India, as we know, is one of the largest growing markets for two-wheeler brands. Earlier, motorcycles were bought or looked for commuting purposes only. Over the decades, the motorcycling culture in India matured, and we now have several motorcycle brands selling various models across segments. We have affordable, performance, cruising, and even adventure tourers.
What’s more, even electric motorcycles have become common in India. Things were not the same when it started; we had a limited number of models, and some of these bikes were discontinued after a point. There were a few interesting rumors behind some of these bikes, and in this story, we talk about those rumors and the real reasons why they were discontinued or banned.
Yamaha RD350
This is a legendary motorcycle, and if you are a bike enthusiast, we feel you hardly need an introduction to it. The bike was launched back in 1983 and was the most powerful performance motorcycle on sale in our market. It competed with bikes like the Bullet 350, Yezdi 250, and Rajdoot 175.
When compared to the international models, we got the detuned version, but even that became popular in no time as they were still more powerful than the alternatives. There was a High Torque (HT) version producing a maximum of 31 Bhp and a 27 Bhp producing Low Torque (LT) version on offer.
It could easily touch the 160 kmph mark and did 0-100 kmph in around 7-8 seconds. Due to its performance, it was often called Racing Death, and as the Indian version was not offered with disc brakes, many riders who were not familiar with the power ended up in accidents. People believed that the bike was discontinued from the market due to its extreme performance and the rising number of accidents. However, the fact was that the RD350 was never the most fuel-efficient motorcycle.
This, along with the high price tag, made it a poor seller in a price-sensitive market like India. It was the price that killed the bike, not the performance.
TVS Suzuki Shogun
The partnership between TVS and Suzuki did give us a few interesting motorcycles. The aim of this partnership was to compete against bikes like the Yamaha RX100. Under the JV, we saw bikes like the AX100 and Supra get launched. TVS-Suzuki then launched the Shogun, which literally translates into “The Boss.” With a puny 108.2cc, two-stroke engine developing 14 Bhp, it was fun to drive, and the exhaust note at higher RPMs was exciting too.
At 105 kg, the Shogun was extremely light and could easily touch the 120 kmph mark. As it is very light, it often gets very difficult to control the bike, and many believed that the bike was discontinued from the market as it was not easy to handle. However, the actual reason for discontinuing the bike was poor sales. While the Shogun was an interesting bike, it was not something that could challenge the popularity of the RX100.
Bajaj Pulsar first-generation
This is another bike that changed the biking culture in India completely. In fact, the Pulsar became so popular that Bajaj now has a whole lineup of Pulsar motorcycles across different segments. It was launched at a time when Hero-Honda was selling mass segment bikes like hot cakes. After the launch of the Hero Honda CBZ, Bajaj decided to try their luck in the segment and launched the Pulsar 150 and 180.
Both these motorcycles created their own identity with huge fuel tanks, muscular body design, and round headlamps. The bike was in the market for 18 months. After this, Bajaj launched the updated DTS-i version of the bike with a reduced fuel tank capacity. Many thought that Bajaj reduced the fuel tank capacity because it became too bulky. Well, it was only a planned update, nothing more.
Hero Honda Karizma
It was the most powerful motorcycle from Hero Honda. It is a bike that even today has a cult following. The high-capacity engine, the semi-fairing, and the digital fuel meter, odometer, and trip meter made it “above all” in the market. Many believed that it was a very difficult motorcycle to control. The Karizma was relaunched in the market after Hero and Honda separated; however, it didn’t gain as much popularity as the first-generation model.