Hero Duet to take on best-selling Scooter Honda Activa

Hero MotoCorp is planning to launch an all-new full metal body unisex scooter brand called 'Duet' soon and this will set the stage for another bruising battle between the homegrown market leader and its erstwhile partner Honda Motor Company.

Hero MotoCorp, which leads the motorcycle market in India with more than 50% market share, is ready to take the battle to Honda's home turf -- the scooter segment -- with the launch of two scooters, the Duet and the new Maestro variant, Maestro Edge.

This was revealed at the company's National Dealers Convention held at Rome in Italy last week. While company officials were tight-lipped about this, ET spoke to several dealers who had attended the three-day convention in the Italian capital.

"The 110 cc Duet is a completely new scooter which Hero had not showcased at the Auto Expo last year. The scooter and its brand name were unveiled at the convention on June 4, and the company is preparing to launch the Duet close to the festive season. Rich in features and designed for use by every member of a family, this scooter is going to be pitted against Honda's Activa," a Delhi-based Hero dealer told ET on the condition of anonymity.

Designed aesthetically, Duet comes with an all-metal body - a feature which is not there in Maestro or Pleasure - Hero's two existing scooter models, while segment leader Activa also sports an all-metal body.