New Delhi, June 27, 2026: The mid-size motorcycle segment in India, spanning the 350cc to 450cc displacement range, has firmly established itself as one of the most fiercely contested battlegrounds in the two-wheeler industry. The sales figures for May 2026 highlight a thriving market driven by an aspirational class of riders moving away from commuter options toward premium cruisers, modern retro roadsters, and performance-oriented machines.
The entire 350cc–450cc segment registered a healthy year-on-year (YoY) growth of 32.31%, with total domestic sales climbing to 1,10,725 units compared to 83,687 units in May 2025. However, following typical post-festive market adjustments, the segment saw a modest month-on-month (MoM) dip of 6.97% against the 1,19,022 units clocked in April 2026.
Royal Enfield Continues Undisputed Domination
Despite a swarm of newer rivals attempting to chip away at its territory, Chennai-based Royal Enfield remains the absolute king of this domain. The brand commanded an astronomical market share of 81.31%, retailing 90,028 motorcycles in this specific engine bracket during May 2026. This translates to an impressive 24.87% YoY growth over last year’s performance.
The backbone of this success lies heavily within its legendary 350cc J-series platform:
- Classic 350: Remains India’s highest-selling premium motorcycle, capturing a 31.24% slice of the entire segment on its own with 34,594 units sold.
- Bullet 350: Claimed the second spot nationwide, surging by 35.26% to hit 23,372 units.
- Hunter 350: Held its ground beautifully as a youth favorite, recording 20,418 units.
- Meteor 350: Contributed 8,360 units to the retro-cruiser lineup.
In the higher 450cc sub-category, Royal Enfield’s newly expanded liquid-cooled Sherpa platform is showing stable growth. The roadster-styled Guerrilla 450 and the adventure-focused Himalayan recorded combined domestic sales of 3,284 units (with the Guerrilla at 1,657 units and the Himalayan at 1,627 units). While these numbers represent a 30.11% increase over May last year, both models faced a sharp sequential MoM drop from April, hinting at tightening competition in the premium 400cc+ space.
Bajaj Group Secures Second Place with Multi-Brand Strategy
The alliance of Bajaj Auto, Triumph, and KTM has effectively cemented the Bajaj Group as the second largest player in this premium category, logging 8,603 units to capture a 7.77% market share. This multi-brand portfolio achieved a massive 72.23% YoY growth, highlighting the success of their specialized product strategy.
British heritage brand Triumph saw a fascinating shift in its sales layout. The brand’s newer 350cc platform led the charge with a robust ,4348 units. Concurrently, the older, premium 400cc range (comprising the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X) fell to just 129 units, showcasing a clear manufacturing and consumer transition toward the new lower-displacement platform.
KTM mirrored a nearly identical trend. The Austrian brand’s brand-new 350cc performance platform marked a powerful entry with 1,653 units. Conversely, the legendary KTM 390 series experienced a steep 76.23% drop down to 247 units as dealerships cleared inventory to prioritize the next-generation engine architecture.
Meanwhile, Bajaj’s homegrown powerhouses experienced the highest percentage growth spikes in the industry among established nameplates. The newly updated Pulsar 350/400 range registered 1,523 units—a phenomenal 205.21% YoY blast. Not to be outdone, the touring-friendly Dominar 350/400 lineup climbed to 703 units, growing 68.59% over the previous year.
Honda Holds Third While Classic Legends Doubles Down
Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (HMSI) safely maintained the third position overall by selling 6,306 units, reflecting an excellent 70.85% YoY improvement. Honda’s strategy of leveraging its premium BigWing network continues to pay dividends:
- CB350: The direct, classic-styled competitor to the Classic 350 registered 4,178 units, up by 73.36%.
- H’ness CB350: The sportier modern-classic iteration grew 66.12%, bringing in 2,128 units.
The most explosive growth rate among major original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) belonged to Classic Legends (the parent entity behind Jawa, Yezdi, and BSA). The company retailed ,4447 units in May 2026, exploding by 103.06% YoY compared to May 2025. This surge can be attributed to recent mechanical updates across the Jawa and Yezdi lineups that resolved earlier refinement issues, alongside renewed marketing pushes for the iconic BSA Gold Star platform.
Harley-Davidson, Aprilia, and Market Outlook
Further down the value chain, the partnership between Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson is paying off steadily. The single-cylinder X440 more than doubled its volumes by registering 1,078 units, a 125.52% YoY climb, proving that a relatively accessible price tag attached to an iconic American badge remains highly attractive to Indian buyers.
In the pure performance and supersport niche, Aprilia is making consistent headway. The localized RS 457 parallel-twin sportbike sold 232 units (up 82.68% YoY), proving that there is a dedicated audience willing to pay a premium for track-oriented engineering. Additionally, its newly introduced naked sibling, the Tuono 457, registered its initial 31 units as dispatches commenced.
The following data table breaks down how the major manufacturers stack up against each other in this lucrative space:
| Manufacturer / Group | May 2026 Sales (Units) | YoY Growth (%) | Market Share (%) | Key Driving Models |
| Royal Enfield | 90,028 | +24.87% | 81.31% | Classic 350, Bullet 350, Hunter 350 |
| Bajaj Group (Bajaj, Triumph, KTM) | 8,603 | +72.23% | 7.77% | Triumph 350, Pulsar 400, KTM 350 |
| Honda | 6,306 | +70.85% | 5.70% | CB350, H’ness CB350 |
| Classic Legends (Jawa, Yezdi, BSA) | 4,447 | +103.06% | 4.02% | Jawa 350, Yezdi Roadster |
| Hero / Harley-Davidson | 1,078 | +125.52% | 0.97% | Harley-Davidson X440 |
| Aprilia | 263 | Steady Rise | 0.23% | RS 457, Tuono 457 |
With production capacities expanding—including Royal Enfield’s massive new 25-billion-rupee manufacturing layout planned for Andhra Pradesh—and newer sub-segments emerging, the 350cc to 450cc class will likely continue its upward trajectory as the definitive choice for the modern Indian commuter looking to upgrade.