ABSTRACTThe marketing concept is consumer oriented and the emphasis is more on the consumer rather than on the product. The essence of modern marketing lies in building of profit along with creating meaningful value satisfaction for the costumers, whose needs and desires have to be coordinated with the set of products and production programmes. Therefore, marketing success an enterprise depends as its ability to create a community of satisfied consumers. All the business activities should be carried out in ways which are directed towards the satisfaction of the consumer needs. Consumer behavior is affected by a host of variables ranging from personal, professional needs, attitudes and values, personality characteristics, social economic and cultural background, age, gender, professional status to social influences of various kinds exerted a family, friends, colleagues, and society as a whole. The combination of these factors help the consumer in decision making further Psychologicalfactors that as individual consumer needs, motivations, perceptions attitudes, the learning process personality characteristics are the similarities, which operate across the different types of people and influence their behavior.

There are four major factors which influences on the buyingbehavior of consumer.1. Cultural factors2. Social factors3. Personal factors4. Psychological factorsSo a study had been conducted on “Consumer Behaviour Towards Two-Wheeler Motor Bikes” in the twin cities i.e. Hubli and Dharwad with a sample of 50 consumers by selecting two wheeler motor bikes i.e. Hero Honda, Yamaha, and TVS bikes and data had been collected through structured questionnaire.2 Osmania Journal of Management Marketing starts with the consumers and ends with the consumer. Satisfaction of the consumers becomes the most important goal of a business enterprise. The effort to ensure consumer satisfaction lies in understanding the consumer, his likes dislikes, his expectations and motivation. An analysis of the consumer’s behavior in terms of consumer consumption patterns, consumer preferences, consumer motivation,consumer buying process and shopping behavior is very much helpful to formulate a firm’s marketing strategy. So the ultimate objective of a business firm is to create a consumer who is said to be pivot around whom the entire business of a firm revolve. Thus the marketing concept is consumer oriented and the emphasis is more on the consumer rather than on the product. The essence of modern marketing lies in building ofprofit along with creating meaningful value satisfaction for the costumers, whose needs and desires have to be coordinated with the set of products and production programmes. Therefore, marketing success an enterprise depends as its ability to create a community of satisfied consumers. All the business activities should be carried out in ways which are directed towards the satisfaction of the consumer needs. A consumer decision to purchase a particular brand of motor cycle consumers result to complex interplay of a consumer variables the starting point for the company provides the decision process marketing stimuli in shape of brand, promotion, price and distribution strategy. The potential consumer along with other stimuli already exciting receives the marketing stimuli in the environment. The stimuli my social economic, cultural, technological and political in nature.

MAJOR FACTORS INFLUENCING BUYING BEHAVIOR:Consumer behavior is affected by a host of variables ranging from personal, professional needs, attitudes and values, personality characteristics, social economic and cultural background, age, gender, professional status to social influences of various kinds exerted a family, friends, colleagues, and society as a whole. The combination of these factors help the consumer in decision making further Psychological factors that as individual consumer needs, motivations, perceptions attitudes, the learning process personality characteristics are the similarities, which operate across the different types of people and influence their behavior.

There are four major factors which influences on the buying behavior of consumer.1. Cultural factors2. Social factors3. Personal factors4. Psychological factors

1.Cultural factors:Consumer behavior cultural can be defined as the some total of learned belief, values and customs that serve to guide and direct the consumer behavior of all members of thatsociety. Cultural is a learned through the following three ways:-1. Formal learning2. Informal learning3.Technical learning.Cultural is a most fundamentaldeterminant person’s wants andbehavior, the growing child acquiresa set of values, perceptions,preferences and behavior, through hisfamily and key institutions.

2.Social factors:Consumer behavior is also influenced by such social factors as reference groups, family and social roles and status.

PERSONAL FACTORS:Buyer’s decisions are also influenced by personal characteristics, the buyers’ age, life cycle stages, occupation, economic circumstances, lifestyle and personality and self-concept.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS :‘Abraham Mallows’ needs can be ranked in order of importance from the low biological needs to the higher levels of psychological needs. MASLOW’S hierarchy of human needs make us understand consumer motivation. It is useful for the marketer who can identify what level need this brand is capable fulfilling and accordingly position his brand up with relevant marketing inputs. Brands such as food and clothes are bought to fulfil psychological needs.

