BRAND IMAGE OF MOTORCYCLES AND THE COLOUR SURVEY

FOR THE BIKE COLOURS

SUBMITTED BY:

Vinayak Tiwari

P.G.D.M-M.M (2009-2011)

Roll No. : 2009173

INDUSTRY GUIDE FACULTY GUIDE

Mr. Mitesh Kumar Bizoara Dr. Puneet Mohan

Assistant Manager Professor

(Product Planning & Brand Management) Ghaziabad

India Yamaha Motor
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Sincere gratitude is due to industry guide Mr. Mithesh Kr. Bijoara, Asst. Mgr. (Product
Planning and Brand Manangement), India Yamaha Motor, Surajpur Plant, Greater Noida
(U.P.) for mentoring. It is the result of his esteemed guidance that this project
culminated.

Special thanks is due to all the team of Product Planning and Brand Development for
their guidance.

Sincere gratitude is due to Mr. Puneet Mohan (academic guide for this project).

Vinayak Tiwari

Student

I.T.S., Ghaziabad.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter No. Subject Page No.

Ch.-1.0 Executive Summary

1.1 Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers

1.2 Other major motorcycle companies in Indian Market

1.3 Sales Figures of motorcycle companies in Indian Market

Ch.-2.0 Research Methodology

2.1 Problem Definition

2.2 Research Design
2.3 Sample Design.
2.4 Sample size
2.5 Scope of the Study
2.6 Limitations

Ch.-3.0 Industry & Company Profile

3.1 Industry Profile

3.1.1 Two Wheeler Market Globally
3.1.2 Two Wheeler Market: The Indian Scenario
3.1.3 Rise of a Product: The motorcycles
3.1.4 Market Segment for Motorcycles
3.2 Company Profile
3.2.1 India Yamaha Motor Private Limited
3.2.2 Vision
3.2.3 Mission
3.2.4 Core competencies
3.2.5 Manufacturing process
3.2.6 Conclusion
3.3 SWOT Analysis
Ch.-4.0 Data Collection

4.1 Primary Data

 4.1.1 Questionnaire

4.1.2 Questionnaire Design Process

Ch.-5.0 Findings & Data Analysis

Ch.-6.0 Conclusion

Ch.-7.0 Recommendation

Ch.-8.0 References

Ch.-9.0 Bibliography

Ch.-10.0 Annexure
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Some of the major players that dominate the global Motorcycle market are Honda,
Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Kinetic. Whereas the Indian market shows dominance
of players like Hero Honda, Honda, Bajaj Auto Ltd, TVS motors and Yamaha.

The focus of the study is INDIA YAMAHA MOTORS which holds approximately 3.5 %
market share in the Indian Motorcycle industry whereas it is the second biggest player in
the International Motorcycle Industry.

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) is a 100% subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Corporation of

Japan. Its manufacturing unit is in Surajpur while Faridabad Plant mainly caters to spare
parts and paint shop. These two plants support the production of motorcycles for
domestic as well as overseas market. Presently 8 models roll out of these two plants. The
infrastructure at both the plants supports production of motorcycles and it's parts for the
domestic as well as overseas market. At the core are the 5-S and TPM activities that fuel
lean Manufacturing Processes. The plants have In-house facility for Machining, Welding
processes as well as finishing processes of Electroplating and Painting till the assembly
line. The stringent Quality Assurance norms ensure that their motorcycles meet the
reputed International standards of excellence in every sphere.

The purpose of the project was to study the positioning of brand image in the minds of
the customers and also to study the colour preferences of the motorcycle customers.
Consumers should have favourable awareness of brand. Brand awareness and the ensuing
positioning in the minds of consumers differentiates successful organisation from failed
organisation. Harley Davidson has a sort of cult following among its customers. It is only
because the company has successfully ingrained its brand awareness in the psyche of
people. To succeed, in today’s rapidly evolving market place organizations should strive
continuously to increase awareness of their brands for the good.

SOCIETY OF INDIAN AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURERS

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers ( ISO 9001-2008 Certified Organisation) is

apex body representing 44 leading vehicle and vehicle engine manufacturers. It is the
face of the Indian automobile industry.

With its regular and continuous interaction with international bodies and organizations
SIAM facilitates up gradation of technical capabilities of the Indian Industry to match
the best practice worldwide.

Indian Automobile Industry is showing accelerating pace of growth rate across all

segments. According to Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, total sales for

all categories stood at 12,08,851 units as against 9,29,917 units for the corresponding

period a year-ago, a growth of 30%

However, SIAM director general cautioned that sales may be affected if the monsoon,

which the Met department has predicted to be good this year, becomes weak. Rising

inflation is another concern.

"If the government takes steps to control the money supply, then at some point of time

interest rates will be under pressure. We have to track it very carefully," Mr Mathur,

Director General SIAM, said.

Sales of two-wheelers in May also jumped by 28.66% over that of May 2009.

Motorcycle sales in India during May went up by 25.80% to 7,25,311 units from

5,76,537 units in the year-ago period.

The country's largest motorcycle maker Hero Honda registered a growth of 11.74% in its

sales at 4,01,320 units in May 2010.

Sales in rival Bajaj Auto also shot up by 68.73% to 1,91,726 units, while Chennai-based

TVS Motor Company posted a 21.21% growth at 52,319 units in May. Honda

Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI) saw its bike sales jump by 52.24% to 55,110 units.

In the scooter segment, the total sales in May jumped by 45.45% to 1,57,509 units as

against 1,08,291 units sold in the corresponding month last year, SIAM said.

HMSI's scooter sales were up by 28.03% at 76,980 units, while TVS Motor's scooter

sales grew by 40.19% in May to 30,567 units. Hero Honda's scooter sales jumped 23,738

units, an increase by 61.21% from last year.

Domestic Market Share for 2009-10

 Automobile Domestic Sales Trends (Number
of
Vehicles)
Category 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10

Passenger 1,061,5 1,143,0 1,379,97 1,549,8 1,552,7 1,949,77

Vehicles 902,096 72 76 9 82 03 6

Commerci
al Vehicles 260,114 318,430 351,041 467,765 490,494 384,194 531,395

Three
Wheelers 284,078 307,862 359,920 403,910 364,781 349,727 440,368

Two 5,364,2 6,209,7 7,052,3 7,872,33 7,249,2 7,437,6 9,371,23

Wheelers 49 65 91 4 78 19 1
Grand 6,810,5 7,897,6 8,906,4 10,123,9 9,654,4 9,724,2 12,292,7
Total 37 29 28 88 35 43 70
OTHER MAJOR MOTORCYCLE COMPANIES IN THE INDIAN
MARKET

Hero Honda

The country's largest two-wheeler maker, Hero Honda, has reported 17.35 per cent rise in
sales at 414,638 units in the month of march, the best-ever figure reported by the
company for the month of March.The company had sold 353,342 units during March last
year, Hero Honda Motors Ltd (HHML) said in a statement.

HHML registered a cumulative sales of 4,600,130 units during 2009-10, against 3,722,000
units in the previous fiscal, up 23.59 per cent.
Hero Honda is recognized today as one of the most successful joint ventures in the
world.

