Bajaj Auto became India’s top-selling motorcycle brand in November, combining both domestic and export figures. The large Pune-based motorcycle company registered 338,473 units last month, 12% below its own sales performance in November 2020, when it sold 384,993 units. Hero MotoCorp, the long-time pole holder in the Indian two-wheeler market, sold 329,185 motorcycle units last month, combining both domestic and export figures.
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(Also read: Bajaj Auto two-wheeler domestic sales drop 23% in November, sells 144,953 units)
Hero MotoCorp recorded a 39% drop in overall motorcycle sales in November 2021, compared to the same month last year, when it recorded 541,437 units. However,
November 2021 was one of the few times that Bajaj Auto was able to beat Hero MotoCorp in overall motorcycle sales. However, Hero MotoCorp remained at the top of the two-wheeler rankings, combining both its motorcycle and scooter sales. While Bajaj Auto sold 338,473 units in domestic and international markets, Hero MotoCorp sold a total of 349,393 units of two-wheelers in domestic and international markets.
Bajaj Auto, despite a 2% drop in exports, saw more than half of its motorcycle sales come from international markets. It shipped 193,520 units of motorcycles to overseas markets and registered 144,953 units in the domestic market.
Among its international market countries in Latin America and Africa, the local motorcycle major recorded higher sales figures. Bajaj Auto currently sells its motorcycles in nearly 70 countries around the world.
Hero MotoCorp, on the other hand, is a specialist in the low-displacement motorcycle segment. The local two-wheeler brand has a stronghold in the commuter segment, which has been hit in India due to the late monsoon retreat in many parts of the country as the harvest has been delayed.
This impacted Hero MotoCorp’s sales in the rural area where the company has a strong consumer base. A downturn in the entry-level commuter bike segment and consumer preference moving towards high-end models also played a key role against Hero MotoCorp.