4 Osmania Journal of ManagementConsumer Behavior is Product-Person-Situation-Specific.

Personal Characteristics Consumer Behaviour Consumption SituationMS Pro ChSource: Roger, et al., A Consumer Behaviour: Implications for Marketing Strategy Business,Publications Inc., Texas, 1986, P.8.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1) To study the behavioral factors of consumers in motor bikes.2) To analyze the impact of behavioral factors of consumers on choosing particular brand of motor bike.3) To suggest various factors to improve sales.4) To study the consumers’ opinion of their motor bikes regarding its features like appearance, mileage, price etc.,

RESEARCH METHODOLOGYSource of Data:

Primary Data:

The primary data collected through questionnaires administered to a sample of 50 consumers selected from twin cities Hubli and Dharwad the Questionnaire was pre-Designed and pre-tested before itwas administered.

Secondary Data :

Secondary data was collected through various publications of newspapers, magazines, books and magazines websites of Hero Honda, and TVS bikes.Sample Design : A total of 100 consumers were selected from the twin cities ofHubli and Dharwad for this study to analyze the consumers behaviour with reference to select motor bikes i.e., Hero Honda, Yamaha, and TVS bike.

Awareness of Brand Motor Bikes:

Regarding awareness of the brand motor bikes, above table indicates thatthe advertisement for Hero Honda bikes are 45 respondents where as the lowestis the 25. But family members are 10 respondents and for Yamaha is 5respondents. Whereas from friends 40 respondents are Yamaha and also 25for brand name.

After Sales Service:

Regarding after sales service of motor bikes, 50 respondents haveresponded very good for service, followed by Yamaha with 45 respondentsstating good.Age of Respondents:Regarding the age of respondents, most of the respondents are below 30

years of age and chosen for Yamaha bikes, whereas 40 chosen for Hero Honda,but whereas in the age group of 30-50, 45 respondents chosen for Hero Honda,for Yamaha it is only 30 respondents Respondents above 50 years of age havepreferred Yamaha bikes. The least is Hero Honda with 15 respondents.Satisfaction of Motor Bikes:.S.No. Name of theBikeAdvertisement FamilymembersF1 Hero Honda 45 10 32 Yamaha 30 5 43 TVS Bikes 25 25 3S.No. Name of the Bike Good Very g1 Hero Honda 30 502 Yamaha 45 353 TVS Bikes 25 15S.No. Name of the Bike Below 30 yrs. 30-50 y1 Hero Honda 40 452 Yamaha 45 303 TVS Bikes 35 45S.No. Name of the Bike Yes No1 Hero Honda 80 202 Yamaha 85 153 TVS Bikes 65 356 Osmania Journal of ManagementRegarding satisfaction of motor bikes 85 respondents have stated thatYamaha satisfaction is highest and the lowest is for TVS bikes i.e. 65.

Sales by Design/Style/Model of Motor Bikes:35 respondents purchase the Hero Honda Bike due to acceptance of design/style/model, whereas 45 respondents do so for Yamaha and only 20 respondents opted for TVS Bike following acceptance of the bikes design, etc. followed by Hero Honda and TVS.This shows that the sales of Yamaha motor bike are more by way of its design/style/model.

Sales by Mileage of Motor Bikes:

As far as mileage per litre of petrol is concerned, Hero Honda is ruling the market and finding favour with the consumers. Yamaha and TVS are far below the expectations of the consumers based on mileage per litre of petrol. This is also due to constant advertisements through newspapers, TV, Cable TV, hoardings, road shows, etc. Hero Honda attained supremacy due to mileage factor. In these hard days of price increases and poor incomes, every one is concerned with economic use of vehicles. Naturally Hero Honda has become favourite of the masses.

Sales by Occupation

As we can see, 60% of the purchasers of Hero Honda are the students,while 40% of the purchasers of TVS are the employees. That means HeroHonda bike is more popular with the students, TVS is more popular with theemployees. Whereas Businessmen are opting for Yamaha as the above datashows 45% of the purchasers of Yamaha are the Businessmen.S.No. Name of the Bike Yes No1 HeroHonda 35 652 Yamaha 60 403 TVS Bikes 30 70S.No Name of the Bike Yes1 Hero Honda 402 Yamaha 603 TVS Bikes 15Employees StudentsHero Honda 30 60Yamaha 15 40TVS Bikes 40 50C.B.T.T.W.M.B. 7Sales by Speed of Bikes:Out of 100 respondents, 50 respondents have stated that sales of Yamahais due to its speed followed by Hero Honda for which 35 respondents spoke infavour based on its speed feature.Sales By Price of Bikes :Regarding sales by price of bikes, highest is 55 respondents opined thatthe price is high for Yamaha bikes, medium is 45 respondents opined for HeroHonda bikes. 45 respondents have stated that TVS bikes are averagely priced.Sales by Technology :45 respondents have voted for Yamaha based on its superior technologycompared to Hero Honda for which 40 respondents voted favourably basedon its technology. This shows that Yamaha technology is marginally superiorcompared to Hero Honda. TVS is a poor third with 15 respondents voting forit, as far as technology feature is concerned.FINDINGS & CONCLUSIONS:The research done on the competitor strategies of motorcycles left us witha number of findings. All these findings and conclusions are basically drawnfrom the questionnaires, which are filled by the respondents in person.Regarding awareness of the brand motor bikes, above table indicates thatthe advertisement for Hero Honda bikes are 45 respondents where as the lowestS.No. Name of the Bike Yes1 Hero Honda 352 Yamaha 503 TVS Bikes 25S.No Name of the Bike High Medium1 Hero Honda 15 452 Yamaha 55 353 TVS Bikes 15 40

