E-Kantipur

KATHMANDU, DEC 09 -

The overall two-wheeler market may have slowed down, but scooter sales are zooming ahead. Automobile dealers said there has been a constant rise in the sales of scooters which were once considered to be fit for women only. They now predict that scooters will secure a significant share in the overall two-wheeler market.

The domestic market saw approximately 21,000 units of scooters being sold in fiscal 2010-11. Given the strong growth, automobile dealers are hoping scooter sales will hit 27,000-28,000 this year.

“The market for scooters has gone up tremendously in the last few years,” said Laxman Ratna Tuladhar, director Hero Honda Division at Syakar Company, the sole authorised distributor of Honda and Hero Honda in Nepal. Tuladhar attributed the rise in scooter sales to mainly three factors—comfort, ease of handling and suitability for both males and females. Syakar sells four variants of scooters from Honda and Hero Honda in the local market. According to Tuladhar, scooters now account for 50 percent of the total sales of Honda and Hero Honda two-wheelers.

Sensing strong growth, brands like Mahindra and TVS are now largely focusing on scooters. “Sales of scooters are estimated to contribute 26 percent to the overall two-wheeler market in fiscal  2011-12,” said Raju Bhetwal, vice-president sales and marketing at SG Global, authorised importer of Mahindra two-wheelers in Nepal.

According to him, the company sold more than 400 units of scooters in the first month of its operation in the domestic market. SG Global, which claims that Mahindra scooters occupy the number three position after Honda and Hero Honda in the scooter segment, is aiming for the number one spot next year.

Bhakta Bahadur Katwal, assistant manager at AIT, authorised distributor of TVS motorcycles in Nepal, said that scooters account for more than 35 percent of the total sales of TVS two-wheelers. The company which is currently selling Wego 110 cc, Pep Plus 90 cc and Streak 90 cc scooters in the domestic market, sold around 2,500 scooters in the last fiscal year.

AIT is confident that the figure will surge to around 3,500 units this year. “Especially in the major cities of the country and Tarai areas, sales are very encouraging,” Katwal said.

Posted on: 2011-12-09 09:43

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