Suzuki launches costliest bike in India

Japanese two-wheeler major Suzuki today launched its superbike GSX-R1000 at Rs 12.75 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) making it the costliest product from the company's stable in the country.

Suzuki Motorcycle India, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the Japanese giant, doled out another superbike Bandit1250S worth Rs 8.5 lakh. It currently sells two more premium bikes -- Hayabusa and Intruder -- costing Rs 12.5 lakh each.

"This launch is in line with our aim to deliver outstanding technology and performance to the Indian market. We are pleased to offer exciting riding experience to pro-bikers," Suzuki Motorcycle India (SMIPL) Chairman Katsumi Takata said in a statement.

The company, which is a marginal player in the commuter segment of the two-wheeler market, is targeting to sell at least 200 units of the two new bikes in the first year.

"We are targeting to sell together over 200 units in the first year. In the case of Hayabusa and Intruder also, we had sold about 200 units in the first year," SMIPL Vice President (Sales and Marketing) Atul Gupta said.

With the launch of these two 1000 cc and 1255 cc bikes, the company expects to continue the momentum that had begun with the launch of Hayabusa and Intruder, he added.

The company had launched Hayabusa and Intruder in November 2008 and sales started from January last year. It has sold 209 units of the two superbikes till March 2010.

In the commuter segment, SMIPL sold just 1.88 lakh units in 2009-10 in the 94 lakh Indian two-wheeler market.

Gupta said the company is expecting about 40 per cent rise in its sales during this fiscal.