Reference Auto

So, TVS has revved up in the 125-cc bike segment with the Phoenix, and wants to close in with the top two players, Hero Honda and Bajaj Auto, with some judicious pricing.

The 125 cc Phoenix has been intelligently priced around Rs 53,000 ex-showroom, which is almost a steal for a 125-cc bike and will vie with the likes of Honda Shine, Bajaj Discover and Hero MotoCorp Glamour (with a price advantage, of course). The Chennai-based firm plans to re-launch the 100 cc Victor in about nine months.

The TVS Phoenix.

The Phoenix is propelled by a new, 124.5 cc, single-cylinder, air-cooled and four-stroke engine, which TVS calls Ecothrust. The new engine has a CV carburettor, which is still unique in this segment.

Some of the attractive features in the Phoenix are a digital speedo with amber backlight, a digital fuel gauge, a low battery reminder and petal disc brake in the front.

The Phoenix comes with 10.9 bhp of maximum power at 8,000 rpm, and 1.1 kgm of torque at 6,000 rpm.

The Phoenix can rev at an amazing acceleration, and reach 60 km per hour in 8 seconds and the highest speed limit is 96 km per hour. It has a mileage of 68 km to a litre.

The motorcycle has an unusual blend of a conservative bike with a contemporary look. There are six-spoke alloy wheels, and its engine along with the exhaust system and a few other parts have a black look.

The seat is well-padded and comes with a dual-texture fabric, giving a very comfortable and stable ride. There is a hazard warning switch, which comes as standard on the Phoenix, and this is a first for this category of motorcycles in India.

Arun Siddharth, general manager, marketing and head of motorcycles at TVS Motor said the company planned a litany of product launches in 2012-13, along with upgrades of some existing products. TVS has already launched the 2012 Apache Series RTR.

An upbeat Siddharth added, “Our market share in motorcycles segment is likely to go up by 2.5 per cent to 9.5 per cent owing to the launch of our deluxe Phoenix 125 cc motorcycle.”

At the price of just above Rs 50,000 (which is very affordable for a 125 cc bike), the Phoenix, considering its features and comfort, is the first such bike from TVS stable and as a result, the Chennai firm may depend heavily on it to rev up sales and keep TVS among the top three players in the Indian two-wheeler market.