Mumbai, DHNS:  The trickling effect of the excise duty cut announced in February has finally pushed sales of two-wheeler companies.

The Pune-based Bajaj Auto Ltd on Thursday recorded a sales growth of 24 per cent during the month ended April 30, 2008  at 203,081 units as against 164,304 units sold in the same month of the previous year in the motorcycle segment.  However, Bajaj Auto’s three-wheelers sale fell by 26 per cent at 17,913 units as compared to 24,360 units.  Exports grew by a stomping 42 per cent during the period at 73,624 units as against 51,926 units posted in April 2007.

Total vehicle sales including both two and three-wheeler grew by 17 per cent at 221,843 units when compared to 190,052 units.

Hero Honda sales up 9 pc

Hero Honda Motors Ltd, on Thursday, reported a 9.03 per cent jump in motorcycle sales during April at 2,86,252 units against 2,62,544 units in the same month last year. “This sales performance comes even as the industry reels under high interest rates and lack of consumer finance,” the company said in a statement.

The company’s recent launches for the urban youth, such as CBZ X-treme and Hunk, have helped almost double its share in the premium segment, it added.

It plans to increase the number of its ‘touch point’ to 3,500 during the current year from the existing 3,000, Hero Honda LMotors Ltd added in their statement.

TVS sales up 5 per cent

In a related macro development, the Chennai based TVS Motor Company on Thursday reported a 4.81 per cent jump in two-wheeler sales during April at 1,09,937 units as compared to 1,04,893 units for the same month previous year.  

A statement issued by TVS Motor stated that during the month, its motorcycle sales stood at 58,202 units, as against 53,499 units last year, while in the scooter segment as many as 19,034 units were sold as compared to 18,798 units in April 2007. 

However, TVS Motor’s exports rose by 41.24 per cent to 10,213 units in April as against 7,231 units in the corresponding period a year ago.

“In keeping with its intention to introduce seasonal limited editions every year, TVS Motor Company has signed up with the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) as a licensee and will bring out two limited edition scooters, design of which will be inspired by the spirit of Wimbledon,” the statement said.