What Is a Kinetic Scooter?

A Kinetic scooter is a scooter manufactured by the Indian brand, Kinetic. These two-stroke scooters are popular in India and other Asian countries, and they are currently manufactured by Mahindra Two-Wheelers.

Kinetic Honda

In 1972, Kinetic Engineering Limited was founded. The company did not start manufacturing scooters until 1984, when they entered in a partnership with Honda, the Japanese car manufacturing company, to create Kinetic-Honda scooters. These scooters rapidly grew in popularity in India, because of their extremely low price, high fuel efficiency and suitability to local streets and traffic conditions.

Mahindra

In 2008, there was a merger between Kinetic and Mahindra, with Mahindra controlling 80 percent of the company. Currently, Mahindra manufactures and sells the scooters that were once produced under the Kinetic name. The purpose, however, has not changed; they are still lightweight and affordable vehicles designed for daily use on the crowded streets of Bangalore and Mumbai. Its four current offerings are the Rodeo, the Duro, the Flyte and the Kine. Mahindra also manufactures a small motorcycle, the Stallio, which has a longer range and greater speed than its scooters.

Resurgence

In January of 2011, the Kinetic Engineering brand was resurrected as Kinetic Engineering Limited. This brand is no longer focused on scooters; it manufactures car parts, such as transmissions and gear assemblies.

Although the Kinetic brand is no longer focused on scooters, Mahindra continues to manufacture the same style of scooter that was popular in the 1990s. These lightweight, economical vehicles remain a popular conveyance in India.