Last year September mein, premium motorcycle brand Triumph thodi crisis mein aa gaya tha jab government ne GST rules change kiye. New rules ke according 350cc se below wali bikes par 18% tax lagne laga, or jo bikes usse upper thi unko direct 40%wale tax bracket mein daal diya gaya.
Triumph ki lineup, jo pehle 398cc engine use karti thi, usse higher tax category mein rakha gaya tha.
R&D team of Bajaj Auto ke liye kaafi tough task tha, because unka UK ki ek company ke saath non-equity strategic tie-up hao, jisme wo India mein unki mid capacity bikes ka design, engineering or manufacturing handle karte hai.
Challenge accept karte hue, Bajaj Auto ne apni Triumph motorcycle range ke engine platform ko sirf 6 months ke under re-design kar diya, mainly un tax changes ke chalte jo ab 350cc se below wali bikes ko zyada benefit dete hai.
Sandeep Kirve, jo Bajaj Auto ke Vice-president R&D hai, unhone bola ki ye work kaafi tight timeline ke under kiya gaya. Unke according most biggest challenge time hi tha. Unhone kaha, "Main constraint time hi tha, or humne is taxation ke start hone ke sirf 6 months ke under hi record time mein yeh work complete kar liya."
Is transition mein engine ka displacement 398cc se 349cc tak reduce kiya gaya, stroke ko small karke, but bore same rakha gaya. Iske liye crankshaft, connecting rod, combustion chamber, cam profiles or engine mapping mein changes karne pade.
Kirve ne bola ki main goal yeh tha ki jo already riding feel hai, usko same hi rakha jaaye. "Team ne thoda aggressive throttle mapping kiya so that jo customer ko pehle se jo experience milta hai, woh same wali feel maintain rahe."
Manik Nangia, jo Bajaj Auto ke President hai, unhone bola ki yeh transition company ne bina kisi extra cost ke complete kar liya.
Modification effect and performance influence
Company ne ab apni range mein 350cc wale variants introduce kar diye hai, jo pehle wale 400cc engines ko replace kar rahe hai. Isse on-road price mein approx Rs. 10,000 se Rs. 21,000+ tak ki savings ho rahi hai, model ke according.
Paper pe performance changes kaafi minor hai. Peak power around 2-3 hp tak reduce ho gayi hai sab models mein, or torque bhi 5 Nm se zyada gir gaya hai. Acceleration mein bhi zyada farq nahi hai, 0-60 km/h timing bas 0.1-0.2 second ka difference dikhati hai, or top speed bhi sirf 1 se 2.5 km/h tak hi vary hui hai.
Speed T4 abhi bhi Rs. 1.95 lakh pe hi hai, whereas Speed 400, Scrambler 400 or Thruston 400 ki prices pehle ke comparison mein thodi kam kar di gayi hai.
Journey sensation and alignment
ride impressions ke according, 349cc engine daily use mein kaafi similare feel deta hai. Top-end output thoda low hai, but low-speed pe refinment better lagti hai. New throttle mapping city riding ko easy banati hai, abs slow traffic mein thodi zyada sensitive feel ho sakti hai.
Motorcycle ka design or hardware abhi bhi same hi rakha gaya hai, ergonomics ya cycle parts mein koi big change nahi hua. Haan, kuch features jaise engine immobiliser ab offer nahi kiya ja raha.
But company ne displacement retain hone despite complete range mein '400' wala name same hi rakha hai. Nangia ne bola ki company ne pehle jo tax changes ki wajah se extra cost aayi thi, usko khud hi absorb kar liya tha so that pricing stable reh sake.
Ab expect kiya ja raha hai ki sub 350cc platform pe shift karne se demand increase hogi, because bike more affordable ho jayegi, or riding experience bhi almost same hi rahega.