Upcoming CNG motorcycle will be the first of its kind and no renowned manufacturer has ever made one because of the challenges associated…
If you are in your 20s you may not really believe that our motorcycle scenario was a lot better (read ‘more fun, more powerful’) during the 80s and 90s. We had two-stroke motorcycles that were insane fun to ride and a lot more powerful than the current crop of small capacity bikes we currently have. That was the era of the Yamaha RX100s, RDs, Jawa, Yezdis and more.
That is when (around 1984-85) the extremely smart motorcycle maker Japanese Honda and Indian Hero brought the CD100 – a 4-stroke, super fuel efficient motorcycle – that changed the dynamics of motorcycling – possibly forever! Though the CD was a thorough commuter motorcycle, it returned insane fuel efficiency – not heard of during those times. Even the Splendor (first launched around 1994), which is the largest selling motorcycle currently, is a successor of the CD100 – and carries the same 97cc engine, still! And that sums up the popularity of the concept!
This is precisely what Bajaj intends to do with its upcoming CNG motorcycle. In an interview, Rajiv Bajaj has spilled some beans on its next possible disruption. He said that, apart from being much better for the environment, it will effectively double the mileage or halve the cost of fuel for the AAM aadmi.
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This is saying a lot as the largest selling segment in India is still the 100-110cc segment – which is where majority of India’s junta spends. People buy these motorcycles because they are easy on the wallet – both on upfront costs as well as while refueling.
If the medium to long term quality of CNG motorcycles is proven, they could literally be the disruptors in what is gradually becoming an electric vehicle market. This could also prolong the ICE engines’ lives in India and the world. Bajaj also claims that it will be the first to introduce a CNG motorcycle in the world.
