Riding on Perceptions: Decoding Customer Choice Dynamics across the Two-Wheeler Industry Landscape

Abstract

This research investigates the trends of customer perception in three of the leading two-wheeler brands—Yamaha, Bajaj, and TVS—that compete in the motorcycle market in India, specifically in Durgapur, West Bengal. This study examines customer perception using a two-way ANOVA without replication methodology across four essential purchase dimensions—mileage, price, variant availability, and colour. In the analysis of the customer experiences, the data indicated statistically significant perceptual differences across brands, with mileage demonstrating significant difference at the 0.10 level with respect to perceived fuel efficiency, with Yamaha (50.05 km/l) having significantly more mileage perception compared to Bajaj (43.72 km/l) and TVS (41.5 km/l). The analysis also indicated that there are no statistically significant differences in customer perception across price, variants, or colour; suggesting that price point, variants, and colour function in a market with little perceptual differences. These explore how customer migration will remain driven by mileage and that other traditional purchase dimensions will have significant parity across brands in the competitive two-wheeler market. The study develops a better understanding of how customer perception trends informs brand preference and competitive advantage, while providing manufacturers tangible options to develop stronger marketing strategies and product development in an increasingly competitive marketplace.