According to the recent study conducted by J. D. Power to find 'initial quality problems reported by two-wheeler owners in India', it was found that there has been a decline of 14 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) over last year's figures.
The study is aimed at finding number of problems faced by the owners of these two-wheelers during first two-six months of ownership. The study covers seven vast areas including engine, brakes, fit and finish, electricals, handling, transmission and controls. These seven areas are then segregated to 138 other specific problems on basis of which a two-wheeler is rated. These numbers are then summarised to find number of problems per 100 vehicles. Goes without saying that lesser the number higher is the reliability and build quality.
Confirming the right direction the Indian two-wheeler industry is moving in, Mohit Arora, Executive Director at J.D. Power, Singapore, said, "Given the high incidence of pillion riding in India, core vehicle systems such as engine and brakes undergo a lot of stress. Therefore, it is imperative for OEMs to focus on these key systems to help enhance owners' perceptions of vehicle quality. With increasing competition and the frequent launch of new models, sustained quality under such adverse usage conditions can be a key differentiator."
Where the average overall initial quality for scooters was 137 PP100, it was 159 PP100 for motorcycles. Both these numbers mean that the quality increased by 13 PP100 and 14 PP100 for scooters and motorcycles respectively over last year's numbers.
With only one category for the scooters - Executive - TVS Wego and Yamaha Alpha tied for the top spot with 72 PP100.
The motorcycles were categorised into further four sub-categories - Economy, Executive, Upper Executive and Premium. In the economy segment, Honda Dream Neo won with 102 PP100 and Hero Super Splendor won the upper executive category with a score of 107 PP100. Surprise came in the form of the debutant Suzuki Gixxer in the upper executive models as the Gixxer won with 105 PP100 defeating Yamaha FZ, Honda CB unicorn and Bajaj Pulsar 150. The last category of premium motorcycles was won by TVS Apache RTR 180 with a score of 105 PP100. TVS Apache RTR 160 was the second best bike in the category.
