Suzuki is the only brand which has managed to be in the green for most of the months of this year. All others have bled! That has been due to the extreme popularity of its Access scooter which has not only maintained sales, but it also grew its numbers, which is a very rare phenomenon in this year’s context.
However, there is a caveat! Despite reporting better numbers than others, Suzuki has not been able to sell deserving numbers of its motorcycles. Through a 5 motorcycle-big lineup, bikes account for only 10 percent of its sales. It currently offers the Gixxer and Gixxer SF in both 150cc and 250cc formats and the burly looking Intruder 150.
Devashish Handa, Suzuki India’s Vice President recently shared that the company intends to double the market share of motorcycles to 20 percent this year. There were subtle hints that it wants to achieve this feat through the current portfolio only and new motorcycles may only come later.
To achieve this, it has ditched its smaller motorcycles and complete focus is on the premium spectrum. Through its television commercial (inserted below), Suzuki is pitching its international blockbuster motorcycles like the legendary Hayabusa and the GSX-R range to push its Gixxers.
The voiceover in the following ad says – From the house of Hayabusa and GSX-R comes the new Gixxer and Gixxer SF. The description text on the Youtube video further reads..
Taste the legendary legacy of Suzuki with the all new #GIXXER250! #BornOfGreatness
The Gixxers are fabulous motorcycles and have been our favorites in the 150cc class specially the naked version. This is saying a lot considering the wide variety of very competent machines that are available in the market now. From being a slightly confused offering earlier, the faired SF 150 is also now more purposeful with a relatively aggressive seating posture.
The new Gixxer 250s carry over the strong traits of the 150s and are equally good, if not better than them! The SF250 is one motorcycle which can be brilliant on the road as well as the track.
With so much on offer and at competitive prices, it remains to be seen if Suzuki will be able to penetrate the Gixxers appropriately in the market and if it will be able to sell deserving numbers of these motorcycles…
