Hero MotoCorp’s Executive VP Sanjay Bhan tells us how the Indian giant plans to win hearts, minds and miles across Europe.
Visordown were cordially invited to the exclusive UK Launch for Hero Motor Corps Flagship model - the Hunk 440.
Their Editor -Simon 'Toad' Hancocks was lucky enough to interview Hero Motor Corps Executive VP Sanjay Bhan at Oulton Park Circuit in Cheshire.
"over coffee in a quiet corner of the paddock, I sit down with Sanjay Bhan, Executive Vice President of Hero Motor Corp. He’s just come from launches in Spain and Italy and is now prepping for France and Germany. He speaks like a man who’s got a clear map in his head of where this brand is going. And how the Hunk 440 fits into that plan.
“There are two ways to look at it,” Bhan continues. “There’s the commuter stage of biking, getting from A to B. Then there’s lifestyle biking — having a bike as a lifestyle accessory. In the UK, that’s where we want to be. We’re not here to challenge anyone. Hero’s job is to expand the market and get younger people onto bikes.”
He smiles when he says it, but it’s a serious point. In the UK, new riders are hard to find, priced out or intimidated by complex licence legislation. Hero’s slogan “You Are Limitless” might sound like a hashtag, but in Bhan’s version, it’s about freedom of access.
“Our focus is not on buying,” he says. “It’s tempting to push people to come buy something. We prefer to say ‘come try’. Trying the bike will lead to some at least, buying the bike”
And he’s right. Because after a morning in the saddle, I’m half-convinced myself. The Hunk 440 isn’t exciting in the conventional sense, but it’s disarmingly likeable, very easy to ride, seems well built and free of nasty surprises. It’s a reminder that not every bike needs to be an event; some just need to make everyday riding easier and more enjoyable."
Click here to read the full interview -
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