Bajaj
The Bajaj Group is amongst the top 10 business houses in India. The group's flagship
company, Bajaj Auto, is ranked as the world's fourth largest two- and three- wheeler
manufacturer .The country's second largest two- wheeler maker Bajaj Auto has reported
85.12 percent jump in its motorcycle sales at 244,828 units in March,2010. The company
had sold 132,253 units in March last year. During the entire 2009-10 financial year, the
company sold 2,506,749 units in the motorcycle segment, a jump of 31.39 percent over
1,907,853 units in the year-ago period, it added.BAL attributed the growth to robust sales
of Pulsar and Discover range of bikes.
In March, total two-wheeler sales jumped by 84.57 percent to 244,889 units compared to
132,683 units in the same period a year ago, the statement said.
 TVS
TVS Motor Company is the third largest two-wheeler manufacturer in India and one
among the top ten in the world, with annual turnover of more than USD 1 billion in
2008-2009, and is the flagship company of the USD 4 billion TVS Group.
Motorcycle segment registered a growth of 7 % in March 2010 with sales of 64,120
units in March 2010 when compared to 59,796 units in the same month of the year,2009.

SUZUKI
SUZUKI MOTORCYCLE INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED is a subsidiary of Suzuki Motor
Corporation Suzuki Motorcycle India reported a jump of 76.13 per cent in its sales in
March at 21,752 units, on the back of good response to its new products.
The company had sold 12,350 units during March 2009,

Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India Ltd

Factory was established in January 2001. Motorcycle segment sales jumped

63.25 per cent to 65,888 units in March, against 40,360 units in the
corresponding period a year ago.
The company reported a robust growth of 88.89 per cent in scooter sales at
78,400 units in the said month, compared with 41,505 units in the year-ago
period
SALES FIGURE OF MOTORCYCLE COMPANIES IN THE INDIAN
MARKET
Chapter 2
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Random Survey was used for the primary data collection. The period of survey was from
19-05-2010 to 26-05-2010.

The questionnaire consisted of 21 questions in all.

Sample size was limited to 345.

MOTORCYCLE BRANDS CONSIDERED

Only the brands actively present in the Indian motorcycle were considered namely-

1. Hero Honda Motorcycles Limited.

2. Bajaj Auto Limited.

3. India Yamaha Motor Private Limited.

4. Honda Motors and Scooters Limited.

5. T.V.S. Motor Limited.

6. Suzuki Motorcycle Limited.

7. ‘Others’ was used as a generic category for all other brands.

2.1 Problem Definition

Random Sampling was used for the surveying for the purpose of primary data collection.

Purpose of the survey was to study the following in particular:

• To understand the Brand Image of Yamaha vs. its competitors so as to help the
company to focus on its marketing plan and strengthen its future positioning.
 • The target group of Yamaha is youngsters so the target group for our study is
mainly young people mainly in the age group of 18-35 years so that we can know
about their view and perception about Yamaha.
• To check the quality of awareness of Yamaha and its competitors among the
Indian customers.
• To check the present performance of the companies and study the attributes which
are liked and considered by people and also to know about the reputation of
company in market.
• To study the parameters which people associate with a certain Brand.
• To check the effectiveness of present TVCF and other advertising and
promotional media.
• To study the chemistry behind preference of a particular bike preference and is the
colour preference uniform across all other products they buy.
• Characteristics the buyers associate with different colours.

2.1 Research Design

The data obtained from the survey was sorted out in a proper sequence for
analysis purpose. Incomplete questionnaires were discarded. Analysis was done
thereupon using Microsoft Office Excel 2007 platform. Extensive use of bar-
graphs, pie-charts was employed. Where there were more than more than one
preference for a given question, proper weightage was given to the different
preferences according to the order of preference.
Microsoft Office Excel 2007 is a general analysis platform from Microsoft
Corporation. U.S.A. Microsoft Office Excel has gained across industry
acceptance for the simplicity and completeness for analysis purposes.
 The results obtained from the analysis using Excel platform are usually not
directly applicable but nevertheless present the bare facts and data can thus be
deciphered.

2.3 Sample Design

Basis of Sampling Plan and Sample Size

Sampling is the component of our research design. A Sample is a subgroup of the

population for participation in the study.

• Target population - Males between the age group of 18 – 60 years

The target group of motorcycles is youngsters so the target group for our study are
mainly young people mainly in the age group of 18- 40 years so that we can know about
their view and perception about Yamaha. Age group above 40 till 60 was also considered
so as to gain comprehensive picture of the Indian motorcycle market

• Sampling technique - Judgmental sampling was used.

Judgmental sampling is a type of non-probability sampling. Population elements are
selected on the basis of judgment of researcher. Researcher chooses elements to be
selected in the sample. Of all sampling types, convenience sampling is least expensive
and least time consuming. Non-Probability sampling procedure was used. Non-
Probability Sampling relies on the personal judgment of the researcher rather than chance
to select sample elements. Researcher decides which elements to take in the sample.
Because there is no way of determining the probability of selecting any particular
element for inclusion in the sample, the estimates obtained are not statistically
projectable to the population. For data gathering purposes friends, relatives, were
surveyed. Also spot surveys were conducted in the Vehicle parking stands of MMX Mall
(Sahibabad) and Shipra Mall (Ghaziabad).

• Sample size (N) – 345

Sample size refers to the number of elements to be included in the study. Determining the
sample size is complex and involves several qualitative and quantitative considerations.
Import qualitative features that we considered in determining the sample size include:

1. Importance of the decision

2. Nature of the research
3. Number of variables
4. Sample sizes used in similar studied
5. Complication rates
6. Resource constraints

Extent ( Area covered)

Delhi -1 N.Delhi-176 Noida-21 Gr. Noida-14

Gurgaon-8 Ghaziabad-118 Meerut-6 Muradabad-1

2.4 Scope of the Study

The project is concerned with the motorcycle customers of Delhi & NCR. It is aimed to
analyze the brand image of six major players of Indian motorcycle industry. The project
includes a detailed study of various parameters that people associate with a certain brand
and attributes which are liked and considered by people. It also aims to check the quality
of awareness of Yamaha and its competitors. Also the chemistry behind the different
colour preferences of people was studied. Aim was to study the attributes, if any, people
form with regard to different colours.

2.5 Limitations:

i) The survey was restricted to Delhi and NCR region (Ghaziabad, Gurgaon,
Noida, Greater Noida, Meerut, Muradabad.) in particular.
ii) Inadequate time to follow the customer response.
iii) Lack of experience in handling surveys.
iv) Most of the respondents were having inadequate time for filling in the
questionnaire.
v) Unwillingness of respondent to provide information.
vi) Inability of respondent to provide the exact information.

Chapter3

Industry and Company Profile

3.1 Industry Profile

The Two Wheeler Market Globally

The two-wheeler industry is concentrated in the developing world, especially China and
India, which together account for over half the total worldwide sales of two-wheelers.
The Japanese manufacturers, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki, dominate the two-
wheeler industry globally. Currently, all major two wheeler markets, except India, are
dominated either by Japanese firms or their joint ventures.
Hero Honda Motor Cycles Limited, an Indian motorcycle company is the world leader by
sales.

Motorcycles are used for many different purposes. Some use it for daily commuting
( especially in developing and under-developed worlds) and for hobby pursuits( in
developed world). Harley Davidson, Royal Enfield, BMW, Yamaha etc are the
companies that satisfy this hobby pursuit of the people, the world over.

Two Wheeler Market: The Indian Scenario

The Indian two-wheeler industry can be divided into three broad categories: scooters,
motorcycles and mopeds. Each of these categories can be further segmented on the basis
of several variables, like price, engine power, type of ignition, and engine capacity.

Today, India is the second largest producer and customer of two-wheelers in the world.
The Indian two-wheeler industry has undergone a significant change over the past 10
years with the preference changing from mopeds to scooters, and more recently, from
scooters to motorcycles. With the reduction in the price differential between scooters and
motorcycles, there has been a perceptible shift towards motorcycles because of their
better styling, higher fuel efficiency, and higher load carrying capacity.

