Bajaj improved its market share in motorcycle segment to 21.6 per cent, posting a 7.6 per cent growth over the corresponding period last year, it said.

``We hope to further improve our market share in these segments with introduction of new models in motorcycles and nation-wide availability of Saffire, India's first 4-stroke automatic scooter,'' vice-president, business development and marketing RL Ravichandran said. Apart from `Acer Super 100,' an executive bike which is to be launched shortly, the company would be ready for the commercial launch of `Eliminator' in the next few months, he said adding that a high end four stroke bike `Pulsar' was being planned towards the beginning of 2001.

Market leader Hero Honda Motors Ltd posted a 41.3 per cent rise in motorcycles sales at 86,214 units in September 2000 over 61,007 units sold in the same month last year. However, the company recorded a nominal 7.6 per cent growth in sales compared to 80,068 motorcycles sold in July 2000, company sources said here today.

Cumulative sales jumped up by 41.7 per cent to 4,79,630 units during April-September 2000-01 as compared to 3,38,326 units in the same period last year, the sources said. Hero Honda's largest selling bike Splendour contributed about 60 per cent of its total sales, the sources added.

Chennai-based two-wheeler maker TVS-Suzuki reported a 10 per cent sales growth at 76,605 vehicles in September 2000 largely on account of a 17.8 per cent rise in motorcycles sales. The company sold 69,416 units in the same month of 1999, a company statement said here.

TVS-Suzuki sold 30,434 motorcycles, 13,400 scooters and 32,771 mopeds during September this year as against 25,831 motorcycles, 10,812 scooters and 32,773 mopeds sold in the corresponding month of 1999.

Cumulative sales of the company jumped up by 10 per cent to 3.71 lakh vehicles during April-September 2000-01 from 3.38 lakhs units in the same period of the previous fiscal.

TVs-Suzuki sold 1,48,415 motorcycles during the reference period, a jump of 14 per cent over 1.3 lakh units sold during April-September 1999-2000.

Scooters sales increased by 21 per cent to 61,720 units during April-September 2000-01 from 51,054 units during the same period of the previous year.

TVS-Suzuki said it was selling 5,400 units per month of its recently launched motorcycle `Fierro' in the seven states where it was available at present, the statement added.