 "Classic Legends")
Classic Legends — the parent company behind Jawa, BSA and Yezdi motorcycle brands — is revving up efforts to capture a significant share of India's booming 300-650 cc motorcycle market, a territory dominated by the likes of Royal Enfield, Triumph and Harley-Davidson.
Classic Legends is betting big on product innovation, network expansion, and exports to achieve profit before tax (PBT)-level profitability by FY26, said a senior company executive.
On Wednesday, the company launched the new 334 cc Yezdi Adventure motorcycle at an introductory price of ₹2.1 lakh (ex-showroom), its first product roll out for FY26.
The company plans five new model launches in the current financial year — including three under the Yezdi badge, one Jawa, and one BSA offering. This comes as it embarks on an aggressive product strategy.
“We’re targeting PBT-level profitability by FY26, and we’re confident we’ll get there. With five new products, improved fixed-cost absorption, and a sharper focus on dealership viability, this year is about building scale with discipline,” said Anupam Thareja, cofounder of Jawa Yezdi Motorcycles.
He added, “We’ve done the heavy lifting on research and development (R&D) and network expansion over the last few years. Now, the focus is on execution, operational efficiency, and delivering volume without compromising margins.”
Classic Legends is targeting to grow its volumes by over 100 per cent this financial year, from a base of approximately 35,000 units. It expects to sell 90,000 units domestically by the end of FY26.
In addition, the company has set an export target of 20,000 units for Adventure, although shipments have been delayed by 3–4 months due to logistical issues in the western markets.
“The export issue is more of an irritation than a structural problem,” added Thareja.
He added, “The seasonality of demand abroad means delays can push sales to the next calendar year, but we are confident this will resolve itself.”
According to Federation of Automobile Dealers Association’s (Fada’s) data, Classic Legends sold 32,343 units in FY25 with a 0.17 per cent share in the market.
The new product pipeline spans key sub-segments of the Classic bike category, which has been the company’s core.
Two of the upcoming launches will target relatively smaller segments that currently make up 6–7 per cent of the Classic bike market. Another model will cater to the largest segment, accounting for nearly 80 per cent of volumes.
The newly launched Yezdi Adventure (₹2.1 lakh) will compete with Royal Enfield’s models like the Classic 350 (₹2.3 lakh), Hunter 350 (₹1.9 lakh) and Interceptor 650 (₹3.3 lakh). It will also take on global players like Triumph’s Speed 400 (₹2.34 lakh) and Harley-Davidson’s X440 (₹3.1 lakh).
Classic Legends believes there is ample headroom to grow in this segment, and intends to either lead or be a strong alternative in key categories.
“We’ve priced the Yezdi Adventure very competitively within the 350cc segment. If we’re not the leader in a sub-segment, we aim to be the clear substitute,” said Thareja.
To support its product-led growth, Classic Legends is ramping up its dealership network from over 300 to 500 outlets by the festival season. All new outlets will be 3S-compliant — offering sales, service, and spare parts — as the company focuses on improving customer experience and dealer viability.
“Our strategy is not just about going wide, but going deep,” said Thareja.
He added, “Some dealerships had to be shut down post-Covid due to viability issues, especially those with multiple sub-counters in smaller markets. But now, we are focused on sustainable expansion, especially in Tier II and III cities, which are showing strong demand. The idea is to cover about 80 per cent of the market by volume in the near term.”
