Updated: Yamaha.. Alba?
I've just received some info that says the aforementioned motorcycle will be launched shortly in various Indian cities on various dates and times (I kid you not). But the Pune launch is definitely on April 12. Which, imagine my surprise, was yesterday. In the international market, there appears to be an ATV that is eponymous (always wanted to use that word in my blog... there, done).
From what I can tell, that's the 100cc bike that will hopefully replace the Crux (as opposed to run harder beside it). If the market is anything to go by, expect TVS Star or Bajaj Platina matching or exceeding specs. The Alba will be interesting mostly because it represents the new Yamaha face attacking the old problem – volumes. The Alba should give us a good first hand view of how Yamaha intends to resurrect its Indian operation. If they were to come out and say something on the lines of 'the performance commuter that'll thrash the competition', and offer more power in a trade in for a little economy, I will be in their camp. If it turns out to be another template commuter...
Okay, since I typed that in, I've had a new filling in of information. The Alba will, as I feared, run parallel to Crux. Strike one. Now I'm waiting for the details to come... stay tuned.
And here, is the full press release. Now, this is a fairly hilarious document, so please try and control yourselves. Oh, and since I won't insert any comments below, I'll say my piece here. Strike Two. Strike Three. You're out. Okay sorry, I could not resist, so I've emboldened some of the stuff I found funny.
YAMAHA ALBA 106 – Got It!!!
Indian roads will soon witness yet another style statement by Yamaha Motor India Pvt. Ltd. Ranking amongst India’s leading bike makers; Yamaha today announced the launch of its latest bike – the all new Yamaha Alba 106.
The unique design of Yamaha Alba 106 blends youthful style with thoughtful decency. Overall the bike gives an image of robustness and solidity. Giving it a sturdy, macho image are the muscled tank, well-built side and rear panel. While the exciting graphics with the smooth flowing design give the bike its stylish, super cool looks.
With Alba 106, Yamaha has expanded its range beyond the hardcore bikers’ bikes. As per the company sources, the reasonably priced Alba 106 is a low maintenance bike with high fuel efficiency that enhances its value-for-money appeal manifold.Since the bike has been designed for daily commuting, special emphasis has been given on shaping it for the maximum comfort of the rider. That is why, Yamaha Alba 106 boasts of new aerodynamic cowl, well-sculptured tank, and broad seat for comfortable riding of the pillion rider too. The ideal ergonomics of seat, handlebar, and knee recess on the petrol tank – are all designed for comfortable riding by giving the right posture to the rider.
Keeping the Indian driving conditions in consideration, Alba 106 has perfectly spaced gear ratio for driving in congested conditions without changing gears repeatedly.
At the heart of the machine is the Yamaha’s ever reliable 106cc engine, which gives good combination of torque and mileage leading to less strain on the engine and therefore longer life. Adding style to Alba’s strength are its super cool features, including the innovatively designed indicators and tail light.
25 comments:
i wouldnt buy it even if i got that female model in a package deal!!
:D
yamaha hasent failed to disappoint :/
I am now entirely convinced that Yamaha India is being run by people who are seriously brain-damaged, and who are incapable of running a motorcycle manufacturing operation in India. Expect the company to go bust in the next 6 - 12 months.
In the meanwhile, here's the most interesting Alba in the world: Jessica Alba. You can find her here: http://www.skins.be/celebrity/jessica-alba/
what the flying fish is "thoughtful decency"?
shekhar
What's going to happen to the Libero?
The more I think about this, the more I wonder.
Instead of pumping money in a jam packed highly competeive market, YMIL could have done so much more to sustain itself. This looks to be just a re modelled Libero.
And the next thing that comes to mind is how careless a company can be with its advertising. The lst poster of the bike brandished beuty carries the URL of YMIL as "www.yamaha-motors-india.com" while the actual site is motor and not the plural as used. And of course the actual site still does not work since the last 6 months. At least at my office it doesn't.
'Comment' that its not even worth commenting on such bikes. If it's even a average seller, I will give my RD for free
Alba, eh? HA HA and HA! Yamaha has gone totally bonkers I suppose if they still insist on launching such utter crap. And this, after all the auto mags have been saying that Yamaha's next bike in India is going to be a 250! If you ask me, Yamaha is now by far the worst bike company in India, with by far the worst motorcycles in their lineup. Fuck you, Yamaha!
Yamaha has expanded its range beyond the hardcore bikers’ bikes
HAHAHAHAHAHA
I am not surprised, no indian manufacturer has got any brains to launch any bike worth talking, forget yamaha, no one......They all want the same god damn thing......
Well done Yamaha. Looking at the quantity in which 100-125cc bikes sell in India, Indian's don't deserve anything better.
Hey, I had read about some exceptionally great person has got appointed to take Yamaha India to new heights. So Gladiator JA edition and now this Alba (or Alpha to take on Beta bikes launch program of Bajaj) are the bikes to do that for Yam?
