Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India will now target youth to grow its two-wheeler business in the country.

This marks a significant change in strategy from the time it launched its first motorcycle, the 150cc Unicorn, which was meant for the "sober and mature" end-user. The net result is that it just did not get the kind of numbers which rivals such as the Bajaj Pulsar did.

It was a lesson learnt and the HMSI of today has been a full circle. With its recently launched Twister, the company plans to focus on the 20-29 years age group which could include students, executives, entrepreneurs etc. The Twister is part of the biggest volumes segment in motorcycles where Hero Honda rules supreme with its Splendor and Passion models. HMSI has targeted sales of 2.2 lakh Twisters for 2010-11 which translates into nearly 19,000 units a month. "This is just a conservative number and HMSI could end up doing much more with the bike," sources said.

The same Unicorn, better remembered for its staid looks at the time of its launch five years ago, will now sport a "more youthful look" when it re-enters the market in the first quarter of next fiscal. It is quite likely that the targeted end-user will be under 30 years old which is nearer 40 today. HMSI's new Stunner, likewise, will be focused on the age group of 18-24 years which is the same for the (new) Dio scooter. The 125cc Shine is still more of a "serious" bike which fits in well with the segment it is meant for. "It is not as if HMSI will ignore older people. It's the largest selling model, the Activa scooter, is a hit across every age group. However, the company acknowledges that youth accounts for a large part of India's population and is, therefore, an important customer base," sources said.