Harley-Davidson will launch new lineup of motorcycles in emerging markets like India. The bold decision of Harley of manufacturing customs bikes in India may surprise many as other automobile players and its rivals are finding it difficult to sustain their business.
Harley Davidson Street 750 Bike
The niche bike maker will start full-scale ‘building’ of motorcycles in India and export them to European and South East Asian market.
“We are excited about the potential of the Indian market and around the world, particularly in regards to the response we have had from young adults… We are going to utilise our plant in India to build the ‘Street’ models not only to cater to the market there but also export to Europe and South East Asia,” Harley-Davidson Motor Co President and COO Matthew Levatich told PTI.
For the Indian market, the iconic US cult bike maker will launch only the Harley-Davidson Street 750 that’s muscular, low and lengthy motorcycle. It will have a liquid-cooled 60-degree V-twin engines whose chain-driven single overhead camshafts will operate four valves per cylinder via roller rockers with screw adjusters. There’s ample torque and adequate performance guaranteed for easy riding motorcycle. The motorcycle’s manual transmission systems shift in the one-down, rest-up pattern.
After Brazil, India is the second country where Harley-Davidson has CKD assembly operations outside the US. Following the decision, the CKD kits instead of coming from Harley-Davidson plants in the US will come directly to India from vendors and bikes.
The US bike maker currently offers a range of 11 models from each of its five families in the Indian market.
- Sportster
- Dyna
- Softail
- V-Rod
- Touring
What remains to be seen is the pricing scheme from Harley. It is known the Harley Davidson Street 750 will sell for about $7,500. That’s around Rs. 4,50,000 when it comes into Indian showrooms in 2014.
