The Hero Glamour has outsold the Honda CB Shine in the last 3 months to become the highest selling 125cc bike in India. Further, Hero aims to sell one million units of the Glamour by the end of financial year 2018.
Honda and Hero have been battling it out in the 125cc market for quite a while now. Even though Hero was the top manufacturer in the segment, Honda consistently led the sale charts with its best-selling CB Shine. However, the Glamour has proven to be Hero’s blockbuster. The Glamour surpassed the long reigning Shine for three consecutive months from February-April to become the largest selling 125cc bike in India. Further, Hero aims to sell 1 million units of its Glamour by the end of financial year 2018.
The 110-125cc market has been steadily growing for the past few years while both its adjacent markets, the less than 110cc and the 125-150cc, have been recording unfavourable growth rates. In the financial year of 2016, the 110-125cc market saw a growth of 10% year a year as compared to the financial year of 2015. Meanwhile, the less than 110cc segment saw an overall fall of 5%, and the 125-150cc segment saw a drop in sales of 24%. This trend has seen many manufacturers trying to establish themselves in the 110-125cc category.
Honda sells the CB Shine, the CB Shine SP and CBF Stunner (discontinued in August 2014) in this segment. Over the years however, Honda has been steadily losing their hold over this segment. As new manufacturers entered, Honda’s line up couldn’t stand the onslaught. In the month of April 2015 Honda recorded sales of 74,532, which fell to 66,700 units sold in the month of April 2016, which translates to a drop of 10.5%. Meanwhile, with the Super Splendor, Ignitor and Glamour, Hero recorded an impressive increase of 33% in sales. The numbers went up from 82,298 units sold in April 2015, to 1,09,955 units sold in the month of April 2016.
This fall in sales, coupled with Hero’s impressive growth caused the Honda CB Shine to lose its top spot. In the month of April 2015, the CB Shine sold 73,291 units while the Glamour was far behind at 51,829 units sold. However, for April 2016, the figures stand at 52,752 and 66,756 units respectively. Honda will have to now figure out a way to first stabilise their sales if they hope to dethrone the Glamour. Hero meanwhile, continues to grow in the 125cc market.
Hero Overtakes Honda
– The Hero Glamour has dethroned the Honda CB Shine to become the new segment leader
– The Hero Glamour recorded the highest sales for 3 three consecutive months, from February to April 2016
– The 110-125cc segment recorded a growth of 10% while its adjacent segments showed a drop in sales
