Bajaj, LML scooter sales slides down

NEW DELHI, OCT 25: Two-wheeler sales maintained its upward trend posting a 7.4 per cent growth even as scooter makers like Bajaj Auto and ...

NEW DELHI, OCT 25: Two-wheeler sales maintained its upward trend posting a 7.4 per cent growth even as scooter makers like Bajaj Auto and LML continued their downslide in the face of stiff pressure from motorcycle players like Hero Honda during April-September this year.

A total of 1.86 lakh two-wheelers were sold in the firsthalf of the current fiscal as against 1.73 lakh units in the year ago period, according to figures released by the Society of India Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Scooters sales fell by 4.78 lakh units during the reference period as against 5.92 lakh units in the same period of the previous year. However, sales of motorcycles clocked 10.1 lakh units, a rise of 28.6 per cent, as against 7.9 lakh units sold in the corresponding period of 1999-2000.

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Market leader Bajaj Auto led the decline in scooters sales with a 28.6 per cent sales dip at 1.8 lakh units while Kanpur-based LML registered a 35.1 per cent fall at 92,870 units during April-September period of 2000-01. Maharashtra Scooters posted a 19.1 per cent sales dipselling 54,952 units during the reference period.

However, scooter makers like TVS-Suzuki and Kinetic MotorCompany remained unaffected by the recessionary trend recording a 16 per cent and 25.7 per cent growth in sales respectively during the period.

Sales of Chennai-based TVS-Suzuki increased to 77,569scooters while Pune-based Kinetic sold 64,397 units during the first six months of the current fiscal.

All the motorcycle makers except Yamaha Motor Escortssted positive growth in sales during April-September period of the current fiscal.

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Market leader Hero Honda continued to drive sales upwardswith a 41.8 per cent jump at 4.8 lakh motorcycles in the first half of 2000-01. Sales of Bajaj Auto also increased by 55.9 per cent to 2.7 lakh units in the reference period.

TVS–Suzuki registered a 5.8 per cent increase in salesselling 1.7 lakh bikes, while Royal Enfield Motors recorded a marginal 1.8 per cent rise at 11,729 units during the first six months of the current fiscal.

Yamaha Motor Escorts sales, however fell by 22.1 per centto 81,073 units during the reference period.

Moped sales also increased by 5.1 per cent to 3.66 lakhunits during April-September period this year with almost all the players including TVS-Suzuki and Bajaj Auto posting positive sales growth.