Of late, scooters have made a resurgence. Honda Motors and Scooters India Limited is
the market leader in the scooter segment. Also female centric two-wheelers like Pep have
gained major portion of the market.

Rise of a Product: The Motorcycles

Motorcycles are the most expensive of all two-wheelers. They are more powerful than
scooters and mopeds, have the highest load carrying capacity (which is essential for rural
areas), are fuel-efficient, have better road grip, and are also the most expensive. Besides,
motorcycles are viewed as “trendy” in the urban areas as compared with scooters and
mopeds.

The fortunes of the motorcycle industry changed after the announcement of the liberal
licensing policy in 1982 where by foreign collaboration were allowed. In 1982, the
Government allowed foreign players to enter the industry through joint ventures. Within
four years, the TVS Group tied up with Suzuki, the Hero Group with Honda, the Escorts
group with Yamaha and Bajaj Auto Limited (Bajaj Auto) with Kawasaki. TVS & Suzuki
introduced Ind-Suzuki in 1984, Hero Honda Motors Limited (HHML) launched CD100
in 1985, and both Escorts and Bajaj Auto launched their models in 1986-87.

Also, new entrants have entered the market by introducing their products at lower price
points, while the existing players have announced price cuts. This has led to price
competition in the domestic market.

Market Segment for Motorcycles

The motorcycle market in India can be segmented on the basis of price and power. The
motorcycle market is divided into five segments. Basic category models priced between
Rs.30, 000 - Rs.40, 000. Here the focus is , by and large, on price and fuel efficiency. In
this category, Bajaj Auto has Platina , HHML has CD-Deluxe and Yamaha has Crux. In
the standard category i.e. Between Rs.31, 000 – Rs.42, 000, Bajaj Auto has Platina-125,
HHML has Splendor and Splendor NXG and Yamaha has Alba and GS-5.
Executive category models priced between Rs.43,000 and 55,000. These are models
with Japanese and European standards of engineering, styling, manufacturing and riding
comfort. This segment has strong brand such as Victor (TVS), Passion Pro and Super
Splendor (HHML), Discover (Bajaj Auto), Gladiator (Yamaha), Stunner and Shine
(HMSI) and Zesus (Suzuki). Deluxe category (Rs.56, 000 – Rs.67,000) includes FZ-S
and FZ-16 (Yamaha), Hunk and CBZ Xtreme (HHML), Pulsar150 and 180 (Bajaj),
Apache (TVS), Unicorn (HMSI) and GS-150 R (Suzuki). Premium category models
priced above Rs. 65,000. Bajaj Auto has the Pulsar 200 and 220, Apache- RTR EFI
(TVS) and R15 (Yamaha) and Karizma (HHML). HHML is the market leader in the
motorcycles segments. Since Honda has always been one of the global pioneers in
developing fuel-efficient engine technology, the unique selling propositions of all HHML
motorcycles are fuel efficiency and ease of maintenance. Motorcycles are positioned as
performance oriented, economy oriented and more recently, as products offering a mix of
performance and economy.

3.2 Company Profile

India Yamaha Motor Private Limited

India Yamaha Motor (IYM) is a 100% subsidiary of Yamaha Motor Corporation of

Japan. The company has its manufacturing unit in Faridabad and Surajpur, which
supports the production of motorcycles for domestic as well as overseas market.
Presently 10 models roll out of this two plant.

Year of Establishment July 1, 1955 (Yamaha Japan)

Industry Motorcycle manufacturing

International Headquarter 2500 Shingai, Iwata-shi Shizuoka-ken, Japan

Vision

We will establish YAMAHA as the "exclusive & trusted brand" of customers by

"creating Kando" (touching their hearts) - the first time and every time with world class
products & services delivered by people having "passion for customers".

Mission

Be the Exclusive & Trusted Brand renowned for marketing and manufacturing of
YAMAHA products, focusing on serving our customer where we can build long term
relationships by raising their lifestyle through performance excellence, proactive design
& innovative technology. Our innovative solutions will always exceed the changing
needs of our customers and provide value added vehicles.

Build the Winning Team with capabilities for success, thriving in a climate for action and
delivering results. Our employees are the most valuable assets and we intend to develop
them to achieve international level of professionalism with progressive career
development. As a good corporate citizen, we will conduct our business ethically and
socially in a responsible manner with concerns for the environment.

Grow through continuously innovating our business processes for creating value and
knowledge across our customers thereby earning the loyalty of our partners & increasing
our stakeholder value.

Core competencies
1. Customer #1

Yamaha put customers first in everything they do. They take decisions keeping the
customer in mind.

2. Challenging Spirit

Yamaha strive for excellence in everything they do and in the quality of goods & services
they provide.

3. Team-work

They work cohesively with the colleagues as a multi-cultural team built on trust, respect,
understanding & mutual co-operation.

4. Frank & Fair Organization

Yamaha Motor is a company that has worked ever since its founding to build products
defined by the concepts of “high-quality and high-performance” and “light weight and
compactness” as they have continued to develop new technologies in the areas of small
engine technology and FRP processing technology as well as control and component
technologies.

It can also be said that their corporate history has taken a path where “people” are the
fundamental element and their product creation and other corporate activities have
always been aimed at touching people’s hearts. Their goal has always been to provide
products that empower each and every customer and make their lives more fulfilling by
offering greater speed, greater mobility and greater potential.

As a company that makes the world its field and offers products for the land, the water,
the snowfields and the sky, Yamaha Motor strives to be a company that “offers new
excitement and a more fulfilling life for people all over the world” and to use our
ingenuity and passion to realize peoples’ dreams and always be the ones they look to for
“the next Kando.”
Kando is a Japanese word for the simultaneous feeling of deep satisfaction and intense
excitement that people experience when they encounter something of exceptional value.

Manufacturing process

IYM's manufacturing facilities comprises of 2 state-of-the-art Plants at - Faridabad

(Haryana) and Surajpur (Uttar Pradesh). Currently 10 models roll out of the two Yamaha
Plants. The infrastructure at both the plants supports production of motorcycles and it's
parts for the domestic as well as oversees market. At the core are the 5-S and TPM
activities that fuel agile Manufacturing Processes. They have In-house facility for
Machining, Welding processes as well as finishing processes of Electroplating and
Painting till the assembly line. The stringent Quality Assurance norms ensure that our
motorcycles meet the reputed International standards of excellence in every sphere.As an
Environmentally sensitive organization we have the concept of "Environment-friendly
technology" ingrained in our Corporate Philosophy. The Company boasts of effluent
Treatment plant, Rain water - Harvesting mechanism, a motivated forestation drive. IYM
Ltd. is IS0-14001 certified. All our endeavors give us reason to believe that sustainable
development for Yamaha will not remain merely an idea in pipeline.
Yamaha's Motorcycle operations in India

Conclusion

As the auto industry witnessed yet another year of good sales, there is clear evidence that
the dynamics of the Indian two-wheeler industry has changed significantly over the last
few years. While everyone knows that there has been constant shift in demand towards
motorcycles from geared scooters. Various companies have entered into the two-wheeler
industry.

There are various competitors of Yamaha comes from Hero Honda. The driver of growth
for Hero Honda was the launch of entry level, value-for-money bike “CD-Dawn” and the
upgraded version of “Splendor” and “Passion”. The company which had lost its market
share in FY02 has made a strong comeback and regained its share.

