The joint upgrade of BS6 and mandatory ABS is set to increase the price of motorcycles by a decent amount. According to a report in the Economic Times, the price can rise from anywhere between 10-15%.The upgrade to mandatory ABS will happen in April 2019. In this update, the price of most of the vehicles will increase as some of them still have ABS. Several companies had avoided the ABS system due to cost concerns. They don’t wish to make their product more expensive because it won’t be able to compete in the market.
However, the switch to BS6 will be an all-inclusive one. The price of every motorcycle is set to go up. BS 6 engines require extra catalytic converters and several mechanical upgrades to burn the fuel in a clean way.
Manufacturers are forecasting a dip in sales after April 1st 2020. Some analysts argue that the increase in price wouldn’t affect the sales on a large scale. There might be a slow down for a couple of months but the market will recover. The switch to BS 6 affects all manufacturers equally so the level field will still be even. In a growing country like India, it is unlikely that people would stop buying Motorcycles anytime soon.
The benefits of the price upgrade are really worth it. The mandatory ABS will increase the price from Rs. 6,000 to Rs, 12,000 but it’d prevent accidents which can be fatal at times.
The switch to BS6 would be around Rs 10,000 to 13,000 for a bike with Rs.1 lakh (ex-showroom) price tag. In return, the bike will have better emission standards because it will run the fuel more efficiently. It will also lead to higher fuel economy.
In the end, the most important benefit is of a cleaner and better environment. All the money in this world can’t help us if our sky becomes black with pollution. We are lucky to be living in a world filled with natural wonders. The least we can do is live in harmony with them.
By: Yetnesh Dubey