S.No Name of the Bike High Medium1 Hero Honda 55 402 Yamaha 65 253 TVS Bikes Nil 408 Osmania Journal of Managementis the 25. But family members are 10respondents and for Yamaha is 5respondents. Whereas from friends40 respondents are Yamaha and also25 for brand name.Regarding after sales service ofmotor bikes, 50 respondents haveresponded very good for service,followed by Yamaha with 45respondents stating good.Regarding sales by price of bikes,highest is 55 respondents opined thatthe price is high for Yamaha bikes,medium is 45 respondents opined forHero Honda bikes. 45 respondentshave stated that TVS bikes areaveragely priced.Regarding the age ofrespondents, most of the respondentsare below 30 years of age and chosenfor Yamaha bikes, whereas 40 chosenfor Hero Honda, but whereas in theage group of 30-50, 45 respondentschosen for Hero Honda, for Yamahait is only 30 respondentsRespondents above 50 years of agehave preferred Yamaha bikes. Theleast is Hero Honda with 15respondents.Regarding satisfaction of motorbikes 85 respondents have stated thatYamaha satisfaction is highest andthe lowest is for TVS bikes i.e. 65.35 respondents purchase theHero Honda Bike due to acceptanceof design/style/model, whereas 45respondents do so for Yamaha andonly 20 respondents opted for TVSBike following acceptance of the bikesdesign, etc. followed by Hero Hondaand TVS.This shows that the sales of

Yamaha motor bike are more by wayof its design/style/model.As far as mileage per litre ofpetrol is concerned, Hero Honda isruling the market and finding favourwith the consumers. Yamaha andTVS are far below the expectationsof the consumers based on mileageper litre of petrol. This is also due toconstant advertisements throughnewspapers, TV, Cable TV,hoardings, road shows, etc. HeroHonda attained supremacy due tomileage factor. In these hard days ofprice increases and poor incomes,every one is concerned witheconomic use of vehicles. NaturallyHero Honda has become favourite ofthe masses.As we can see, 60% of thepurchasers of Hero Honda are thestudents, while 40% of thepurchasers of TVS are the employees.That means Hero Honda bike is morepopular with the students, TVS ismore popular with the employees.Whereas Businessmen are opting forYamaha as the above data shows 45%of the purchasers of Yamaha are theBusinessmenOut of 100 respondents, 50respondents have stated that sales ofYamaha is due to its speed followedby Hero Honda for which 35respondents spoke in favour based onits speed feature.45 respondents have voted forYamaha based on its superiortechnology compared to Hero Hondafor which 40 respondents votedfavourably based on its technology.This shows that Yamaha technologyis marginally superior compared toHero Honda. TVS is a poor third with15 respondents voting for it, as far astechnology feature is concerned.

SUGGESTIONS /RECOMMENDATIONS:After analyzing the findings, thefollowing suggestions have beenprepared. Great care has been takenin making these suggestions for theimprovement of consumers opinion.1. There is a heavy demand for HeroHonda motorcycles in the market,so their supply has to bedrastically improved so as to meetthe demand of the customer.2. Some of the respondents aresuggested to improve the mileageof Yamaha and TVS Bikes.3. A considerable number of respondentsopined that there is a need to improvethe technology of TVS bikes.4. A vast majority of the respondentsfelt the design of Hero Honda bikesshould be changed so as to attractthe customers.5. The bikes recently introduced byHero Honda are mostlyconcerned about youth. So, theyshould also consider middle-agedpeople while manufacturing.6. Some of the respondents felt thatthe price of Yamaha is high and itshould be decreased so as toattract more customers.