Most of the Pegasus 500 owners are angry. Two of the owners of Pegasus 500 went to a local garbage dump and placed their bike the middle of garbage. They circulated photos on the internet and social media as a sign of their protest against the company. One of them has gone ahead and returned the bike to the dealership from where it was purchased. In spite of all this, there has been no satisfactory response from the company.
The latest update on the matter is that Anuj Singh, owner of Pegasus 500, has gone ahead and filed RTI (Right To Information). He is asking the government why was Royal Enfield allowed to launch a motorcycle without ABS in India.
As per the April 2018 circular from Road and Transport Ministry, launch of two wheelers without ABS or CBS is banned in India from 1st April 2018. Its not that Royal Enfield does not have Pegasus 500 with ABS. The export spec variants are fitted with ABS. So why the one’s sold in India are not? This is what he asks the govt in his RTI MORTH/R/2018/52810;
Under the Right to Information Act 2005, Secton 6, I need some information. The details of the information required are as follows;
1. Is any ABS fitment approval is taken by Eicher motors Limited / Royal Enfield India for Indian 2 wheeler Royal Enfield bikes from ministry of road transport and highways so Eicher motors Limited / Royal Enfield India can provide ABS features to Indian customers in 2 wheeler bikes.
2. When did Eicher motors Limited / Royal Enfield India applied for ABS fitment request in Indian 2 wheeler Royal Enfield bikes to ministry of road transport and highways.
3. When did Eicher motors Limited / Royal Enfield India received the approval from ministry of road transport and highways to provide ABS in Indian 2 wheeler Royal Enfield bikes.
4. Is there any regulation / notification / restriction from ministry of road transport and highways for Automobile Industries in India that they can not not provide the ABS feature in 2 wheelers / 4 wheelers before the approval from ministry of road transport and highways.
5. What is ministry of road transport and highways regulation / notification for Automobile Industries to fix ABS system in 2 wheeler bikes already on road and running without ABS. Is there any time line to retrofit the ABS in 2 wheelers already running on road without ABS.
It is not clear how did Royal Enfield manage to launch Pegasus 500 without ABS in India. As the April 2018 circular from the government clearly said that two wheelers launched post 1st April 2018 will need to be fitted with ABS or CBS by the company.