It has been a marriage made in the heaven. The marriage between the mega corporation from Japan Honda and the world's leading maker of cycles Hero. It was a remarkable union. One that stood the test of time. The alliance started in the year 1984 and was intact for more than 25 years (ended in the year 2010.
In Indian Film Industry parlance it celebrated a silver jubilee. Remarkable considering the fact that many other Joint ventures including the once between TVS and Suzuki and Indian government and riage Suzuki motors ran into rough weather. The resultant acrimonious argument between Suzuki and Indian government had to be settled in the court of law.
Sadly all good things have to end and so did the enormously successful Hero Honda alliance the Joint Venture that gave India the most popular bike – Hero Honda, the bike with the highest mileage “fill it shut it forget it”.
The friends have parted ways. They are now Hero MotoCorp and Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. The sniping has started in right earnest. The first salvo was from Honda Motors who won the first battle with its hugely popular Activa the king of the variomatic scooter segment.
Not to be left behind Hero Moto Corporation had unveiled its latest variomatic scooter the Maestro which looks like a carbon copy of the Activa. Analysts are betting their bottom dollar on Maestro being priced at least 10,000/- rupees lower than Honda Activa. Hero is eyeing the variomatic scooter segment and is hungry and envious of the 3 months wait list of Honda Activa.
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has many quivers (arrows) in its bow. And the first off the bow is the announcement that Honda would introduce its own range of motorcycle bikes at a price lower than Hero Moto Corporation’s hugely popular bike – the Hero Dawn. The predatory nature of both the erstwhile partners is out in the open.
On 5th January 2012, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India unveiled the ‘Dream Yuga’, its first bike aimed at the highly lucrative mass market at the Auto Expo in Delhi.
The 110cc bike, set to be launched in May, was one of seven models (including variants) showcased during the expo.
I do not know whether Honda could hear Hero's wail, wailing "why this Kolaveri di" but I can hear it aloud.
ReplyDeleteTo me the Hero-Honda's separation is just like a husband with M.I.T Mechanical Degree giving divorce to a I.T.I diploma holder Old wife that too with just 4 years technical support as alimony. (as per the contract b/w Hero and Honda,later is bound to give technical support to Hero moto corp till 2014 after that Hero has to fight its own battle.)
Though Hero moto corp is searching new technically sound husband globally and has also got few nice proposals still if Hero wants to survive in upcoming days has to work extensively on R&D and a little more conscious while remarrying.
All the Best Hero.. :-)
Very well said. One of the best comments that I have received. Let's hope that the next marraige will last as long as the first one
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ReplyDeleteinteresting blog that you have posted about hero VS honda. ,Bike showroom in Chennai
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.