BSA vs Royal Enfield – this is a big battle brewing up specially in the UK – the home market for BSA. Will the Gold Star be a worthy rival against Interceptor…?
Classic motorcycle makers are having a gala time with a renewed interest from not only in India but in a lot of countries across the world. Royal Enfield – which is a champion of this segment – was considered too-basic a brand when we talk about the international perspective. However, it has been gaining a significant ground in many markets – including the UK.
In the UK, its Meteor 350 and Interceptor 650 often feature in the largest selling motorcycles in a month. With the resurrection of the iconic BSA Motorcycles by Classic Legends (a company owned by India’s Mahindra), its comparison with Royal Enfield is inevitable. BSA has decided to re-start its operations from its origins and the first product that is soon going to reach dealerships will be the Gold Star.
Gold Star carries a 650cc motor and has similar specs as Royal Enfield’s Interceptor 650 but it is priced slightly higher (check Gold Star’s price & details here). Buyers considering mid-capacity retro classics in the UK (and many other countries) will definitely be comparing both the options.
However, when asked about this by a UK media portal, Anupam Thereja, Classic Legend’s co-founder, plays it down by making a very interesting comment that BSA will adopt ‘quality over quantity’ approach. He elaborates that instead he wants to broaden the segment and has a decade-long view.
I don’t think it is a like-for-like comparison [with the Interceptor 650]. I think the responsibility of BSA is to expand the market if we can, that’s a broader objective. I’m taking a decade’s view of this.
This clearly suggests that BSA may not want to be playing a volumes game against Royal Enfield and it may even be okay for the brand to have a smaller share of the pie.
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In the UK, BSA may find it relatively easier to justify the Gold Star’s price point (against the twin cylinder Interceptor 650), however, it will definitely be a big ask here in India. But then, BSA is in no hurry to sell its products here – despite producing them in India.
Coming back to Thareja’s ‘quality’ comment – has the company taken an indirect dig at Royal Enfield – which has seen a fair share of quality issues in the past with its products, specially the first-generation Himalayan…?