Secondly another company Bajaj is also leading in the two-wheeler in the market. The
success Bajaj’s latest model Pulsar has helped the company to stay clear of adopting an
aggressive price reduction strategy. Besides, the recently launched CT100 had also
enjoyed a fair degree of success. TVS is also trying to capture the good market share by
introducing the different models of bikes. The industry has now acquired the traits of the
consumer durable industry, of price wars, celebrity endorsement and ever-increasing
sales and promotional out go. Earlier, Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto were the only
producers of four-stroke motorcycles. Now, TVS Motor is also jostling for space in the
four-stroke market.

India Yamaha Motor last year achieved a dramatic turnaround on the back of the success
of its 125cc Enticer and 106cc Libero models. IYM is also trying to retain their market
share by introducing different bikes. They have launched two bikes in 2004 as change
Libero and Fazer. In 2008, they have launched FZ-16 and R15. They have also launched
an upgraded version of FZ-16 i.e. FZ-S. Currently, Yamaha have a market share of about
3.5% in the Indian two-wheeler market.

3.3 SWOT Analysis

STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES
• High quality products to exceed • Yamaha has narrow product line in
customer expectations.
Indian market.
• Attractive design and colours. • Few people are not satisfied with the
• Strong brand name all over the mileage of the bikes.
world as well as in India. • Not giving promotional schemes for
• Availability of easy finance longer time periods.
schemes from Bussan Auto
 Finance. • Poor advertisement of the product.
• Use of latest technology for
production.

• Low maintenance and low

expenses per kilometer.

• Now it comes with a changed

handlebar which is more
comfortable to drive.

• Availability of the product in the

market.
• Broad and intensive distribution
network across the country.

OPPORTUNITIES THREATS

• The Sales may be increased if
advertisements are made more
attracting to the young generation
and the advertisement is made
with any celebrity.
• Targeting the upper-middle class
people and the young generation.
• Retailer’s motivation.
• Demand is increasing with the
time in the motorcycle segment.
• One of the best and popular brands
of the world, so company can use
its brand image for advertising and
attracting people.
• Low end cars like TATA Nano are
eating away the share of high end
motorcycle manufacturers.
• Bajaj and TVS are also producing
same segment bikes at same price with
more powerful engine.
• Bajaj Pulsar is the strongest rival with
high performance and frequent
variations and up gradations.
• Different effective promotional
schemes of competitors.
• Honda Motors & Scooters Limited is
pursuing Indian Motorcycle Market
vigorously.

• The vast rural market is

 opportunity in waiting by catering
to attractive financial schemes.

Chapter 4

Data collection

Data collected is an elaborate process in which the researcher makes a planned search for
all the relevant data. Data is the foundation of all marketing research. It is the raw
material with which a researcher functions.

4.1 Primary Data

Primary Data is the original data collected by the researcher. It has a specific purpose of
addressing the problem at hand. One set of questionnaire was prepared. The structured
questionnaire consisted of closed ended questions. The questions were made simple and
easy to answer for the interviewer. The customers to be interviewed were selected by the
researcher.. The respondents had to be in the age group between 18 – 60 years and they
must own a two-wheeler in Delhi & NCR( Noida, G. Noida, Meerut, Muradabad,
Gurgaon, Ghaziabad).
Methods of data Collection used:

 Questionnaire: In personal interviews, respondents are face to face with the

interviewer, thus complex and varied questions could be asked.

QUESTIONNAIRE DESIGN PROCESS.

Specify the information
needed

Specify the Type of

interviewing method

Determine the content of

individual questions

1
 1

Design the questionnaire to overcome the

respondent’s inability and unwillingness to answer
the questions

Decide on question
structure

Determine the question

wording

Arrange the questions in a proper

sequence

Identify the form and layout

Reproduce the
questionnaire

Eliminate bugs by pre-

testing
Chapter 5

Findings & Data Analysis

1. AGE OF THE RESPONDENTS

Age Group Figure Percent

Under 20 Years 26 7.536%
21-25 Years 151 43.768%
26-30 Years 87 25.217%
31-35 Years 38 11.014%
36-40 Years 18 5.217%
41-50 Years 18 5.217%
Above 51 Years 7 2.029%
TOTAL RESPONDENTS 345 100.000%
All the possible age groups from 18 years of age till 60 years of age were
considered. Since youngsters are the major market for the motorcycles, age group
21-35 were aggressively surveyed. As is evident from the sample data, preference
for motorcycle goes on decreasing as the age limit crosses 35 years. Age limit
above 51 years is the least attractive segment for the motorcycle companies. To
be a leader in the motorcycle market , thus, every company should try to pursue
18-35 years of age. Better still if the company is able to cater to distinguish
between these sub-segments.

2. RESPONDENTS PROFILE:
Occupation Figure Percent
Student 143 41%
Office Employee 109 32%
Factory Worker 12 3%
Shop Owner 21 6%
Business Man 16 5%
Professional (lawyers, doctors) 39 11%
Farmer 3 1%
Others( Retired personnel) 2 1%
TOTAL RESPONDENTS 345 100%
All the occupation groups were tried to be covered. Majority of the sample was students,
the major market of motorcycles. Also this segment is most volatile. Yamaha can
leverage this segment by providing them certain motivations (like increased number of
free services). Office goers come second. Distant third come professionals ( doctors,
lawyers,..). Together these three segments make for 85 percent of the motorcycle market
in the surveyed group. These segments should be holistically pursued to emerge a market
winner.
3. Which two motorcycle attracts you a lot

Model Series1(first Series2(second Series3

preference) preference)
Pulsar150 38 28 104
Karizma ZMR 27 49 103
R15 22 28 72
Karizma 33 66
Pulsar180 25 11 61
Apache 14 29 57
Pulsar200 26 52
FZ-S 12 18 42
Fazer 10 17 37
Pulsar220 4 26 34

Series1= first preference Series 2= second preference

Series3=(series1)*2+(series2)

In the surveyed group, clearly Pulsar 150 is the first preference. Karizma ZMR is
the second most preferred brand. Yamaha has three models in the top ten most
preferred bikes namely,R15( third most preferred bike), FZ-S (eighth most
preferred bike) and Fazer (ninth most preferred bike). Also effectiveness of brand
promotion by constant bombardment is depicted from the Pulsar Model bikes
from the stables of Bajaj. Pulsar is mainly positioned in consumers bikes as “the
bike”.

4. These motorcycles belong to which companies

Hero
Bajaj Yamaha Honda TVS HMSI Suzuki Others

Apache RTR 3.48% 3.00% 5.51% 86.67% 0.29% 0.29% 0.29%

Pulsar135 97.39% 2.03% 0.29% 0.29% 0% 0% 0%

Karizma ZMR 1.15% 1.44% 96.23% 0% 1.12% 0.29% 0%

Fazer 0.29% 13.04% 2.90% 4.93% 8.99% 68.99% 1.12%

GS150 R 0.29% 13.04% 2.90% 4.93% 8.99% 68.99% 1.12%

CBF Stunner 1.44% 1.44% 13.62% 2.30% 68.99% 11.59% 0.58%

The most striking feature of this question was its outcome. Major/ new brands from
all the stables are well known, irrespective of the age of the respondents. Also Pulsar
and Karizma ZMR are well known brands as no ‘other’ option was ticked for these
two bikes. Also, there were some percentages of the ‘other’ options for all other
bikes. This calls for further positioning on part of these companies.

