Hero MotoCorp has plans to introduce more premium motorcycles during the remaining five months of FY27 as it looks to strengthen its presence in larger-capacity segments, where its market share remains below 2 percent despite its dominance in the commuter bike market.
- Karizma XMR 250 & smaller Xpulse both seen previously
- Xpulse had over 30 percent retail growth during H1 FY27
- H-D Sprint 440 seen undisguised too; launch likely in the coming months
Hero readying more premium bike launches
The company has three products waiting in the wings
The planned launches will follow the recent updates to the Xtreme 160R and Xtreme 250R in October and form part of the company's strategy to fill gaps in its premium motorcycle portfolio. "We will continue to address the wide spaces in our premium portfolio through further launches. You can look for three to four key launches in the remaining parts of this financial year," Chief Executive Officer Harshavardhan Chitale said during the company's Q2 FY27 earnings call.
"We are looking at four brands as our drivers of growth," Chitale said. Chitale said Hero was focusing on four brands to drive growth in the premium motorcycle market: Xtreme, Xpulse, Karizma and the motorcycles jointly developed with Harley-Davidson. The Sprint 440 entry-level cruiser has been seen undisguised recently and we expect it to be launched in India after its global debut at the upcoming EICMA 2026 trade show.
He indicated that the Karizma range could see product refreshes and extensions into new categories. However, the company has not disclosed the specific motorcycles, prices or launch dates. We have seen images of undisguised units of the Karizma XMR 250 multiple times in the recent past and its likley that this long overdue bike - first shown at EICMA 2024, nearly two years ago - will launch in the coming months.
The expansion comes as Hero attempts to improve its position in a market where it has struggled to replicate its leadership in commuter motorcycles. The challenge is becoming more significant as demand shifts towards higher-capacity motorcycles. According to SIAM data, domestic dispatches in the 150-350cc motorcycle categories increased 31 percent year-on-year during H1 FY27, considerably faster than the roughly 5 percent growth in the 100cc and 125cc commuter categories.
Hero dispatched approximately 28,000 motorcycles in the 150-200cc category during the first half. In comparison, TVS Motor sold 3.34 lakh Apache motorcycles and Bajaj Auto sold 2.11 lakh motorcycles in the same capacity segment, reflecting the stronger positions of its competitors.
Acknowledging Hero's limited presence in premium motorcycles, Anuj Dua, Chief Business Officer, Premium Business Unit, said the company had significant room to expand. "So far, market share and the results have not been great, but that also tells how big the headroom for us is to grow," Dua said.
Within the existing premium portfolio, the Xpulse range has emerged as a stronger performer. According to Chitale, the adventure motorcycle franchise recorded more than 30 percent retail growth during H1 FY27 and held over 35 percent share of the segment. In the recent past, a lower-capacity and simpler Xpulse model has also been spotted undisguised at the company's facilites, indicating an imminent launch for that model too, although Hero hasn't confirmed this.
The company is also expanding its dedicated Premia dealership network to support the new products and improve the premium customer experience. Dua said the network had reached approximately 150 stores and would be expanded further across major cities with significant demand for premium motorcycles.
"The whole focus on this expansion will also be supported by the community building efforts across all these Premia dealerships which will start from December onwards in a very structured manner," he said.
Hero has also strengthened its manufacturing operations to support the strategy. During the earnings call, Chief Financial Officer Vivek Anand said the company had expanded its dedicated premium motorcycle assembly line at Neemrana.
The premium motorcycle expansion is part of Hero's broader investment programme. Chitale said Hero would continue investing in new products, manufacturing capacity and brand building to gain market share, even as rising commodity costs put pressure on margins.
With inputs from DARSHAN NAKHWA
