The Hindu Business Line : Hero Honda unveils `CD-Dawn'

Mr Brijmohan Lall (right), Chairman, Hero Honda Motors Ltd, with Mr Pawan Munjal, Managing Director, launching 100cc Motocycle, `CD-Dawn', in the Capital on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI, April 16

HERO Honda, India's largest two-wheeler maker, today introduced a new entry-level motorcycle, the `CD-Dawn', to take on similar low-end bikes from rivals, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Company.

The CD-Dawn, priced at Rs 31,899 (ex-showroom Delhi) is the cheapest bike yet from the Hero Honda stable. It will compete with Bajaj Boxer and BYK and Max 100 from TVS for a share in the 15 lakh unit per annum entry-level segment.

The two other similar looking bikes of Hero Honda, the `Dawn' and `CD 100' are priced about Rs 5,000 more than the new offering. The 100-cc, four-stroke CD-Dawn has been introduced since the company did not have an entry-level bike.

According to Mr Brijmohan Lall Munjal, Chairman of Hero Honda, the new bike is targeted at first time motorcycle buyers as well as scooter and moped buyers. Hero Honda hopes that the sales of CD-Dawn would reach 20,000 units per month within a period of six months.

When asked whether Hero Honda would rationalise its portfolio of 100-cc bikes, Mr Atul Sobti, Sr Vice-President, Marketing and Sales, said the company would leave it to its customers to choose the vehicle, rather than phasing out a few models.

Hero Honda has managed to price the model at the current level by making cosmetic changes such as a new tail lamp and speedometer cluster. "Our margins will be lower on this model, but volumes will offset that," Mr Sobti said.

Next month, the company would launch a new 200-cc motorcycle and subsequently introduce new versions of other models.

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