5. Which Brand you like most

Company Percentage
Bajaj 27.83%
Yamaha 18.84%
Hero Honda 39.13%
Honda 4.35%
TVS 8.70%
Suzuki 1.16%

Hero Honda Motorcycles Limited ( the world leader in sales) tops the list. Next
comes Bajaj Auto Limited. Followed by India Yamaha Motorcycles Ltd. Yamaha far
outweighs its major rivals( big brothers in the Indian market)-TVS, Honda. This
establishes the fact that Yamaha needs to promote its bikes aggressively. It is very
much feasible for Yamaha to become number three in the Indian market. This also
 establishes the fact that consumers prefer Yamaha bikes as an efficient bike
manufacturer with the capability to satisfy their inherent biking needs. Also since
youth segment was the aggressively pursued brand, this bodes well for Yamaha.
Some stimulus is needed to gain the pocket share of consumers compared to TV and
HMSI.

6. Specify your source for awareness of motorcycles.

Source Percentage
TVCF 19.42%
Newspaper 16.81%
Magazine 15.65%
Showroom 12.17%
Family/ Friends 23.77%
Internet 8.41%
Hoardings 2.90%
Road Show 0.87%
Others 0.00%
 Interestingly family and friends tops the major source of awareness for
motorcycles. This was specifically true in the case of students. Thus positioning
itself as a ‘manufacturer of safety first’ bikes, companies targeting this company
stand a good chance to be the market leader. But also, this is the most style
conscious segment. Thus it is imperative to maintain the style quotient in the
models. TVCF comes as the second best source of awareness. Thus this source of
advertisement cannot be neglected. This calls for more aggressive advertising on
part of Yamaha. Newspapers come at third place. Also, newspapers are a robust
source of advertisement in rural areas, where electricity is a rare commodity. This
print media should be assiduously pursued to augment the brand reach in the
whole country.

7. What influenced you more in purchase of your bike

Factor Percent

Family/ Friends 40.00%

Girl Friend 12.75%

Hoarding 4.06%

Show Off 5.51%

Personal Experience 29.28%

Information from Dealer/ Showroom 1.74%

Test Drive 3.19%

Resale Value 2.90%

Others 0.58%

Across all age groups, family and friends was the most influencing factor in the
purchase of motorcycles. Also since students (youth) are the major market for
motorcycles, favourable positioning as a value brand, the motorcycle manufacturer
can gain acceptance. In the age of nuclear families, parents are the main source of
influence. Thus motorcycle companies should position themselves as a “safety first”
bike manufacturers. For all other age groups, personal experience is the main
influencing factor. Quality is imperative to gain acceptance. Satisfied customers
 spread a positive word for the brand. Also tend to become repeat buyers. Thus
satisfying the needs in a better way than competitors will catapult Yamaha to be the
market leader in the Indian market.

8. Company you associate with racing

Manufacturer Percentage
Bajaj 16.52%
Yamaha 45.51%
Hero Honda 16.23%
TVS 4.35%
Honda 7.83%
Suzuki 9.57%
 Yamaha is known as a racing bikes manufacturer. Yamaha’s RX 100 is still
revered for its pick-up and speed. Speed Biking is mainly attributed to Yamaha. It
holds the record for maximum wins in Grand Prix. The Government of India is
investing heavily in roads and highways. Properly pursuing the inherent racing
tendency in youngsters by providing racing bikes will set Yamaha apart from its
competitors. Till now, no Indian manufacturer has provided the super bikes.
These bikes are mainly imported. Setting up speed bikes manufacturing will
provide Yamaha early mover advantage in the Indian market. Also this can be
competitive advantage for Yamaha. But caution must be provided to train safe
biking habits amongst the consumers.

9. Which bike you strongly associate with youth

Manufacturer Percentage
Bajaj 29.86%
Yamaha 34.20%
Hero Honda 27.83%
TVS 3.19%
Honda 3.48%
Suzuki 1.45%

Yamaha is the bike of the youth. In the survey conducted, it far outweighed Bajaj
and Hero Honda. Most striking feature was that all the respondents, irrespective of
the age groups opted Yamaha as truly associated with youth. Youth being the major
market for motorcycles, it is a favourable outcome of Yamaha’s ‘Youth
Approaches’. FZ series and R15 are the bikes designed with youth in mind. Yamaha
 should further explore this profitable segment and try to more than satisfy this
segments needs.

10. Value positioning of motorcycles in the minds of consumers

Stylish
Advanced Reliable/ High / Trend
Traditiona Technolog Trustworth Performanc
l y y e Sporty Setter
Hero
Honda 54.49% 20.58% 51.59% 35.36% 17.97% 33.62%
Bajaj 24.93% 33.91% 29.57% 30.72% 24.64% 28.99%
Yamaha 9.57% 31.59% 11.01% 22.32% 40.87% 17.97%
TVS 3.77% 3.77% 4.35% 3.77% 5.22% 5.22%
HMSI 2.03% 6.67% 1.74% 4.93% 5.80% 3.48%
Suzuki 2.03% 3.48% 0.87% 2.90% 4.35% 4.93%
3.19% 0% 0.87% 0% 1.16% 5.80%

Good Affordable
Innovative Mileage Passionate Price
Hero Honda 25.22% 51.88% 30.72% 37.68%
Bajaj 24.93% 20.87% 24.06% 29.28%
Yamaha 27.54% 8.12% 20.87% 9.57%
TVS 4.64% 11.59% 7.54% 15.65%
HMSI 6.38% 4.35% 6.96% 4.35%
Suzuki 5.51% 2.90% 3.19% 2.32%
5.80% 0.29% 6.67% 0%

Interestingly for attribute ( barring technology, performance and affordability)

there seemed to be lack of customer satisfaction on other key attributes. These are
the attributes to be pursued religiously and conveyed to the consumers. These are
some of the attributes that can be positioned in the minds of consumers to satisfy
their unmet needs. Hero Honda dominates nearly all the attributes. This
elucidates the reason for its market leader position. Yamaha as a brand leads as
being the most innovative and most stylish bikes manufacturer. This supports the
endeavor of Yamaha as the ‘youth centric’. This makes it all the more likeable
brand among the youth, the major market for motorcycles. Yamaha should
assiduously pursue this segment to out-beat its competitors.
11. Gauging consumers attachment with the brands.
Brand Recommenders Preferers
Bajaj 35.36% 29.86%
Yamaha 21.16% 20.87%
Hero Honda 34.49% 37.10%
TVS 6.67% 8.12%
Suzuki 3.19% 1.74%
HMSI 2.03% 2.32%
Hero Honda is the most preferred bike while Bajaj is the most recommended brand in the
surveyed group. This shows an interesting dichotomy on part of consumers. Ideally there
should be a common yardstick for liking of a bike. Respondents had ranked Bajaj higher
on ‘ advanced technology’ and ‘stylish’ vis-à-vis Hero Honda. May be this is the reason
for this dichotomy. Yamaha was adjudged as the most stylish bike, but is not the most
recommended. May be ‘advanced technology’ attribute is the reason behind this. As
regards to other brands, Yamaha outweighs TVS, Suzuki and HMSI on ‘recommender’
and ‘preferers’. This establishes the fact that Yamaha is on the way to beat these rivals in
the intensely competitive Indian market. Augmented brand promotion is needed on part
of Yamaha to increase its market share. ‘ Kando’ will definitely be gained through
intensive promotion of the brand.

12. Which Brand you will never buy

Brand Percentage
Bajaj 5.51%
Yamaha 11.01%
Hero Honda 3.77%
TVS 30.14%
HMSI 22.32%
Suzuki 27.25%
 Market leader position doesnot indicates that the brand is revered by all. Hero
Honda Motorcycles, the most selling bikes brand( in the world) by volumes is
also a no-no for 3.77% of the respondents. 5.55% of the respondents are averse to
Bajaj. This establishes that it is impossible for any single brand to satisfy the
market as a whole, hence the utility of segmentation. Yamaha fairs much better
compared to other brands. This again establishes the importance of promotional
activities. Augmented promotional activities on national scale can catapult
Yamaha far ahead of TVS and HMSI.

