The two-wheeler industry in India has grown rapidly in the country since the announcement of the process of liberalization in 1991 by the then finance minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, now Prime Minister of India.
Previously, there were only a handful of two-wheeler models available in the country. Currently, India is the second largest producer of two-wheelers in the world. It stands next only to China and Japan in terms of the number of two-wheelers produced and the sales of two-wheelers respectively. In the year 2005-2006, the annual production of two-wheelers in India stood at around 7600801 units.
The trend of owning two-wheelers is due to a variety of facts peculiar to India. One of the chief factors is poor public transport in many parts of India. Additionally, two-wheelers offer a great deal of convenience and mobility for the Indian family.
Bajaj auto began trading in imported Vespa Scooters in 1948. Meanwhile Automobile Products of India (API) commenced production of scooters in the country in the early 50’s. Until 1958, API and Enfield were the only producers of two-wheelers in India. However, Bajaj signed a technical collaboration in 1960 with Piaggio of Italy to produce Bajaj Scooters. This deal expired in 1971.
Motorcycle companies like the Yamaha, Honda, and Kawasaki, set up shop in India in collaboration with various Indian two-wheeler companies. Companies like Escorts, Rajdoot and faced immense competition from smaller 100 cc Japanese technology motorbikes. Bikes manufactured by Hero Honda, the only company manufacturing four-stroke bikes at that time, gained massive popularity.
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