Yamaha to Produce $500 Motorcycle for India

The 106cc Yamaha Crux, seen here, made for the Indian market is currently Yamaha’s least expensive motorcycle at approximately $650. Yamaha has announced plans to produce a $500 motorcycle for the Indian market.

The dirt-cheap motorcycle price war is on the boil. India Yamaha Motor recently announced it intends to supply a motorcycle for the Indian market with a retail cost in the neighborhood of $500. This would make Yamaha’s new bike the least expensive motorcycle from Japanese manufacturers competing in that market.

In May of this year Honda finally unveiled the Dream Yuga that should retail for roughly $830, one of Honda’s least expensive motorcycles, second only to the Honda Ace CB125 for the Nigerian market, which retails for $630 U.S.

According to a report in the Wall Street Journal, India Yamaha Motor’s chief executive Hiroyuki Suzuki says that India Yamaha wants to develop low-cost models without its parent company Yamaha’s support.

India Yamaha hasn’t announced details on the forthcoming $500, but it’s a safe bet the bike will utilize an engine in the 100cc range. Mr. Suzuki is also noted as saying Yamaha will sell at least three new scooter models in India in the next two years, one of which will be introduced by October, but gave no timeframe for the $500 motorcycle.

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By Pete Brissette