TVS Motor plans to phase out Max

Two-wheeler maker TVS Motor Company on Friday said it plans to replace the two-stroke motorcycle Max with a four-stroke entry-level motorcycle within six months to arrest the erosion in sales.

"We are planning to launch an entry-level motorcycle. The four-stroke motorcycle, which will replace the Max range of motorcycles should be out in less than six months," TVS Motor Co. vice-president (marketing) Harish Krishnamachar said.

Till two-three years back, the Max range of motorcycle constituted 90 per cent of the company's production, he told reporters on the sidelines of the launch of a 125 cc variant of Victor motorcycle in New Delhi.

Now, 90 per cent of the production is for four-stroke motorcycles, he said.

The Chennai-based firm recorded blockbuster sales with the launch of 110 cc motorcycle Victor, but for almost one year, Max has been pulling down the overall motorcycle sales of TVS.

But with Max being phased out and a new product, TVS aims to post 15 per cent sales growth this year over the expected 10 per cent industry growth.

The company posted a marginal 0.02 per cent rise in sales at 682,000 units during 2003-04.