The adventure segment in the country is hotting up rapidly. A few years ago we had nothing of this sort. People who wanted to travel far usually did it on Bullet. Now however we have a plethora of options in Royal Enfield Himalayan, KTM Adventure 390, Hero Xpulse 200, BMW G310 GS and many more. With the launch of the Yezdi Adventure, the segment would become even more competitive.
The Himalayan however accounts for 90% of the sale in this segment despite these options. Moreover, I also think that it will continue selling in huge numbers despite the launch of Yezdi Adventure. These are the 3 reasons why.
Huge Service Network
The biggest factor in favour of the Royal Enfield Himalayan is its huge service network. You can find a Royal Enfield service centre in the remotest part of the country and that is what makes it one of the most dependable motorcycles in India, not the actual quality of the motorcycles. Royal Enfield riders know that their beloved steed could break down any moment, that is the fun of owning a Royal Enfield. They however also know that they could get it running back again with Royal Enfield service centre or with the help of any roadside mechanic
This is something that no other motorcycle company can match. The assurance of getting help anywhere you break down is something that can never be taken for granted. When it comes to Yezdi and Jawa, given their short life in the country, there are not many service centres for when things go wrong with your motorcycle, and believe me, they will.
Even Honda with its decent service network could not beat the Royal Enfield. The CB 350, for example, is objectively a better motorcycle than the Meteor 350 but still, the sales are 1:9 in favour of the Meteor 350. This is very much because people know that they can get their motorcycle serviced and checked if things go wrong.
It would take a very long time before Jawa could build a decent service network capable of providing service in major towns and villages. Up until then, there is no challenge for Royal Enfield and Himalayan would be the top seller in the segment.
Price
Himalayan is priced at Rs 2.14 Lakh which is not cheap but is also not exorbitantly priced as the 390 Adventure. Himalayan’s price is a perfect sweet spot for people who can afford Classic 350s and want something comfortable to travel on and do a bit of offroading. Before Yezdi Adventure’s launch, there were no competitors for the Himalayan. It resided in its own segment.
For example, the Hero Impulse 200 is cheaper but not as powerful and substantial, the 390 Adventure and the BMW 310 GS are better but very costly, the Dominar 400 is similarly priced and better tourer but isn’t offroad capable. The Yezdi Adventure is the only motorcycle that does everything a Himalayan could and is priced similarly to the Himalayan.
However, one carries the Royal Enfield tag while the other does not, which brings us to point number 3.
Brand recognition
While I’m aware of the phrase that is thrown around in everyone’s faces whenever a thing becomes famous but Royal Enfield is indeed not a motorcycle but an emotion. It is worshipped in some parts for god’s sake. People are attached to their Royal Enfield unlike any inanimate object in the world. The brand Royal Enfield is rightfully getting the attention and respect that it deserves not just in India but all over the world.
Being one of the oldest motorcycle companies still in production, Royal Enfield garners respect and recognition like no other brand, certainly not in India. This is a huge reason why they sell in as many numbers as they do. Jawa, Yezdi or any other brand would have a huge task at hand to even match Royal Enfield’s sales figure and more importantly their brand value.
Until then, every Royal Enfield motorcycle would sell like hotcakes. This is the reason why the Himalayan would still be the number 1 motorcycle in its segment despite the launch of the Yezdi Adventure. Royal Enfield has planned to launch 20 new motorcycles in the next five years some of which has already been launched. These are very exciting times for motorcycle enthusiasts as more and more companies are jumping into the adventure segment.
When it comes to Royal Enfield Himalayan vs Yezdi Adventure in terms of sales, the Royal Enfield would always come up on top. That too for a long foreseeable future.
