The COVID-19 pandemic comes as the latest, and quite possibly the toughest obstacle our beleaguered automotive industry has had to endure. With manufacturers already facing immense pressure due to the switch to BS6, COVID-19 has massively complicated matters. The country-wide lockdown has left dealerships with quite a lot of BS4 stock, and the Supreme Court recently granting conditional extension for the BS4 registration deadline only comes as a small relief. According to it, 10 percent of unsold stock can be sold for 10 days post the lockdown.
This is clearly not enough for a lot of dealerships and many are still trying to sell their stocks before the March 31 deadline. We managed to get in touch with a few of them to find out what bikes were left and if there were any discounts being offered on them, and here’s a list.
All prices mentioned are ex-showroom. Discounts are subject to change, depending on city and availability of stocks. Contact your local dealer for exact discounts.
Kawasaki
Ninja 1000
Discounts: Up to Rs 1.3 lakh off
Original price: Rs 10.29 lakh onwards
The Ninja 1000 is Kawasaki’s litre-class sports-tourer that’s powered by a 1,043cc in-line-four engine that makes 142hp at 10,000rpm and 111Nm of torque at 7,300rpm.
BMW
F 750 GS
Discounts: Up to Rs 4 lakh off
Original price: Rs 13.5 lakh onwards
The F750 GS may not be as off-road equipped as the F 850 GS that shares the same 853cc parallel twin engine but it's still one of the most capable middleweight ADVs in the country. And this discounted price point is possibly the lowest this bike has ever been available for.
F 850 GS Adventure
Discounts: Up to Rs 4 lakh off
Original price: Rs 16.3 lakh onwards
The F 850 GS Adventure gets a larger fuel tank, added crash protection, a taller seat, adjustable rear brake and gear levers, a bash plate, knuckle-guards and an adjustable windscreen over the standard bike.
Certain BMW Motorrad dealers we spoke with also informed us that there are certain demo bikes that are on sale.
Ducati
Multistrada 1260 Enduro
Discounts: Up to Rs 2.5 lakh off
Original price: Rs 19.99 lakh onwards
The Multistrada 1260 Enduro is powered by the same engine as on the standard Multistrada 1260 and provides the power of a sportbike with the off-road ability of an enduro.
959 Panigale
Discounts: Up to Rs 2.5 lakh off
Original price: Rs 15.3 lakh onwards
Ducati’s entry-level supersport has been updated internationally, with the Panigale V2 that runs a retuned iteration of the same engine with the styling of the V4. While that bike will be a little more expensive, this is your last chance to get your hands on the baby Panigale at a good discount.
The dealer we spoke with informed us that a similar discount was being offered on nearly all models that are left in stock.
Indian
A dealer we got in touch with had only a limited number of bikes left in stock, one unit each of the Scout, Chief Darkhorse and FTR 1200, all being offered with a discount of Rs 1.5 lakh.
Motoroyale
MV Agusta F3 RC
Discounts: Up to Rs 6.5 lakh off
Original price: Rs 21.99 lakh onwards
This is probably the most exclusive item on this list! Only six units of the limited-edition F3 RC were allocated for the country when it launched in India last year, and the Mumbai dealership has one unit left to sell. The bike has an ex-showroom price of Rs 21.99 lakh, but the dealer tells us that with the discount coming into play, that’s how much it now costs on-road.
MV Agusta Turismo Veloce 800
Discounts: Up to Rs 6.5 lakh off
Original price: Rs 18.99 lakh onwards
MV Agusta calls the Turismo Veloce “the everyday F3” and that’s because the sporty characteristics of the bike outweigh its touring side. Powering the bike is a 798cc, three-cylinder motor that makes 110hp and 80Nm of torque. On sale, the bike is now available at a price of Rs 16.5 lakh on-road!
SWM Superdual T
Discounts: Up to Rs 2 lakh off
Original price: Rs 6.5 lakh onwards
The same dealership also informed us that one unit of the SWM Superdual T was available at an on-road price of Rs 5.5 lakh.