Two-wheeler OEMs in India expect ABS laws soon - Report

Bosch keen to produce ABS locally if the law is passed.

Despite only a handful of two-wheeler models being sold with ABS in their stock version, OEMs are gearing up to accommodate the safety device in every product with an expectation of new laws mandating the same, a report on the Economic Times says.

As of now, the price difference between an ABS-fitted model and a non-ABS variant of the same model is to the tune of Rs 5,000. With mass adoption and production, if the law comes into place, the price can be halved.

At present, the cheapest model with a factory-fitted ABS sold in the Indian market is the TVS Apache RTR 180. The bike has had an ABS-fitted model as an option ever since the 180 RTR version has been sold. Going above the price range, the recently launched Bajaj Pulsar RS200 and the KTM models come with the device pre-fitted.

The report also states that component manufacturer Bosch is keen on producing their twin- and single-channel ABS units locally should the law come in and demand rise overnight.

That said, OEMs will need convincing before the law is put in place. For instance, the Harley Davidson Iron 883, priced just under Rs 7 lakh and sold as a CKD model, comes with the ABS straight off the factory, while the Harley Davidson Street 750, manufactured locally, has given the safety device a miss.

However, with TVS tying up with international manufacturer BMW Motorrad to produce products in India, the adoption of ABS devices could become more frequent in the near future.

[Source - ET Auto]