What Is Yamaha India Upto?

Reliving the Japanese bike maker's legacy through exclusive insights from Eishin Chihana, Chairman of Yamaha Motor India Group of Companies

- Niraj Kakade

Yamaha's allure encompasses

both motorcyclists and musicians, intertwining them like a delicate thread connecting musical notes. It's a bit of an exaggeration, but its Indian voyage mirrors the progression of a symphonystarting gently, rising to a crescendo, and occasionally causing moments of confusion along the way.

Exploring Yamaha's narrative is akin to peeling back the layers of an orchestra's performance. Through insights shared by Yamaha Motor India Group Of Companies Chairman, Eishin Chihana, we aim to decipher what this melody holds for the world's largestgrowing two-wheeler market.

ALLEGRO EARLY DAYS

In 1985, Yamaha Motor entered the Indian market, partnering with Escorts Kubota Limited. Their first product, the 'Rajdoot 350,' was an adaptation of the Japanese RD350B, redesigned for India. This model aimed to mimic the RD 350's 1970s success in Japan.

Despite the RD350's discontinuation in Japan by the mid-1970s due to emissions norms, its introduction in India in 1983 marked a technological breakthrough.

It featured a 7-port two-stroke paralleltwin engine, Yamaha's Torque Induction System, and a 6-speed transmission, achieving 0 to 60kmph in less than four seconds.

"I perceive this bike as remarkably ahead of its time, delivering a performance that most riders weren't prepared for," says Karan Ramgopal, a professional motorcyclist and automotive journalist associated with EVO India.

Such is the cult status of the RD350 even to date that Ramgopal wishes he "could have experienced it firsthand when it was readily available. If I had the chance to own one, I'd likely take the classic route, perhaps crafting a splendid neo-retro cafe racer." However, the RD350 struggled to resonate due to high fuel consumption, purchase price, limited spare parts, and a shortage of service personnel.