ROYAL ENFIELD will really be the best selling bike? Can the old technology and old fashioned design win the hearts of the new generation of bikers?
Hasan MahmudExpert
ROYAL ENFIELD will really be the best selling bike? Can the old technology and old fashioned design win the hearts of the new generation of bikers?
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Royal Enfield is popular among bikers in some parts of India for its vintage look (1960-70s look) and big engines.
However, considering the Bangladeshi market, it is more likely that this will not happen. This article mainly discusses the mindset of the people of Bangladesh and India as well as the mindset of bikers and the potential of Royal Enfield in Bangladesh.
If you market any product or bike, there are 5 types of customers depending on the place and environment 1. innovators 2. early adopters, early majority 3 late majority 5 Sir Leger explains it well!
In the automobile sector, Bangladeshi customers are usually early adopters, who want to use new technologies and new innovations first. Therefore, in terms of cars, Bangladeshi people use top end Japanese brands such as Toyota or current modern technology Chinese brands such as MG, Havel. In that case, Mahindra-Tata is a bit old technology car and low price usually does not show interest. In the case of bikes, when Bangladeshis launch a Yamaha or Honda model, the amount of craze usually there is not when other Indian brands launch. Its main reason is the country of origin, as well as advanced features!
On the other hand, most Indians are a bit of a laggard type when it comes to automobiles (somewhat old-fashioned people who don’t like new technology easily and value tradition more than value for money or advanced features! When it comes to cars, they usually opt for Mahindra, Tata or Maruti cars. .In terms of bikes also Royal Enfield is their choice compared to other foreign bikes with advanced features!!
1. Anti-Change Attitude: They prefer to stick with tradition and nostalgia, which Royal Enfield Motorcycles offers in their Mandhata era designs. They still find joy in the old analog meter, twin suspension, spoke rim world.
2. Outdated Technology: Despite modernization efforts, Royal Enfield motorcycles are still associated with outdated technology. Whereas contemporary Japanese brands are offering something better at the same price and in some cases even lower. Such as Yamaha, Honda.
3. Nostalgia and tradition: Royal Enfield users give preference to ABS Braking, Traction Control, Slipper Clutch, these modern features rather than giving priority to nostalgia and tradition. They find comfort in the brand’s vintage look, which transports them to a bygone era of motorcycling. They still feel comfortable on spoked rims like bicycles.
Indian Market and Ancient Thoughts of Consumers:
Looking at the Indian bike market, Royal Enfield reigns supreme in bikes up to roughly 500 cc. But in most cases the products which are very popular in India are not even considered in the consumer preference list in neighboring countries like Bangladesh.
For example, Mahindra Scorpio SUV is a popular name in India, which is highly visible on Indian roads. But, despite it being an official distributor, the existence of this car on the roads of Bangladesh is a rare sight. This discrepancy is nothing but a strong indication of the purchase decision maker facts between consumers in Bangladesh and India. At least Bangladeshi consumers do not buy anything expensive thinking that it is only durable and can be used for a long time. Instead, they look for value for money as long as it is used. They are often very aware of how updated, what modern features are there, how comfortable, and how safe they are. Looking at the bike industry of this country, it can be seen that 70% of the bikers in the 150-165 cc market prefer Japanese bikes rather than Indian or Chinese, for the modern look and innovative features of the Japanese brands, even in the 4 lakh taka category, no Indian brand bike is sold in the Bangladesh market. So clearly, the consumer base in Bangladesh who lags behind the times just for the sake of nostalgia like Indians is very insignificant.
Disadvantages of higher cc motorbikes in Bangladesh:
Let us now focus on the disadvantages of higher cc motorbikes in Bangladesh, which will be a problem not only for Royal Enfield but for all brands:
Only five percent of the number of bikes sold in the Bangladeshi market every month is above four lakh rupees. And almost all high cc bikes will cost more than this. So the sale of this buck will not be much.
1. Fuel consumption: Higher cc motorcycles consume more fuel, this fuel consumption also affects the overall budget of our country. And being an old technology, the Royal Enfield will consume the most fuel, which is close to a hybrid 1500 cc car
2. Maintenance cost: Maintenance of higher cc motorcycles can be expensive due to the need for special service centers and modern spare parts. This can be a financial burden for many riders.
3. Traffic Jams: Bangladeshi cities are well known for their traffic jams and Dhaka city is one of them. Driving a high CC motorcycle on country roads in such conditions can be challenging and impractical.
4. High price: High cc motorcycles, including the Royal Enfield models, often carry a premium price tag and are expensive. And more importantly, it can act as a deterrent for budget-conscious riders.
However, the disadvantages of high CC motorbikes include extra fuel consumption, extra maintenance costs, traffic congestion issues and high price. Prospective motorcycle buyers in Bangladesh should evaluate everything including their specific needs in their daily life and use of higher CC models before opting for it. Those who like old-fashioned revving may like the Royal Enfield for a while, but it’s not a rational decision for the country’s maximum bikers.
So I think it may be a craze for a few days but it will soon lose its appeal to most bikers.