Yamaha Motor Company is a known quantity. It's been around for nearly 100 years, and it's produced a metric ton of amazing machines in that span. The tuning fork logo is something that likely almost everyone on the planet recognizes.
But a company that's far older, though not quite yet known the world over, has been chipping away at Yamaha's third-place spot on the podium of the largest motorcycle manufacturers in the world. That company is India's TVS Motor Co., and recently, it finally knocked Yamaha out of the spot. That in itself was no easy task, but it comes as the company has expanded exponentially in recent years, and isn't that much of a surprise if you've been paying attention.
Now that TVS is here, though, will it acquire the same name-recognition that Yamaha has and continues to enjoy? Or will it be a more regional player? My money is on the former.
According to Autocar India, "TVS sold 5.46 million units in 2025, up 20.7 percent from 4.52 million units in 2024, according to industry data. The sharp increase enabled the Chennai-based manufacturer to surpass Yamaha, which recorded approximately 5 million units in 2025, a modest 0.8 percent rise from 4.96 million units." So we're not talking about a big difference between the two, but it's enough for everyone to stand up and take notice.
Recently, TVS has been making big moves, as it's expanded its offerings abroad, as well as partnered with a host of dominant motorcycle manufacturers to help bridge the gap between expansion and production, including building branded bikes. TVS is also the owner of Norton, which basically brought the company back from the dead, and recently launched a four-model assault that'll be sold worldwide. But TVS' market is one derived of small-displacement and motorcycles designed to get people moving and on their way, as much of the Eastern part of the world relies solely on two-wheeled transportation.
Part of the report by Autocar India, states, "A key growth driver for TVS has been the ongoing premiumisation trend in India’s motorcycle market. Demand growth has increasingly shifted toward the 150cc+ segments, where TVS has expanded its presence and benefited from stronger consumer demand for higher-displacement models." That's something we don't see much of here in the States, but its how much of the world gets around.
And TVS, unlike others, have paid close attention to the emerging market that is Africa. "The company also benefits from a significant export footprint across developing markets, particularly in Africa, which adds meaningful scale to its global volumes," states the trade, adding, "Yamaha, in contrast, has been increasingly focused on more niche segments within the mass market and has exited several high-volume categories over the years."
So yeah, TVS played the high-volume, small-displacement, inexpensive game and hit it out of the park, while Yamaha moved more insular. That said, with the purchase of Norton, among its work for other clients like BMW, TVS seems to be dipping its toes into those more global waters. As for how that goes, we'll have to wait and see.
I, personally, don't care where my motorcycle comes from, so long as it works, is reliable, and most importantly, is barrel-o-monkeys fun. But I may be in the minority.
