UM to bring affordable cruisers; can it be a fate changer for the dubious segment?

The United States based UM Motorcycles, which recently went under a strategic joint venture with India’s Lohia Auto, will launch a rangeof cruiser offerings in the second quarter of the on-going year. The motorcycles will have an engine capacity between 300- 500 cc, against the 200-230 cc that the company announced previously.

“Through our new range of motorcycles, we aim to foray into the growing motorcycle market in India by offering consumers a new, fresh alternative, initially in the cruiser category and subsequently in other segments,” UM said in a statement.

The company also notified that their cruiser range will be ‘competitively priced’ and will focus on young consumers looking for an affordable cruiser.

As of now, Bajaj Avenger and Royal Enfield Thunderbird are the only offerings in the affordable sub-500 cruisers category, added with the expensive V-twin engine Hyosung Aquila 250. Next in line, which is likely to join this range soon, will be the younger sibling of the Harley Davidson Street family with a 500 cubic capacity engine.

To be true, cruisers have been in the favorite list of Indians but never actually garnered many sales, at least the past record hints over that. So, UM will have to work hard to create a new space for them as well as the affordable cruiser, which is still very much un-discovered.