Suzuki has ambitious plans to enter the 350cc segment of motorcycles in India to resist the dominance of Royal Enfield
Suzuki is planning to foray into the middleweight cruiser segment (350-500cc) in the Indian market. The company is reportedly working on multiple retro motorcycles to rival Royal Enfield bikes in this segment. At the EICMA 2025, the Japanese brand expressed its desire to roll out middleweight retro bikes in the Asian and European markets. Apart from Royal Enfield, the 350-500cc segment is dominated by KTM and Triumph as both of these retail locally manufactured motorcycles in partnership with their Indian partner Bajaj Auto.
Suzuki might consider the downsizing of its existing 398cc single-cylinder engine instead of developing an all-new engine for the 350-500cc bikes. This engine is already compliant with the latest Euro 5+ emission standards in Europe while generating maximum power output of 37.5 bhp. This engine can comfortably fit in the A2 license category in Europe.
The engine mentioned before is already available with multiple Suzuki models such as DR-Z4S and DR-Z4SM. It comes equipped with ride-by-wire throttle, electronic fuel injection and dual spark plugs instead of the conventional carburettor setup. The engine features a higher cam lift to ensure smooth performance while meeting the stringent emission norms.
As for the Indian market, while Royal Enfield dominates the middleweight segment with the likes of Classic 350, Bullet 350, Hunter 350 and Meteor 350, Triumph’s 350cc bikes also sell in decent numbers. In fact, the troika of Jawa-Yezdi-BSA also holds a commanding position in the domestic market with multiple motorcycles across various body types.
One of the newest entrants in this segment is BMW F 450 GS which was finally launched last month in a price range of Rs 4.70-5.30 lakh (ex-showroom) in the Indian market. The production has already begun at Hosur factory of TVS in Tamil Nadu at a dedicated assembly line. However, the ADV bike is already sold out till Sep 2026 and the general waiting period as of now is 5 months.
Suzuki, taking a leaf out of Royal Enfield’s book, could make India a production hub for the upcoming 350-500cc motorcycle to leverage low-cost manufacturing. One of the foremost factors in succeeding in the 350-500cc is affordability and India has no dearth of cheap labour with lower cost of production. Suzuki is building a new factory in Kharkhoda (Haryana) in India with an annual production capacity of 7.50 lakh units.