13. Reasons for rejection:

Baja Yamah Hero TV HMS Suzuk TOTA

j a Honda S I i L
Already have 1 1
Bad engine 1 1 2
Balancing problem 2 1 3
Chain set problem 1 1
Due to obsolescence 1 1
Friends comments 2 1 5 8
High maintenance 3 3 3 3 12
High price 1 6 2 1 2 8 20
Lack of Awareness 1 6 10 13 30
Lack of good models 3 6 10 3 22
Less features 1 1 2
Less pickup 1 1
Less Varieties 11 5 2 18
Low mileage 9 5 1 11 26
low performance 1 1 1 14 8 4 29
Never tried 1 1
No connection with youth 1 1
No interest in brand 1 1 1 3
No liking for the brand 4 2 9 7 6 28
No new models 3 3
Not attractive 1 4 1 19 4 18 47
Not comfortable 2 3 5
Not competitive 1 1 2
Not innovative 1 1 4 3 1 10
Past experience 1 1 2 3 1 8
Past market performance 2 1 3

Baja Yamah Hero TV HMS Suzuk TOTA

j a Honda S I i L
Poor after sales service 2 2 3 4 11
Poor brand image 2 6 1 1 10
Resale value 2 1 2 1 6
Shocker problem 2 2
Short in size 2 2
Test drive 4 4
Very common 1 3 4
Weak body, Not reliable 1 1 6 5 4 17
TOTAL 19 38 13 104 76 93
Several Reasons were attributed for rejection. We graphed top 15 reasons for this
rejection. Here some tandem was seen as per the market position of the top 2 players in
the Indian motorcycle segment. Both Hero Honda and Bajaj have les negative attributes
assigned to them. Improving on other attributes and these attributes ingeniously can
leverage Yamaha to much better market share. Also Yamaha is way ahead compared to
other brands. This augments well for Yamaha. Yamaha should hone upon the mileage
problem. Majority of the respondents complained about Yamaha’s low average attribute.
Also their bikes are positioned as costly. This presents unique technical challenge for
Yamaha. Costs should be regulated considering the demand. Powerful bikes guzzle
petrol. Thus Yamaha should launch more economical bikes with optimum mileage. Care
should be taken that proper segmentation is positioned in the minds of consumers
regarding power bikes and economical bikes.

14. Brand Personality of India Yamaha Motor Pvt. Ltd.

personality Percentage
Yuvraj Singh 6.09%
M S Dhoni 8.99%
Hrithik Roshan 11.30%
John Abraham 73.62%

Objective behind asking this question was to gauge the consumer awareness of Yamaha
brand particularly. Consumers identify the brand with the personality endorsing the
brand. John Abraham is an avid biker. Also he is the perfection of typical Indian youth.
He has his own cult following amongst the youths. The percentage of correct awareness
commensurate with the brand awareness of the consumers. 74% of the respondents
correctly identified John as the brand personality of IYM Ltd. Most interesting fact was
that regardless of age, consumers had this awareness. This establishes that consumers
follow Yamaha. Yamaha needs to seriously adapt itself to the Indian market needs, to
beat its rivals. Serious analysis of all the various aspects of the business is necessitated by
this finding. It comes distant 5 even when adequate awareness levels about the brand
persist.

15. Favourite and non-favourite colour in general

Favourite Color Percentage Not Favourite Color Percentage

Cream 0.29% Maroon 0.29%
Maroon 1.16% Metallic 0.29%
Metallic 0.58% Cream 0.87%
Orange 0.58% Grey 1.74%
Grey 1.45% Purple 1.74%
Purple 0.87% Brown 2.32%
Silver 1.45% Silver 3.19%
Yellow 2.61% Pink 5.80%
Green 3.19% Orange 5.51%
White 3.19% White 7.83%
Pink 3.48% Green 8.70%
Blue 1.16% Black 21.16%
Red 22.61% Blue 13.04%
Black 46.96% Yellow 18.26%
Red 19.71%
 YELLOW YELLOW
W HITE W HITE
SILVER SILVER
RED RED
PURPLE
PURPLE
PINK
PINK
ORANGE
METTALIC ORANGE
MAROON METTALIC
GREY MAROON
GREEN GREY
CREAM
GREEN
BLUE
CREAM
BLACK
BLUE
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
BLACK

BROWN BROWN
YELLOW YELLOW
WHITE WHITE
SILVER
SILVER
RED
PURPLE RED
PINK PURPLE
ORANGE PINK
METTALIC
ORANGE
MAROON
GREY METTALIC
GREEN MAROON
CREAM GREY
BLUE
GREEN
BLACK
CREAM
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 BLUE
BLACK
The objective behind this question was to ask their favourite and non-favourite colour.
This was done to know if there is a general tendency to choose particular colour(s) in
favourite and non-favourite category, by the whole sample. Also the reply to this
question was to be compared with favourite and non-favourite colour of their bikes. Any
relationship, if any, between the responses was to be studied.

Interestingly, preference and dislike was concentrated to few colours:

(1) Favourite colour-Red ( 22.61% ) and Black(46.96% )

(2) Non-favourite colour-Black(21.16%) Blue(13.04%) Yellow(18.26%)

Red(19.71%)

Red and Black dominated in both favourite and non-favourite categories. May be
this is due to the largely religious nature of Indian culture. Indian’s seem to buy
products with religious perspective.

16. Favourite and no –favourite colour motor-cycle colour.

MC Favourite Color Percentage MC Not Favourite Color Percentage

Pink 0.29% Metallic 0.29%
Purple 0.29% Maroon 0.29%
Green 0.87% Brown 0.58%
Metallic 0.87% Cream 0.58%
Grey 1.74% Purple 1.93%
Yellow 1.74% Orange 1.74%
White 2.90% Grey 2.32%
Silver 3.19% Silver 4.06%
Blue 8.70% White 7.35%
Red 20.00% Black 8.99%
Black 59.42% Green 10.43%
Blue 13.33%
Yellow 24.06%
Red 24.06%

MC NON FAVOURITE COLOR CREAM

BROWN
CREAM ORANGE
BROWN MAROON
ORANGE
MAROON YELLOW
YELLOW
COLORS

WHITE WHITE
SILVER SILVER
RED
PURPLE RED
METTALIC PURPLE
GREY
GREEN METTALIC
BLUE GREY
BLACK
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 GREEN
BLUE
NO. OF SAMPLES
BLACK
 MC FAVOURITE COLOR

YELLOW
YELLOW
WHITE
SILVER WHITE
RED SILVER
COLORS

PURPLE RED
PINK
PURPLE
METTALIC
GREY PINK
GREEN METTALIC
BLUE GREY
BLACK GREEN
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 BLUE
NO. OF SAMPLES BLACK

White, Silver, Blue, Red and Black are the main favourite and non-favourite colours on
motorcycle. Yellow is one of the top non-favourite colour. Interestingly, the whole world
of colours seems wrapped to few chosen colours. Also, the very same very colours which
are top favourite are also top non-favourite colours. Black is the overall favourite bike
colour. Also, the overall preference for colours in general (question no. 15 & 16) are
nearly similar. Thus, motorcycle companies should look into this special relationship
between colours and consumer preferences.

17. Colour of your present motorcycle

Model Color Percentage

Cream 0.29%
Maroon 0.29%
Purple 0.29%
White 0.58%
Metallic 0.87%
Green 1.16%
Grey 1.45%
Yellow 1.45%
Silver 4.35%
Blue 8.99%
Red 18.55%
Black 61.74%

Red and Black are the major bike-colours with the respondents. Blue comes distant third.

