-showroom. Apart from our market, the Hunter 350 is also available in Indonesia, Japan, Korea, and Thailand in APAC; France, Germany, Italy and the UK in Europe; Argentina, Colombia and Mexico in LATAM; Australia, and New Zealand.
TVS Raider 125
The Raider 125 is currently TVS' top-selling motorcycle in India. Within two-and-a-half years of its launch, the TVS Raider 125 clocked more than 7 lakh units in the domestic market. This milestone came less than 9 months after the bike crossed the 3,00,000-unit production milestone in May 2023.
Powering the TVS Raider 125 is a 124.8cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled engine mated to a five-speed gearbox. The power and torque figures stand at 11.2bhp and 11.2Nm, respectively. According to the company, the motorcycle can go from a halt to 60km/h in 5.9 seconds, and has a top speed of 99km/h. The bike is currently offered in four variants – SmartXonnect, SSE, Split Seat, and Single Seat, costing Rs 1.03 lakh, Rs 99,319, Rs 96,219, and Rs 95,219, respectively. The prices are ex-showroom.
Honda SP125
From Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, the SP125 shone on the sales front. Styling-wise, the Honda SP125 – last updated in April 2023 – appears modern and premium. The bike gets a body-coloured front fender, headlight cowl, and pillion grabrail. Other bits are a single-pod headlamp, a digital instrument cluster, an engine start-stop switch, a combined braking system, a gear position indicator, and a side-slung exhaust. Honda offers the SP125 in three variants – Drum, Disc, and Sports Edition, priced at Rs. 86,017, Rs. 90,017, and Rs. 90,567, respectively.
Powering the SP125 is a 125cc PGM-FI (Programmed Fuel Injection) engine supported by Enhanced Smart Power (eSP). Apart from eSP technology, Honda's engine gets a silent starter-generator for a silent starting procedure. All this helps maximise fuel efficiency and reduce friction. The 125cc PGM-FI engine develops 107.2bhp at 7,500rpm and 10.9Nm of peak torque at 6,000rpm. It is mated to a 5-speed gearbox.
Bajaj Pulsar NS200
The last bike on the list is the Bajaj Pulsar NS200. In February 2024, the Pulsar NS lineup, comprising the NS125, NS160, and NS200, was given substantial updates. The 2024 Pulsar NS Range is priced between Rs 1.05 lakh and Rs 1.57 lakh (ex-showroom).
The biggest update to the Bajaj Pulsar NS200 is in the form of a digital console, which is a Bluetooth-enabled LCD instrument cluster. Once paired with a smartphone, it displays turn-by-turn navigation, distance to empty, real-time and average mileage, and call/SMS notifications. Furthermore, Bajaj has given the motorcycle upside-down front forks, dual-channel ABS, and 17-inch wheels.
The TVS Apache RTR 200 4V-rivalling Pulsar NS200 is powered by a 199.5cc, single-cylinder, liquid-cooled engine with four valves and DOHC. Mated to a six-speed gearbox, the E20-compliant engine churns out 24.13bhp at 9,750rpm and 18.74Nm of torque at 8,000rpm.
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