NEW DELHI: For all those bike lovers out there, here’s some interesting news. Two of the top three motorcycle makers, Hero Honda and TVS, are playing around with the idea of a definite foray into the second-hand motorcycle market. Other players may soon join the bandwagon.

Hero Honda might foray into the segment this year itself. “Yes, we consider the second-hand motorcycle a high-potential segment. We are already running pilot projects in several cities and it will take us some time to finalise the business model we will eventually adopt,” says PS Sunder, marketing-head, Hero Honda. “There are three important things to be looked out for in the second-hand motorcycle market — a formal method of evaluation of the condition of the bike, a transparent method of providing assurance and other issues like, warranty,” he added.

Southern-based, TVS Motors is also expected to enter the market next year. “We are working on the business model and will formally enter the market sometime next year,” says R Chandramouli, senior vice -president, sales & marketing, TVS Motors. “We feel that since our product is already in the market in an unorganised way, why not enter formally,” he added.

Other players also feel that it is an important segment and eventually all payers will enter it. “Yes, I look at it as an important segment. There are enough unorganised players who are doing a good job and I’m sure after a while, organised players will eventually have to enter the market,” says Satya Sheel, MD, Suzuki Motorcycle India.

Agrees Atul Gupta, associate vice president-sales & marketing, Yamaha Motor India Sales, “The second-hand motorcycle market may be unorganised, but is huge. What we need is to put a finance structure in place for organised players to enter.”