Yamaha introduces the Gladiator sans Russell Crowe

Yamaha Motor India (YMI) recently announced its new chief executive and managing director, T Ishikawa and also the company's Rs 300-crore investment plan for India. The Japanese two-wheeler manufacturer is looking to get into segments it's been absent from. There are talks of at least two new bikes to be launched shortly – the Gladiator and the Fazer 250. Due to unsatisfactory sales recorded by their other bike models they are contemplating their strategy more strongly this time around.
The Gladiator is expected to be launched with a 150cc motor but a YMI source said that the reports are untrue and that it’s a concept yet. He also said the YMI's R&D department is considering various powertrain options. The idea is to use a single engine platform to cater to their products in various segments. The Gladiator, at the Auto Expo '06 in January, was displayed only to invite public feedback on the bike and YMI said that the response was quite positive. Also, the production version of the Gladiator will surely see some modifications. However, the bike's design indicated that a 150cc motor would fit quite well.
The Fazer 250 that was also showcased in the Expo is on sale in Brazil and is also being considered as one of the entrants in India. Bike buyers are upgrading their purchase decisions and going in for bigger bikes. 250cc motorcycles are getting increasingly popular (the likes of Hyosung Aquila and Comet) and the Fazer 250 would be an ideal product to help elevate YMI's image in the country.