UM Motorcycles posted zero units in the April and May sales chart and they will reportedly take some time to launch the ABS-equipped variants in India. With effect from 1st April 2019, the new government regulations restrict 2-wheeler brands from selling a 125cc+ motorcycle without ABS in India.
A recent report in the automotive industry has confirmed that UM will charge around INR 15,000 for dual-channel ABS. The current lineup of motorcycles has been temporarily discontinued and it earlier started from UM Sports S at INR 1.66 lakh. The addition of ABS amount will take the same to INR 1.81 lakh (ex-showroom, expected).
Not just that, the top-spec Renegade Commando model will move well above INR 2 lakh and leave the brand with smaller than ever sales number due to the weak value for money factor. However, anything is better than zero when a brand is planning to expand gradually in a country like India where buyers can pay a huge amount for no solid reason if they feel the product they are buying is exclusive in terms of design and looks.
The street presence of UM Motorcycles is worth praising but, when a much more powerful Jawa motorcycle is available with a much lower price tag, why would someone buy a UM Renegade by spending around INR 2.50 lakh on-road for the top-end model.
UM unveiled the Duty series in India with a starting price tag of INR 1.10 lakh at the Auto Expo in February 2018. The official launch is still pending and the motorcycle will get a sure shot price hike after the addition of ABS. The UM motorcycle range is expected to relaunch in India after 2-3 months.