Good going Yam, carry on the good work. We need minimum 5-6 different bikes in 100cc segment and then a few in 125cc.
alba!! alba 106!!! hahaha!! i just tried to copy-paste skype's 'rofl' and 'puke' emoticons and failed.. but consider them pasted!!
"Super cool features, including the innovatively designed indicators and tail light"
I hope the bike has a little more than that to offer than that, as a feature set.
If not, I sense a goodbye Yamaha situation, a la Indian?
Rearset, as usual, super stuff.
M/S
rearset...Do you personally know somebody high up at the ARAI?
hm.. so sad to see teh 'new' face of youth yamaha... one more to add in teh game for nos... but nothing to gain for us... too bad and sad....
The Alba (sounds yuck!) sorta resembles the Platina.
Which is probably a good thing, given the hideous looks of a certain Yamaha with dragonfly eyes.
I wish Yamaha well, but will this too little too late sort of launch help them go the distance? They need to change/revamp their dealer structure for starters, ever been to a Yamaha dealership lately?
Rearset, we're one quarter down in 2007, no sign of your wishlist being fulfilled yet. More's the pity. The one big attraction that I have to your blog is for more or less certified news of a new launch that won't cost over a million rupees and be manufactured in India.
I am very happy with the lauch of this bike ! Why ? because few months back i purchased Gladiator but then heard rumors of yamaha going to lauch 150cc or more powerful bike, at tat moment i got mad, but heheeh i will still have the pride of bigger bike whenever i go to dealer for service.
ALBA.........according to me the price of this bike would matter.Bcoz i think that yamaha has launched this bike in order to compete with the bikes of 100 cc range.in the end the cost is what all matter so......................just wait n watch
Guys....dont get disappointed. there is a new ad from yamaha India coming up on TVs showing a unnamed bike. I think it is Yamaha V-Ixion. Check out the link.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Entmi4B55IM
I saw the ad. It's just a generic advert for Yamaha, the sort that always comes with the MotoGP telecast. The unnamed bike is the MT-03
ARMIN !!! Mumbai ... look at this ... seems that the bike has been made out of wasted scrap which was remelted again in bulk quantiies to manufacture !!! i thought at first that Yamaha would bring a magnificent boom with one great machine after all these years .... i personally posess 2 rx100's with japnese engines n they still perform beyond a riders expectations inspite of not having disk brakes !!! Their raw power gives even the pulsars a real tough in traffic conditions where as on open roads of course the pulksar takes on due to higher engine power and of course the fifth gear !!! i seriously think that decision makers in yamaha have really lost it or they seriously cant think of innovation but crap .... inspite of seeing hitting highs of other bikes like the pulsars, karizma and others they delivering this bicycle not even thinking bout their own past ..... they seriously have no respect for their own brands !!! i think they should gift each employee one for free as a soveneir and even they wouldnt ride it saying that it certainly would degrade them ehehehehehehe
Read all the comments... All the guys here want a masculine high power bike that can feed raw power to the back wheel. Libero failed..G5 and Gladiator are also not making waves in the market. Crux has also surrendered. Here, Yamaha needs a strong entry level bike. It is a good marketing strategy at this point to release Alba 106 if it does to the market what Yamaha has planned to do with it. It is not a very good move to release a 150+ cc bike when the Pulsars have totally caught the market. And pulsar with all that new design and digital speedo is still the hottest selling bike. To compete in such a stiff 150+ cc market needs lot of money for marketing and still if it fails..then the Yamaha brand image for high power bikes will be severely damaged, but in the case Alba fails..people will say "Yamaha should do what is good at..that is the high power category" This is the best strategy they can adopt. And believe me they have something up their sleeve..the bike every one is waiting for...and sure it will be a SUPER HIT !
There is no argument about it: This is the most stylish entry level Indian bike. Performance-wise too it's undoubtedly the best in its class. If it were available in my country, I would dash to the next Yamaha showroom and buy it. I must congratulate YMIL for developing this bike.
Is this bike available in Sri Lanka?
Hi,
It's Rahul again. Now Yamaha has been reduced to having only 3% of the market share as many websites are quoting. How Yamaha is going to turn it to 10% is beyond my understanding. Showing a semi naked model riding a tin pot of a bike certainly won't do the trick. Although they have (this time) officially stated their plans to launch a 125cc+ bikes still sounds suspicious, it may as well be 135cc and NOT 150cc.
The only thing these people from the Land of Rising Sun has created is rising disappointment. I don't know whether they understand anything at all.
Do reply
Great Yamaha has not bother about native Indian market,at their best time,when they were produced rx 100,somebody told me rx 100 is a worst bike!!!!
Buy Pulsur!!! and go to hell
Post a Comment