It has been a long time coming but the 300-400cc motorcycle segment is finally witnessing a lot of action. There have been umpteen launches in the past few years and now, the segment is witnessing a lot of new buyers as well. But in this mix, there is one manufacturer with many brands under its umbrella, offering a wide range of 400cc bikes. And that is Bajaj.
In today’s day and age, Bajaj Auto has its joint venture(s) with Triumph, KTM, and Husqvarna. Now that’s just four names, but let's look at all the bikes and the price range the Chakan-based company currently offers in its portfolio.
As we have listed above, Bajaj offers a very versatile range of bikes. For commuting, you now have the Pulsar NS400Z. If you need something sportier but not very track-focused, there is the KTM 390 Duke. For long-distance rides and a bit of off-roading, you can choose between the Triumph Scrambler 400X and the KTM 390 Adventure range.
Furthermore, buyers looking for something slightly subtle and less flashy can go for the Husqvarna Svartpilen 401 as it packs similar power and performance as the 390 Duke.
For those looking to hone their skills on the track, the KTM RC 390 is ideal and the latest version also doubles up as a sports tourer. The Triumph Speed 400 offers a proper modern retro motorcycle.
However, the Bajaj umbrella doesn’t have a cruiser in this category. That could change if Bajaj co-develops a bike with Triumph to take on the might of the Royal Enfield Classic 350 and Bullet 350.
Then, Bajaj CEO Rajiv Bajaj also said that this segment is the most lucrative one currently and the brand would further aim to bring in more models and is also open to the idea of developing multi-cylinder bikes.
And in case you are wondering about cannibalising the products in the range as mentioned earlier, that’s not a problem, says Bajaj. All the bikes mentioned above share a lot of parts which further saves the cost of research and development. That allows Bajaj to price the bikes competitively, and while that has led to price overlaps, these bikes have a specific set of buyers that they cater to.
Overall, Bajaj is eyeing at capturing an even bigger chunk of the 400cc market as the brand believes this is where the profit would drive from as the market progresses.
That said, even with such an extensive lineup, Bajaj’s 400cc lineup sales numbers aren’t on par with Royal Enfield’s. Although the Speed 400 might have helped the Chakan-based bikemaker to capture a decent number of new buyers, one has to note that Royal Enfield still has a bunch of new 350cc and 450cc bikes lineup to be launched in the next few quarters. So. Bajaj still needs a strong contender to ramp up the numbers and be the leader in the 400cc motorcycle market.
