Mumbai, Sep 2 : Helped by a healthy increase in exports, two-wheeler and commercial vehicle major Bajaj Auto Friday said it had logged a 16 percent rise in total sales in August at 382,739 units -- its highest ever in a single month.

Vehicle exports rose 40 percent in the month under review at 138,225 units.

The company had sold 329,364 vehicles in August 2010.

The core business of the vehicle manufacturer, motor cycles, saw sales rise 17 percent driven by bigger and sportier Pulsar and Discover brands, at 338,054 units. This again was the highest sales registered by this segment in a month.

Commercial vehicle sales grew 11 percent to 44,685 units in the month under review compared to 40,188 vehicles in the previous corresponding period.

Unlike car manufacturers, two-wheeler majors have had a good sales month in August.

Hero MotoCorp had Thursday reported an increase of 18.6 percent in sales for August at 503,654 units as compared to 424,617 units sold in the same period last year.

The Bajaj scrip reacted positively to the news and was ruling 2.3 percent up at Rs. 1,609.15 at the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Bajaj's sales in the current fiscal, till August, also have risen 17 percent at 1,839,266 units. In the April-August period, motorcycle sales grew 16 percent at 1,619,200 units, while commercial vehicle sales rose 23 percent to 220,066 units.

Exports in these five months have gone up 34 percent to 709,585 vehicles.(IANS)