Royal Enfield launches Bullet 500 for Rs1.54 lakh
16 Apr 2013
Royal Enfield Motors, the two-wheeler arm of Eicher Motors, today said it had launched the new Bullet 500, priced at Rs1.54 lakh (on-road, Delhi).
"The iconic Bullet motorcycle gets a new lease of power today with the launch of the Royal Enfield Bullet 500 in India," the company said in a statement.
The 500cc motorcycle would be availabe at Rs1,53,855 (on road price for Delhi) and would be launched in a phased manner across the country, the company added, the PTI report said.
The initial launch of the bike would happen in Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi-NCR and Kerala, traditionally, the best markets for the Bullet.
According to Royal Enfield senior vice president (sales and marketing) Shaji Koshy, the Bullet 500 was a much-awaited model and while designing the bike for the Indian market, the company worked with the preferences of its special Bullet-loving audience in India.
He added the Bullet was the oldest motorcycle in continuous production with a fiercely loyal customer base across the world.
The bike now comes with a host of new features including front disc brakes, rear gas shock absorbers, telescopic front suspensions, pillion backrest and an electric start.
According to The Economic Times, despite the sluggish two-wheeler market, demand for the company's products remains strong with waiting period ranging from three to six months depending on the region. However, with a new 1, 50,000 units plant that is expected to come up very soon, the company hopes to cut the waiting time.
Royal Enfield saw a growth of over 53.66 per cent in FY13, selling more than 1,20,500 units, and with new launches like the new Bullet and the Cafe Racer, the company remained hopeful of maintaining the rate of growth over the next two years.
The Bullet has a reputation for ruggedness and dependability which has helped it maintain its relevance to successive generations. Bullet lovers take immense pride in its association with the Indian Army since 1955.
According to the company, with its front disc brakes and new rear gas shock absorbers riders would be able to deal with any kind of roads comfortably. These would also lend added stability to the motorcycle.