New Delhi: The launch of the Pulsar NS400Z earlier this month marks yet one more milestone for this bike model which is now into its twenty third yr and nonetheless going sturdy.
The most recent providing is essentially the most highly effective bike below the Pulsar umbrella however from Bajaj Auto’s standpoint, it’s maybe far more than that. The model made its debut approach again in November 2001 at a time when its producer had slipped to the second place within the Indian two-wheeler market after ceding this spot to (the then) Hero Honda.
This was the interval of the bike increase and prospects had been shifting away from the as soon as crowded geared scooter area the place Bajaj Auto was the undisputed monarch. High Japanese manufacturers like Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha entered the market within the Eighties and shortly solid fairness alliances with native gamers for creating bikes. Bajaj, likewise, obtained into an alliance with Kawasaki however this was simply technical assist with none fairness concerned.
The Hero Honda partnership obtained the flowery of the market and its fashions raced forward of TVS-Suzuki and Escorts-Yamaha. Whereas geared scooters had been quickly being proven the door, a gearless revolution was occurring within the type of Kinetic Honda, the three way partnership of the Pune-based Kinetic group and Honda.
It was now amply clear that Bajaj Auto’s halcyon days because the two-wheeler market chief had been coming to an finish because it simply couldn’t preserve tempo with the Hero Honda juggernaut. It was additionally round this time that the Pulsar twins — 150cc and 180cc- had been launched. The market response to those bikes was electrifying and was the very best piece of stories to Bajaj Auto. It had clearly made a large impression within the sports activities phase and would now maintain on to its management place right here within the many years that adopted.
Confidence booster
The ‘Positively Male’ tagline for the Pulsar labored like a appeal and the stage was now set for Bajaj to take the script to the following degree. The success of the Pulsar was an enormous confidence booster for the corporate that it was heading in the right direction and will maintain its personal in a brand new area like bikes. Hero Honda had taken away the market chief crown however Bajaj was now decided to stay a worthy competitor with a differentiator technique.
There isn’t a query, due to this fact, that the Pulsar was the pivot of the resurrected Bajaj Auto story in bikes and the model stays top-of-recall after over 20 years of its existence. Different examples just like the ageless Honda Metropolis come to thoughts as different sturdy auto manufacturers which proceed to get pleasure from immense buyer belief and loyalty for therefore lengthy.
With the success of the Pulsar twins, Bajaj Auto was now poised to work on its differentiator technique in bikes and take the daring determination of fully exiting scooters. To previous timers steeped in nostalgia, this was a giant blow since manufacturers like Chetak had been synonymous with the heart-tugging Hamara Bajaj however it was now crystal clear that the previous order needed to give approach. There was now an all-new Hamara Bajaj jingle to maintain in sync with the instances.
Over time, Pulsar has been by a bunch of avatars proper from 125cc to the more moderen 400cc providing. Bajaj was additionally of the view that aspirational Pulsar patrons may now purchase a commuter bike within the type of the 125cc Uncover launched in 2004. All this was a part of the differentiator technique to keep away from Hero Honda’s 100-110cc bike manufacturers which dominated the commuter area.
Drawback of a lot
The pondering behind the Uncover was spot-on besides that the corporate went overboard in its quest for volumes and introduced in a bunch of variations in speedy succession. By the top of the day, no one actually knew what the Uncover stood for which was a pity as a result of the intent was proper although the execution went horribly mistaken. Alternatively, Pulsar stayed on track with its DNA of energy, efficiency and styling at an reasonably priced value.
The Bajaj Auto of immediately has, after all, come a great distance since November 2001 when the launch of the Pulsar twins put it firmly on the observe of development as a specialist bike maker. It now has sturdy allies within the type of KTM of Austria and Triumph of the UK. The corporate’s Chakan plot close to Pune is a world manufacturing powerhouse for KTM’s Duke-branded bikes in addition to the vary from Swedish model, Husqvarna, and now Triumph’s midsize bikes.
The Chetak scooter model is again too, albeit in an electrical avatar, and is being produced on the identical Akurdi facility the place it first rolled out in 1972. When Pulsar entered as a sport changer in 2001, not many individuals would have thought that its producer would find yourself being the biggest exporter of two-wheelers from India. Bajaj Auto ships out 2.5 million items annually and this quantity will improve as each KTM and Triumph farm out extra duties to their Indian accomplice.
Pricing energy
Whereas dwelling on the Pulsar and its model energy, Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, had advised this author some years in the past, “By the top of the day, the one measure of model is its pricing energy out there. Manufacturers are by no means constructed on a subtle technique.”
In line with him, these corporations which have saved their manufacturers sharper are those who’re worthwhile. One of many massive errors is to try to “make all the things for everybody” and put the identical model throughout segments.
Bajaj added that model additionally “doesn’t imply excessive value however within the phase it might probably command the very best value, keep there and doesn’t reply if any person drops the value”. The Pulsar was, due to this fact, a model, which was in sync together with his pondering that “merchandise promote however manufacturers revenue”.
Manufacturers, he reiterated, needed to be aligned to segments and merchandise aligned to manufacturers. He additionally didn’t agree with the idea of discovering fortune on the backside of the pyramid. “For my part, there’s fortune all over the place besides proper on the backside of the pyramid. I agree that the underside is larger than the highest, which additionally explains why extra individuals are naturally there. But, you need to cease someplace,” stated Bajaj.
High draw
He was additionally categorical that ‘model’ meant revenue and the power to cost a product at a premium to competitors is what mattered. That is the place Pulsar stays an essential a part of the Bajaj Auto journey and the truth that it’s nonetheless going sturdy solely implies that it stays a prime draw as a model. “The measure of a model is revenue however simply because one thing is worthwhile doesn’t make it a model. The reverse is clearly not true,” Bajaj stated.
In a more moderen interview, while as regards to manufacturers, the MD stated, Bajaj Auto has all the time been a value-for-money model. There was a time when this was additionally the tagline of the corporate and “is a superb place to be in” from the perspective of buyer notion. Likewise, different automakers like Honda and Maruti may be perceived as value-for-money manufacturers.
“By stating so, I do not imply low cost however actually value-for-money that’s the basis or the bedrock of our power that’s coming in from high quality and scale. You do not turn into worth when you do not give high quality and you do not turn into value-for-money if you do not have the size to be aggressive,” stated Bajaj.
, launched in November 2001, was a turning point for Bajaj Auto and allowed the company to sharpen its focus as a specialist motorcycle maker. This also meant that tough decisions like exiting the traditional geared scooter segment had to be taken while forging strategic partnerships with KTM and Triumph.){kind=link}