India is a developing country – and hence, might not be as highly regarded as America, Canada, or France. Nevertheless, it is listed among countries with the highest motorbike usage rates for a reason – all the commuter bikes are exquisitely made and offer amazing performances.
My insightful list will delve further into each reputed Indian motorcycle company. Keep scrolling!
Table of Contents
What Are The Top Motorcycle Brands in India?
Hero, Bajaj Auto Limited, TVS Motor Company, Royal Enfield, Mahindra Two-Wheelers, Escort Group, and API are the largest manufacturer of motorcycles in India. Their reputations even go beyond India’s boundaries to reach experienced riders from various countries in the world.
1. Hero Motocorp Ltd.
Half of the Indian motorcycles are produced by Hero, which is a testament of how successful the brand is.
To put things in perspective, the brand sold 7.5 million models in 2018 in India alone. Meanwhile, Yamaha Motors distributed 5 million globally, and Triumph (Britain’s largest brand) did not even reach 65,000 units per year.
Despite these remarkable achievements, Hero Bikes turned out to be quite a young company, starting in 1984 as a part of the Honda-Indian Hero operation (which partly explains why some people call it Hero Honda).
The brand used Honda technology to sell bikes for Indian motorcycles for several decades before eventually parting ways with Honda to become an independent label.
After three years of selling its sub-200cc models to the Caribbean, North Carolina, South America, and Asia, Hero Bike purchased Erik Buell Race stake in 2014 to expand its market to the rest of the U.S.A.
2. Bajaj
Bajaj is another big name that shakes the entire Indian bike world by storm!
Like Hero (and most manufacturers on our list), Bajaj initially focused on small-capacity, gasoline-powered bikes for its domestic markets. But soon, the impressive sales encouraged the company to seek international partnerships and cater to the increased hunger of European cyclists and bike enthusiasts.
Through its long-standing joint venture with KTM – and the subsequent developments of RC and Duke base models – Bajaj has successfully found its footing in the Europe market.
The bikes and scout bobbers are manufactured in India before being distributed to the world (India included, of course; they are selling like hotcakes here).
In recent years, Bajaj also announced joint automotive ventures with Triumph and planned to pool higher funds for mid-range capacity bikes. These dark horse beasts are part of Bajaj’s long-term plan to enter deeper into the European market; let’s see how it turns out for the brand.
3. TVS
TVS is another Indian success case, garnering positive sales and feedback from its home country and other global markets. Its iconic models are manufactured and assembled in India, before being distributed to German, U.S., and more via local representatives.
Out of all TVS models currently in production, the TVS RR 310 Apache – a mini superbike that uses single-cylinder, 312 engine options from BMW – remains the best seller, costing roughly $3100.
4. Royal Enfield
To many’s surprise, Royal Enfield’s origin is actually British, as it was founded in 1901 in Redditch. So why does it make its way onto this list? A long story, indeed, but we can sum it up as follows:
Royal Enfield joined hands with Madra Motor in 1955 to build the famous 350cc Bullet models from England-imported kits. Despite being initially tailored for military and police use, the bike was a huge success in India, never leaving the best-seller spot for months.
To cater to the country’s increasing demands, Bullet started using 100% Indian components in the 1960s – and remains so until today. A few years later, after deliberate negotiations, Royal Enfield was officially owned by Eincher Motors – a reputed flagship automobile company in India.
5. Mahindra
Mahindra‘s first sparks of international fame started in 2011-2017 Moto3 racing. Despite being stuck under the huge shadows of KTM and Honda, Mahindra managed to leave some impression by bringing home three 2015 podiums and three 2016 wins.
Most of the brand’s models are basic, standard models designed for daily Indian transport. Still, to cater to international demands, Manhindra does offer some upmarket offerings with the help of its overseas partnerships; cases in point include French Peugeot, BSA, and Jawa.
Aside from motorcycles, Mahindra also sets its vision on building bicycles, cars, tractors, and even planes. Car enthusiasts must have been familiar with the critically-acclaimed Pininfarina house (owned by Mahindra Group), which is behind the world’s most gorgeous and exotic cars.
6. Escorts Group
A multinational company in India, Escorts Group was mainly recognized for its railway/material handling and agri-machinery construction back in earlier days.
The motorcycle division has only been established since 1960 – but garnering massive success nonetheless, thanks to the high-performance 175cc Indian lineups.
Since 1960, Escort has also been taking charge of Yamaha bike production in India. Some notable models are the Rajdoot 350 (1981) and RX 100 (1984).
7. API
Wrapping up our list of the largest motorcycle companies is the Automobile Product of India (or API), founded in Mumbai in 1949. The company used to be a national sensation with numerous scooter and mobile lines, such as the API 3-Wheelers and Lambretta scooters.
Unfortunately, the label operation has ceased since 2002. However, with all its contribution to the Indian motorcycle industry, API deserves a concluding spot on this list.
8. Indian-Based subsidiaries
Though not rooted from India, some international motorbike manufacturers chose this Asian country to establish their branches, like Harley-Davidson India, Suzuki Motorcycle India, or Honda Motorcycle And Scooter India.
Is Indian Motorcycles An Indian Brand?
No. Despite what it may sound, Indian Motorcycles is actually an American-based brand that produces American bikes under the ownership of Polaris Inc.
The brand is regarded by many as among the largest global motorcycle manufacturers, whose quality can even be compared to the likes of Harley-Davidson road king.
Which Is The No.1 Selling Motorcycle In India?
Hero Splendors remain the best seller in Indian rural and semi-urban areas despite higher average prices. It sold approximately 2,6 million units in 2022, beating every other popular model and engine type (even Indian models from Hero) by a long slide.
Conclusion
The success of some Indian motorcycle brands in their own country can even surpass that of Italian or American giants.
Except for API (whose operation has been shut down), all these Indian companies show no signs of financial or quality struggles – and will continue to dominate the Indian automotive industry for years to come.
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