Satya Sheel (left) in New Delhi on Monday. Picture by Prem Singh

New Delhi, Sept. 17: Suzuki Motorcycle India is studying the possibility of launching a 150cc and a 175cc bike in the country.

“Since sales of two models in the 100cc and 125cc segments have slumped, we are looking at the market for 150cc bikes now. We are also considering launching a 175cc bike, but it will depend on how the premium segment grows,” managing director Satya Sheel told The Telegraph.

According to industry statistics, growth of the premium segment was static at 11 per cent for the past two years. However, analysts said models such as the CBZ Xtreme and revamped versions of the Achiever and Karizma — all from Hero Honda — have pushed the growth of this segment to some extent. The company is planning to launch two models next year, of which one will be a bike.

Suzuki today entered the gearless scooter market with the Access 125, which has a four-stroke 125cc engine with automatic transmission and a rust-free body. The product also has a central locking system and a shutter mechanism to prevent theft.

The company refused to give away the product’s price before it is released in the second week of October. It, however, said it targets to sell 5,000 units per month in the following year.

“The success of this scooter will determine whether Suzuki will expand its portfolio of scooters. If we get a good feedback we may consider introducing another scooter with a more powerful engine,” said Sheel.

The scooter market is growing at 18-20 per cent year-on-year. On the other hand, motorcycle sales in India — the world’s second-largest market — fell 14.4 per cent to 2.17 million units in April-August.