Hero delayed the launch of the HX250R due to reasons out of their control. The company will price this motorcycle aggressively to get presence in the performance segment.
The Hero HX250R will be launched by June 2015, we have learned for a person close to the company. The automaker showcased its quarter-litre bike at the 2014 Auto Expo and multiple rumours suggested a launch in November. However that did not happen and we reported instantly about the bike set for a mid-2015 sale date. The HX250R was delayed due to reasons which Hero MotoCorp couldn’t control. The company had decided about manufacturing the motorcycle at its Neemrana facility but couldn’t get workers to shift there, thus resulting in the delay.
The Neemrana plant has been made to cater to scooter and performance motorcycle production. Currently Hero only has the HX250R in the pipeline as far as the performance segment goes (the middle-weight Hastur is not set for sale anytime soon) but the same platform will spawn other motorcycle types including an off-roader and a street-fighter. A cruiser motorcycle is also on the cards, using the same 250cc engine. The HX250R’s single-cylinder mill employs liquid-cooling and belts out an impressive 31 PS of power and 26 Nm of torque, the transmission is a 6-speed unit.
Hero plans to make a big splash in the quarter-litre segment and is planning to price the HX250R at under Rs. 1.60 lakhs (on-road, Delhi). This will make the HX250R cheaper than the KTM Duke 200 which not only is a naked bike but also lower on performance. However, the HX250R’s primary rival will be the RC 200. While the Duke/RC 200 do the 0-100 km/hr sprint in 9.2 seconds, we expect the HX250R to do the ton in under 8.5 seconds.
Meanwhile, Hero sold 2 lakh units in overseas markets last year which is a record for the world’s largest 2-wheeler manufacturer. Still 2 lakh units in a year is nothing and companies like Bajaj and TVS export much more volumes although Hero tops the chart when it comes to domestic sales. The company will enter 50 markets by the end of this decade and aims at becoming a global player.
