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R. Savitha

Pune, June 20

LAST year, a Pune-based entrepreneur, Mr R.S. Kanda, entered the already crowded two-wheeler segment with his Thunder 100 motorbike.

One-and-a-half years down the line, he has sold 500 bikes in Maharashtra without a two-wheeler loan option. His plans till December 2005 include the launch of more bikes in the 100 cc segment, a sporty bike, three models in the 150 cc segment and a 125 cc model.

Kanda Motors Pvt Ltd is a 25-year old company which has been supplying auto components to automobile majors in the country.

Talking to Business Line, Mr Kanda said that this is not all. The company is also setting up a Rs 400-crore facility near Pirangut in Pune, which will be ready by March 2007. The funding for this project will be coming in from the company's initial public offering (to be made in six months), banks and financial institutions, he said.

Currently, Kanda Motors is working out of a small facility in Pune, which has a production capacity of 500 bikes per shift. The facility is heavily under-utilised, as banks are not providing funds.

Mr Kanda said the company will offer three models in the 100 cc segment — Thunder (already in the market), Tracer and Traveller (the economy model) at a price range of Rs 34,000 to Rs 38,000. The 125 cc, called Thunder 125 cc, will hit the market by August. Prototypes of the 150 cc models are ready.

The 150 cc (priced between Rs 55,000 and Rs 57,000) will be available along with the sporty model (Rs 45,000 to Rs 47,000) in December. These models will, however, be available only in Maharashtra and Goa for the time being. Depending on the take-off of the vehicle, there would be an all-India launch, he said.

The Thunder 100 cc offers an electric start, a better braking system with a 130-mm brake drum and a wider rear tyre. It is Euro II-norms-complaint and the engine is being imported from China. The models will be available in forest green, maroon, deep shocking purple, yellow, black, silver and fern grey and the expensive ones will also be available in peacock blue.

To cater to the domestic market, the company has about 12 dealers in the rest of Maharashtra and another 10 will be added by the month-end.

In Mumbai, about six dealers will be appointed, he said. Kanda Motors is also planning to set up its own showroom in Pune. It already has on its drawing board the design of an 80 cc vehicle, for which the prototype would be ready within a year, Mr Kanda added.

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