Motorcycle-Companies should concentrate on these colours and try to bring as many

variants in these colours. Yamaha with its Fazer bikes has successfully launched bikes in
red, black and red-black colour. Apart from red, black, blue, silver other colours are
negligent in vehicles. This also provides opportunity for companies. They should try and
provide some new colours to consumers. Proper market testing should be done. This may
throw up some unexpected opportunities.

MODEL COLOR

YELLOW
YELLOW
WHITE WHITE
SILVER SILVER
RED
RED
PURPLE
COLORS

METTALIC PURPLE
MAROON METTALIC
GREY
MAROON
GREEN
CREAM GREY
BLUE GREEN
BLACK
CREAM
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220
BLUE
NO. OF SAMPLES BLACK
 MOD EL C OLOR

Y E L LO W
Y E L LO W
W H ITE W H ITE
S ILV E R S ILV E R
RE D
RE D
P U R P LE
M E TTA L IC P URP LE
COLORS

M A RO O N M E TTA LIC
GRE Y
M A ROON
GRE E N
CRE A M GRE Y
B LUE GRE E N
B LA C K
CRE A M
0 20 40 60 8 0 10 0 12 0 14 0 16 0 18 0 20 0 22 0
B LUE
NO . O F S A M P L ES B LA CK

18. Why did you choose the particular colour in your motorcycle.

Respondents were provided with 25 attributes in all namely

1) Macho 2) Rich 3) Sophisticated 4) Youth 5) Trendy 6) Unique

7) Safe 8) Shiny 9) Sporty 10) Racy Image 11) Decent
12) Eye Catchy/ Attractive 13) Professional 14) Smart 15) Bright 16) Stylish

17)Suits Personality 18) Vibrant 19) Maintenance Free 20) Religious 21)
Sober
 22) Never Fade 23) Dust/Scratch less visible 24) Passionate 25) Funky
26) others please specify: ____________

They were asked to opt for the attributes they think is provided by the colours they
chose.

The responses varied for each colour as-

RE

35
FACTORS FOR CHOOSING BLACK

30
25
20
ES
 FACTORS FOR CHOOSING BLACK

Shiny
Sporty
Youth
Macho
Dust free
Unique
Decent
Trendy
Sophistic
Stylish
Racy
Attractive
FACTORS

Rich Series2
Smart Series1
Suits
Never fade
Professio
Safe
Passionat
sober
Funky
Bright
viberant
Religious
Maintaina
Others
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
NO. OF SAMPLES

FACTORS FOR CHOOSING RED

 F A C T O R S F O R C H O O S IN G R E D

S h in y
Tre n d y
M ac ho
Y outh
S t y lis h
Decent
S p o rt y
S m a rt
P ro fe s s io n a l
B rig h t
U n iq u e
COLORS

S e rie s 1
R e lig io u s
S a fe
R ic h
R a c y Im a g e
N e ve r fa d e
A t t ra c t ive
vib e ra n t
S u it s
S o p h is t ic a t e d
M a in t a in a n c e
D u s t fre e
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
NO . O F S AM P LES
FACTORS FOR CHOOSING BLUE
 F A C T O R S F O R C H O O S IN G B L U E

S p o rt y
S t y lis h
S u it s p e rs o n a lit y
S m a rt
Funky
N e ve r fa d e
S h in y
U n iq u e
Y outh
FACTORS

S o p h is tic a t e d
M a in t a in a n c e fre e
P ro fe s s io n a l S e rie s 1
A t t ra c t ive
D ec ent
R a c y Im a g e
R ic h
B rig h t
S a fe
M ac ho
0 1 2 3 4 5 6

NO . O F S AM P LES

FACTORS FOR CHOOSING SILVER

 F A C T O R S F O R C H O O S IN G S IL V E R

S h in y
M a in t a in a n c e
S a fe
U n iq u e
S o p h is tic a t e d
R ic h
D u s t fre e
vib e ra n t
FACTORS

S u it s p e rs o n a lit y
S t y lis h
B rig h t S e rie s 1
S m a rt
R a c y Im a g e
S p o rty
Tre n d y
Y o u th
M acho
0 0 .5 1 1 .5 2 2.5 3

N O . O F S A M P L ES

19. Regarding Motorcycle design what are the important aspects.

Regarding MC Design Percentage
Body Style/ Design 1.74%
High Contrast Color 8.41%
Component Color 15.07%
Sticker Design 21.16%
Body Color 48.99%
Riding Comfort 4.64%

IMPORTANT FACTORS OF MC DESIGN

180
160
140
120
100
NO. OF SAMPLES
80
60 Series1
40
20 Series2
0
Body Color StickerComponent High Riding Body
Design Color Contrast Comfort Style/
Color Design
FACTORS

Top features opted by the respondents were-

Body colour, sticker design and component colour. Surprisingly, riding comfort and body
style were lower on the count. This may be comprehended as consumers take riding
comfort and body design as an accepted, irrefutable offering and they further ask for
these aesthetic features. Also since youth is the major market for motorcycles, this shows
the demanding preferences of today’s younger generation.

They need bikes to flaunt besides serving the basic biking wants.
Thus, to gain larger share of the market companies should focus on these and other
innovative aesthetic appeals in the models. Yamaha has lately offered several such
innovations. This has resulted in ever greater market share for Yamaha in the Indian
market.

20. Your Dream Motorcycle

Model percentage model percentage

Thunderbird 0.87% Achiever 0.29%
FZ-16 1.16% Aprilia 0.29%
Machismo 1.16% Caliber 0.29%
Apache RTR 1.45% Discover 135 0.29%
Bullet 1.74% Gs150R 0.29%
Pulsar180 2.03% Intruder 0.29%
RX100 2.03% KTM990 0.29%
CBR 2.32% MT01 0.29%
CBZ Xtreme 2.32% Passion 0.29%
Ducati 2.90% Pulsar135 0.29%
Royal Enfield Classic 3.48% Pulsar200 0.29%
Fazer 3.77% R6 0.29%
Bullet 500 4.93% Rajdoot 0.29%
Harley Davidson 4.06% Splendor 0.29%
Pulsar220 5.80% Bullet 350 0.58%
R1 4.35% Discover 100 0.58%
Avenger 5.22% Glamour 0.58%
Karizma 6.67% Splendor plus 0.58%
Karizma ZMR 7.54% Hunk 0.87%
Kawasaki Ninja 8.41% Pulsar150 0.87%
R15 9.57% Hayabusa 10.14%

The objective behind asking this question was to know the aspirations of
consumers. Different segments have different aspirations. There was preference
for powerful bikes as well as economical bikes. This can be interpreted as –needs
and aspirations evolve with age. Also, financial stability along with personality
type is also an important consideration.
 Yamaha has seven bikes in the treasured category. This shows that Yamaha has
an avid following amongst the consumers.

21. Top three channels you watch most

1st Priority 2nd Priority 3rd Priority weighted

Ten sports 18 14 10 92
V 12 20 13 89
Bindaas 18 18 11 101
HBO 33 12 6 129
Star news 30 14 8 126
Star Sports 18 22 12 110
Colors 42 26 10 188
ESPN 45 14 20 183
Zee Tv 21 54 19 190
Sony 45 48 12 243
Star Plus 72 38 13 305
Discovery 84 28 18 326
Aajtak 90 46 20 382
Mtv 99 46 14 403
NDTV 105 44 18 421

weighted=first priority*3+second priority*2+third priority

Weighted=(First priority)*3 + (Second priority)*2+ (Third priority)

Objective behind this question was to know the channels which will gain
maximum eyeballs to TVCF. M.Tv topped the list for entertainment( song
channels) ND Tv is the number one viewed channel It far outstrips other news
channels. Discovery channel is the favourite of all age groups. Thus it can be a
very good source of brand promotion. ESPN tops the sports channels. During
special sporting festivals like T20, companies should provide TVCF round the
year on ESPN.
Idiot box is the favourite source of past time for majority of Indians. Thus this
medium should be considered for maximum brand awareness.

