NATIONAL/ MUMBAI, 28 MARCH 2024: Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), a leading two-wheeler manufacturer in the country, today proudly announced a significant milestone in its journey. The company has accomplished a historic achievement of 6 crore domestic sales in India. This remarkable feat underscores HMSI’s enduring presence and unwavering commitment to the Indian market.
Honda ventured into the Indian market with its first two-wheeler, the Activa, in 2001 and the rest is history. Over the years, the company accomplished many milestones and continues to be one of India’s most loved two-wheeler brands. Since its inception, HMSI has been at the forefront of innovation, quality & customer satisfaction, consistently delivering a vast line-up of world-class products tailored to meet the diverse needs of Indian consumers.
6 Crore Strong: Honda’s journey to earning the trust of Indian customers
Starting its retail operations in June 2001, Honda has been delighting the Indian customers for over two decades. While the company took eleven years to gain the first 1 crore customers, the pace tripled and it hit the 2 crore mark in next three years. The 3 crore milestone was achieved in April 2017, around 16 years since its inception but the next 3 crore customers joined the Honda family in just under seven years, speeding up to reach the 6 crore domestic sales milestone in March 2024.
Pivotal to this milestone achievement are Honda’s iconic offerings the Activa – India’s most loved family scooter and the Shine motorcycle. Widely acclaimed for their reliability, performance & advanced features, both the Activa and Shine have emerged as top choices for Indian consumers, setting new benchmarks in their segment and contributing significantly to HMSI’s success story.
Commenting on this momentous occasion, Mr. Tsutsumu Otani, MD, President & CEO – Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “We are happy to announce that HMSI is now a family of over 6 crore happy customers. Achieving this sales milestone is a testament to the trust and confidence that Indian consumers have placed in brand Honda. We are immensely proud of this accomplishment and as we look ahead, we remain dedicated to exceeding the expectations of our customers and contributing positively to the growth & development of the Indian two-wheeler industry.”
Speaking about this remarkable feat, Mr. Yogesh Mathur, Director, Sales and Marketing, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, said, “We are thrilled to announce that HMSI has achieved an incredible milestone of 6 crore domestic sales. This accomplishment underscores our commitment to delivering top-notch products that resonate with the hearts of Indian consumers. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all our loyal customers, partners & stakeholders for their solid support on this incredible journey.”
Diverse Product Portfolio: From 100cc Shine to the flagship 1800cc Gold Wing Tour
Honda is the only two-wheeler manufacturer in India to have such a diverse product portfolio ranging from entry-level 100cc Shine to the flagship 1800cc Gold Wing Tour. The company’s Red Wing product line-up includes four scooter models (Activa & Dio in 110cc scooters, Activa 125 & Dio 125 in 125cc scooters) and in the motorcycle category the company offers nine exciting models across 100-110cc (Shine 100, CD 110 Dream Deluxe & Livo), 125cc (Shine 125 & SP125), 160cc (Unicorn & SP160) and 180-200cc (Hornet 2.0 & CB200X) segments along with other special edition models.
HMSI’s premium motorcycle retail format is led by the BigWing Topline for entire premium motorcycle range (300cc – 1800cc) in top metros and BigWing – exclusively for mid-size motorcycle segment (300cc – 500cc). Its diverse range of motorcycles includes the all-new CB350, H’ness CB350, CB350RS, CB300F, CB300R, NX500, XL750 Transalp, Africa Twin and Gold Wing Tour.
HMSI’s more than two decade journey of providing joy to customers:
| Year | Milestone |
| 1999 | – Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India Pvt. Ltd. (HMSI) incorporated |
| 2001 | – First plant in Manesar starts production, the first two-wheeler ‘Activa’ makes debut |
| 2002 | – Honda commences exports from Indian shores |
| 2004 | – Enters the motorcycle market with 150cc Unicorn
– Emerges as the No. 1 brand in scooter segment led by Activa |
| 2006 | – Diversifies in the motorcycle segment with launch of 125cc Shine |
| 2009 | – Introduces Combi-Brake System with equalizer technology – ‘An Industry First’ |
| 2011 | – Inaugurates 2nd manufacturing plant at Tapukara (Rajasthan) |
| 2012 | – Achieves 1 crore cumulative domestic sales milestone
– Becomes Only Honda in Indian Two-wheeler Industry – New Technical Centre with integrated SEDBQ function inaugurated |
| 2013 | – Inaugurates 3rd manufacturing plant at Narsapura (Karnataka)
– Honda Eco Technology (HET) introduced for improved mileage |
| 2014 | – Expands capacity at 3rd manufacturing plant Narsapura (Karnataka)
– Honda Gold Wing – GL1800 introduced in India |
| 2015 | – Attains 2 crore domestic sales in India
– Introduces first Make-in-India big bike – CBR 650F |
| 2016 | – Inaugurates 4th manufacturing plant at Vithalapur (Gujarat) |
| 2017 | – Achieves 3 crore cumulative domestic sales milestone
– Expands capacity at 3rd manufacturing plant Narsapura (Karnataka) – Iconic Activa becomes India’s No. 1 selling two-wheeler |
| 2018 | – Historic 4 crore cumulative domestic sales milestones achieved
– Announces investment of INR 6.3 billion in Honda’s Vithalapur plant in Gujarat – Launches industry-first 100% digital customer loyalty program ‘Honda Joy Club’ |
| 2019 | – Establishes exclusive premium big bike business vertical ‘Honda BigWing’ in India
– Honda’s BSVI era starts with a greener ‘#AQuietRevolution’ with all-new Activa 125 |
| 2020 | – Launches Online Booking Platform; ‘CLICK, BOOK & RELAX!’
– Roars into mid-size 350cc motorcycle segment – global unveiling of H’ness CB350 |
| 2021 | – Accomplishes 5 crore domestic sales milestone in India
– Announces its major foray in ‘Making in India for the World’ with the new overseas business expansion vertical – Introduces immersive digital experience for customers with industry’s first virtual showroom in premium motorcycle category |
| 2022 | – ‘Shine’ becomes first 125cc motorcycle in India to achieve 1 crore customer milestone |
| 2023 | – Forays into the entry-level 100cc commuter motorcycle segment with Shine 100
– India’s best-selling scooter ‘Activa’ celebrates 3 crore sales milestone |
| 2024 | – Expands capacity with the inauguration of a new assembly line at 4th manufacturing plant Vithalapur (Gujarat)
– Milestone: HMSI achieves 6 crore domestic sales in the Indian market |
Ends/TGN
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