This Royal Enfield-Bajaj rivalry is getting interesting day by day but the good thing is we – the enthusiasts – are getting better products…
It is an interesting war of words going between two of the biggest 2-wheeler manufacturers in India. Remember, when Rajiv Bajaj said – “So, (if) the money is in Royal Enfield (segment) then we have no choice but to rob that bank.” – while launching the Triumph-co-developed Speed 400 – which is a direct competition against Royal Enfield.
To this, the very dynamic Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director at Eicher Motors, the parent company of Royal Enfield has responded while commenting on the company’s first quarter results. He said,
“We are obsessed about stuff that we believe is tangible reality for our consumers, (which is) to have a better ride to have a to have more enjoyment. So yeah, really, we built a fortress. It’s not going to be easy for, let’s say robbers, to penetrate.”
This is a direct response to Rajiv’s comment. Mr MD of Bajaj Auto has always been very vocal about his interest in the Royal Enfield segment. It was when he introduced the Dominar 400 under the Bajaj brand, he launched a direct attack by releasing ads that taglined – Haathi mat paalo!
However, Dominar and any other attempt by Bajaj hasn’t worked yet. But this time the scenario is different as the rivals come under Triumph’s moniker – that has an international premium appeal and better recall than Royal Enfield. The Speed 400 has opened to bumper bookings and deliveries have very recently commenced.
LEAKED – Royal Enfield Working on Dominar-Like Sports Cruiser
Apart from great traction to the roadster, there is already the Scrambler 400X ready that will hit the market in October this year. Triumph-Bajaj are also taking bookings of that motorcycle.
So, though going will not be easy for Bajaj-Triumph, Royal Enfield should be wary of the fact that this is the most virile attack on its supremacy in this profitable segment. The great thing about all this rivalry is that we, the consumers – the enthusiasts – end up getting brilliant products – and, often, at lovable prices!