Also this can be a very good medium to influence parents as youth majorly
depend upon their family for their own motorcycles. If cleverly pursued, this can
be a major influence on elders regarding safety of bikes like on mothers while
they are watching their favourite soaps.
Chapter 6

CONCLUSIONS

(1) Yamaha is the most favourite brand amongst youths in the Indian market.

(2) Yamaha is regarded as the original makers of racing bikes by the

respondents.

(3) Yamaha is the third most preferred brand after Hero Honda Motorcycles Ltd.
And Bajaj Auto Ltd.

(4) Youth (Students) are the major market for motorcycles in India.
 (5) Family/friends, TVCF and newspapers are the major source of awareness for
motorcycle brand awareness.

(6) Major influencing factors in the purchase of bikes are-family/ friends,

personal experience and girl friend.

(7) R15, Fazer, FZ-S from Yamaha are amongst the top ten favourite bikes in
the surveyed group.

(8) Hero Honda and Bajaj are considered as brands with most consumer
favourable attributes. They are also the brands most likely to be
preferred and recommended.

(9) Yamaha is way ahead in overall consumer favourable response compared to

TVS, Suzuki, HMSI.

(10) Majority of the Consumers prefer red and black colour in general and also
in their bikes.

(11) Yamaha has maximum number of models in the dream bikes category.

(12) Pulsar variants from the Bajaj stable is the most favourite model from any
company.

Chapter 7

RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on research, following recommendations are made to Yamaha

(1) Yamaha should expand its FZ series. It should promote newer models. Yamaha is
seen as the bike of youth. Also Yamaha is originally considered as the racing bike
manufacturer.

(2) Yamaha should sponsor youth festivals. It should consider every contact points
that can be made with the youth.

(3) Yamaha should also introduce bikes in the economical range. Poor mileage is seen
as the major drawback associated with the Yamaha bikes.

(4) Yamaha should actively consider brand promotions. Yamaha lacks as far as brand
promotion is considered compared to other brands.

(5) Yamaha has much favourable position in the minds of consumers as compared to
TVS, Suzuki and HMSI. Yet it comes distant fifth in the Indian motorcycle
market. It shows lack of consumer’s confidence. Directed promotions towards this
concern should be vigorously held on the national scale.

(6) Company should focus on after-sales service. Proficient service will provide
Yamaha a leading edge.

(7) Yamaha should consider and project itself as a service oriented organisation.
Today consumers demand effective and prompt continuous service. Yamaha
should meet and exceed this want of consumers.
Chapter 8

REFERENCE
www.suzukimotorcycle.co.in

www.honda2wheelersindia.com

www.herohonda.com

www.bajajauto.com

www.tvsmotor.in

www.icra.in/files/PDF/SpecialComments/2010-February-two-Wheeler.pdf

www.siamindia.com

http://www.ptinews.com

The Economic Times

Chapter 9

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Statistics for Managers by Levine,Stephan,Krehbiel,Berenson

Marketing Management by Kotler,Keller,Koshy,Jha

Strategic Marketing by Anderson,vincze

Chapter 10

ANNEXURE
QUESTIONNAIRE

BRAND IMAGE OF MOTORCYCLES

Place -……………………

Model name - ……………

1. Name ……………………………………. 2. Age…….

3. What is your occupation?

1) Student 2) Office Employee 3) Factory Employee 4) Shop Owner
5) Business Person 6) Professionals (Dr., Lawyer...) 7) Farmer 8) others:
______________
4. Which motorcycle attracts you a lot? a.) _________________ b.)
_______________

5. Which company the following motorcycle brand belongs ?

Bajaj Yamah Hero TVS HMSI Suzuk Others

a Honda i

Apache
RTR
Pulsar135
Karizma
ZMR

Bajaj Yamah Hero TVS HMSI Suzuk Others

a Honda i
Fazer
GS150R
CBF
stunner

6. Which brand you like the most?

1.) Bajaj 2.)Yamaha 3) Hero Honda 4.)Honda 5.) TVS 6.) Suzuki

7. Please specify your source of awareness for motorcycles:

 1.) TVCF 2.) Newspaper 3) Magazine 4.) Showroom 5.) Family/ Friends
6.) Internet 7.) Hoardings8.) Road Show 9.)Others, plz specify……..

8. What/Who influenced you more for purchasing a motorcycle?

1) Friends/ Family 2.) Girl Friend 3.) Hoardings 4.) Show off 5.) Personal
Experience 6.) Information from Dealer / motorcycle shop 7.) Test Drive 8.)Resale
value 9) Others, plz specify

9. Which company you associate with racing?

1. Bajaj 2. Yamaha 3. Hero Honda 4. TVS 5. Honda 6.Suzuki

10. Which company you strongly associate with youth?

1. Bajaj 2. Yamaha 3. Hero Honda 4. TVS 5. Honda 6.Suzuki

11. Which of the words/statements you think best describes the following companies?

Hero Bajaj Yamaha TVS HMSI(Honda) Suzuki

Honda
Traditional
Advanced
Technology
Reliable/ Trust-
worthy
High Performance
Stylish/ Sporty
Trend setter
Innovative
Good Mileage
Hero Bajaj Yamaha TVS HMSI(Honda) Suzuki
Honda
Passionate
Affordable Price

12. You would like to be in which category for the following Motorcycle Brand:

Bajaj Yamaha Hero TVS Suzuki HMSI

Honda (Honda)
(1)Recommenders
2.) Preferrers

13. Which Brand you will never buy?

1. Bajaj 2. Yamaha 3. Hero Honda 4. TVS 5. HMSI 6.Suzuki

14.a. Reason for rejecting this particular brand. ………………………

15. Who is the brand ambassador of Yamaha?

1. M.S. Dhoni 2. Hrithik Roshan 3. John Abraham 4. Yuvraj Singh

16. Please write the color name of your favorite & not favorite.
Favorite Color _____________ Not Favorite Color _____________________

17. Please write the Motorcycle color name of your favorite & not favorite.
Favorite Color _____________ Not Favorite Color _____________________

18. Please write the color of your current motorcycle.

Present________________
a. What did you choose the above color?
(Choose from the below listed Keywords & put on the box according to your
priority)

1) Macho 2) Rich 3) Sophisticated 4) Youth 5) Trendy 6) Unique

7) Safe 8) Shiny 9) Sporty 10) Racy Image 11) Decent
12) Eye Catchy/ Attractive 13) Professional 14) Smart 15) Bright 16) Stylish

17)Suits Personality 18) Vibrant 19) Maintenance Free 20) Religious 21)
Sober
22) Never Fade 23) Dust/Scratch less visible 24) Passionate 25) Funky
26) others please specify: ____________

19. Regarding Motorcycle Design, what is an important aspect for you?

(_________________)
1) Body color 2) Sticker Design 3) Component Color 4) High Contrast Color
5) Other Please Specify:__________________
20. What is your dream motorcycle? Model Name - ………………….

21. Top 3 channels you watch most.. 1…………….. 2………………. 3……………….