TVS Bikes

The journey of TVS Motors started in 1911, when TV Sundaram Iyengar, a lawyer-turned businessman from Tamil Nadu, realized how motor vehicles had the potential to change lives and founded the first bus service in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The business bug was in his genes, and over the course of years, he passed on the baton to his offspring, which resulted in the company entering the realm of automotive component manufacturing. The company partnered with UK-based Clayton Dewandre Holdings and started to manufacture automotive components in 1962 under the name Sundaram Clayton. 

Cut to almost two decades later, the brand launched India’s first 2-seater 50cc moped, called the TVS 50. This unassuming little two-wheeler cemented the brand’s reputation with its simplicity and reliability, marking the beginning of TVS’ eventful journey in the Indian automotive Industry.

TVS-Suzuki Partnership & Tryst With Racing:

Soon after the launch of the TVS 50, the company dabbled in the world of motorsports by stripping down and blitzing the moped around the track clocking insane speeds of 105kmph. And this was back in 1982.

After five years, TVS created a new entity called TVS Racing which went on to make a name for itself in various motorsport events including rally, rallycross and road racing. Not only that, but TVS Racing is also the first to introduce One-Make Racing Championships (OMRC) which have become one of the havens for budding motorcycle racers from across the country.

Apart from entering the racing scene, 1982 also marked an important development for TVS in the form of the TVS-Suzuki partnership. The Japanese were well-known for their technological prowess and ingenuity, which made a lot of Indian companies want to partner up with them. This was a win-win situation for both the companies as the Japs were able to enter the Indian automotive market and in return, the Indian companies received the technical know-how of things. 

The 90s witnessed the arrival of a number of two-stroke motorcycles like the Suzuki Shogun and Samurai, which gave enthusiasts a worthy alternative to the iconic Yamaha RX100. TVS-Suzuki was also known for offering many first-in-segment features. The Shogun was India’s first bike with a catalytic converter, and the Shaolin was the country’s first motorcycle with a five-speed transmission. TVS didn’t stop with motorcycles, but also entered the scooter market with the famed Scooty in 1994, known for its lightweight and sleek styling, catering to a larger audience.

Dawn Of A New Independent Era:

TVS’s partnership with Suzuki ended in 2001. Despite the stricter emission norms and the arrival of new competitors, TVS was still going strong and launched the Victor, India’s first fully indigenously developed motorcycle.

The 2000s witnessed a steady growth in the 150cc segment with the arrival of the iconic Bajaj Pulsar. Taking that into consideration, TVS embarked on the journey to give a befitting reply, which took time but was completely worth it. The bikemaker launched the TVS Apache in India in 2005, which gave the brand a new identity associated with TVS’ Racing genes from then on. Interestingly, it was actually the Fiero and Fiero F2 that laid the foundation for the Apache range. These bikes were meant to take on the Hero Honda CBZ and the Bajaj Pulsar 150. Even though their fame came slowly, the Apache series heralded TVS’ entry into the 150cc performance-oriented segment. 

For the longest time, TVS missed out on the 300cc motorcycle segment which was flourishing with bikemakers catering to the audience’s demand. As luck would have it, the premium German marque, BMW Motorrad, wanted to tap into this segment as well, as it saw huge potential in developing markets. Then in 2013, TVS and BMW Motorrad announced their collaboration, and almost after four years, this marriage resulted in the launch of the TVS Apache RR 310 in December 2017. With a beautiful and sporty design language, the RR 310 is one of the best-looking, and performing, motorcycles in its segment.

An increase in demand for the electric two-wheelers and the growing market for the same pushed TVS into launching its first all-electric scooter, the TVS iQube Electric in January 2020. Packing practical features, a respectable range, and performance, the iQube Electric enjoys the title of one of the premium electric scooters in the country.

Latest Update:

TVS Motors covers a large portion of the everyday two-wheeler market with an electric scooter, commuter motorcycles and scooters, and commuter-sports bikes and scooters. Moreover, TVS is expected to launch the Fiero 125 retro-styled commuter motorcycle later this year. Apart from that TVS is also working on a neo-retro-esque scrambler motorcycle, the Retron, and with the Rs 1,000 crore investment in its EV strategy, TVS is working to launch half a dozen EVs which could include the TVS Creon electric scooter as well. In addition to that, the TVS-BMW Motorrad partnership has been extended and expanded, and we can expect the first product to come from the extended partnership to be an electric motorcycle.