TVS Ronin and the Bigger Picture Behind its Launch

TVS launched the all-new Ronin in India recently. Well, usually talk about the features, exteriors and the price of the bike and so we will sometime later. But the question here is why did TVS launch a "Modern Retro" motorcycle as the company describes it?

TVS recently launched the all-new Ronin in India and the Ronin price starts at Rs. 1,49,000 to Rs. 1,70,750. The all-new Ronin, which TVS Motor Company refers to as a "modern retro," is a motorcycle that was introduced to cater to what TVS refers to as a "third dimension" of new riders. According to TVS, this target market desires a different kind of motorbike than the traditional current classic motorcycles or the performance-focused sporty models. This new market niche appears to be searching for a motorcycle that deviates from typical genre preconceptions. At the new TVS Ronin's debut event, Vimal Sumbly, Premium Business Head of TVS Motor Company, characterized it as "unslottable, unstereotypical, and legacy-free." The Japanese word "ronin" (meaning "without a mentor or instructor," "a sort of maverick") emphasizes the motorcycle's absence of traditional or inherited appearance.

Yes, the TVS Ronin is unique, not only in terms of appearance but also in terms of positioning within the Indian motorcycle market. Its 225 cc single-cylinder engine places it against motorcycles with a similar engine displacement, like the Bajaj Dominar 250 or Bajaj Avenger 220 Street, but also against other current classic models positioned in the segment above due to its distinctive style and positioning. And Ronin seems to have his sights set firmly on this basic modern classic segment. It performs similarly but boasts a wide range of functions, outstanding dynamics, and comfort. But is the Ronin approach purely driven by economics and sales volume?

One legacy motorbike brand, Royal Enfield, has long dominated the 350 cc modern classic market. In fact, Royal Enfield sold almost 80,000 bikes each month until a few years ago, with its best-selling Royal Enfield Classic 350 accounting for 90% of those sales volumes. It's a market niche that will also probably see more activity outside of India, and Royal Enfield continues to put increasing emphasis on exporting its products. In this market sector, where current models include the Royal Enfield Classic 350, Jawa 42, and Honda H'Ness CB350, the Ronin does have a considerable pricing advantage.

So, is Ronin aiming for a piece of the large volume pie that is the 350 cc contemporary classic sector, or is it attempting to carve out its own niche segment, targeting both similar quarter-liter competitors? The solution could not be as straightforward, and TVS might have a more comprehensive plan. Yes, the Ronin will target a new sub-segment of younger riders, both men and women, with its focus on leisure riding and easy rideability. The fact that Ronin introduces a lifestyle statement has been made clear by TVS. Therefore, a whole line of Ronin-branded items, as well as soft luggage alternatives for consumers wishing for longer two-wheeled journeys, are all available. Factory customizable options are also accessible through an online configurator. The Ronin is thus, in a sense, a brand-new ecology, a blitz of factory-made goods, stuff, and clothing.

The Ronin also enters a market where TVS has not yet produced a product. The Ronin's tractable 225 cc engine has been developed for easy rideability, in contrast to the economical yet feature-rich commuter bikes and sporty entry-level naked's that have formed the mainstay of TVS Motor Company's product line-up. It too has a square, refined four-valve design with a similar 66 mm bore and stroke. The architecture of the engine strikes a balance between high-end performance, low-end tractability, and refinement. not the standard long-stroke engine design with the distinctive "thump" that appears to have worked brilliantly for companies like Royal Enfield. It's a recipe that Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has followed with its 350 cc modern classic, which shares many similarities with the wildly popular Royal Enfield 350 platform in terms of exhaust tone and engine characteristics.

However, TVS adopted a different strategy in this instance. Honda could have looked to the CB series models from the 1960s and 1970s for design inspiration, but the new H'Ness CB 350 platform departs from short-stroke, high-revving motors in the opposite way. TVS made the decision to find a balance, so it doesn't have a long-stroke thud, but the square engine delivers a respectable high-revving nature. The emphasis has been retained on low-end torque with short gearing to negate frequent downshifts in daily riding.

The Ronin is a well-built motorbike, despite its controversial design. Since TVS lacks a classic lineage, it would have required classic British or Japanese designs from the 1960s and 1970s to create a quintessential modern classic with design cues from 1960s roadsters. It would simply not have been creative enough. The Ronin, a retro-styled motorbike with influences ranging from '80s roadsters to '70s scramblers to hints of entirely current cruiser elements as well, has this "modern retro" look. We have the design we have because it appears to have undergone a considerable amount of internal discussion and debate inside TVS.

Although it is not a motorcycle that immediately catches the eye, it is undoubtedly well-built and has some respectable-looking angles.

The Ronin, though, appears to be a statement from TVS Motor Company, which is more significant. The Ronin makes a bold statement that TVS can develop and produce an original retro-styled motorcycle that feels different from the classic long-stroke formula that has proven to be so successful, ranging from racy entry-level naked to its flagship Apache RR 310. It also suggests that the Ronin will likely be only the start for TVS in the sector of retro-styled motorcycles.

Perhaps the goal is to build the groundwork for the business to do sound engineering and R&D, even in the vintage market. The true modern classic appears to be the most likely future path of action. After all, TVS did purchase Norton, a British motorbike company, in 2020. It may only be a matter of time until a 350 cc version of a legacy modern classic debut with new-to-the-segment features, components, and performance that might raise the bar. And when it comes to the mid-sized, retro-styled modern classic segment, a historically significant and legendary brand like Norton has the strength and brand equity to compete against Royal Enfield, Honda, Triumph, and BSA on a global scale as well as Jawa and Yezdi at home.

TVS recently launched the all-new Ronin in India and the Ronin price starts at Rs. 1,49,000 to Rs. 1,70,750. There are four different versions of the TVS Ronin available: the Ronin Single Tone - Single Channel, the Ronin Dual Tone - Single Channel, and the top-tier Ronin Triple Tone - Dual Channel - Dawn Orange, which costs Rs. 1,70,750. Well, now all we have to do is wait and see how Ronin changes the market.