Weeks after asserting its choice to exit the Indian market, US cult bike maker Harley Davidson has introduced its comeback plans for India the place it is going to piggyback the home two-wheeler big Hero MotoCorp to proceed its India journey.
Indian two-wheeler gamers have repeatedly tied up with international auto majors to make use of their know-how and provided their attain and native know-how in return. The Hero-Harley partnership can also be a step on this course.
Harley Davidson by the distribution settlement will be capable of make the most of Hero Moto’s distribution community and deep data in regards to the Indian market whereas Hero will get a premium model to depend on particularly when its different two Indian rivals TVS Motor and Bajaj Auto have tied up with Germany’s BMW and UK’s Triumph Bikes respectively.
Partnership with international gamers is nothing new for India’s Hero Motors which is the world’s largest producer of bikes and scooters, when it comes to unit volumes bought by a single firm in a 12 months — the coveted place which it has held for the previous 19 consecutive years.
After parting methods with Japanese auto main Honda, Hero Moto cast a strategic although unsuccessful partnership with Erik Buell Racing (EBR) of the US in 2012. A partnership with Harley Davidson will give Hero Moto the premium edge to tackle the rivals in efficiency bike market the place different international gamers already jostle with India’s Royal Enfield for area.
The Pawan Munjal-led Hero Moto is one among India’s large manufacturing gamers with a presence in additional than 40 nations together with those in Asia, Africa, Center East, and South and Central America the place it sells two-wheelers.
Hero MotoCorp additionally has eight manufacturing amenities, together with six in India, and one every in Colombia and Bangladesh. The Milwaukee-based American cult bike maker Harley Davidson had earlier introduced the plans to exit India the place it may promote lower than 30,000 items in 10 years the place greater than 17 million two-wheelers are bought yearly and marketplace for top-end bikes above 500 cc engine displacement remains to be in its infancy.
Huge world bike makers are already current in India the place they compete for simply over 25,000 items annual top-end bike market. These international bikemakers embrace Triumph, KTM, Ducati, Benelli, BMW to call a couple of.
Royal Enfield has additionally made its presence felt by launching the 650 cc Interceptor and Continental GT the place Harley Davidson’s principally cruiser or leisure bikes paled away in entrance of off-road capabilities of Austrian, German or Italian bikes.
It appears like now with a partnership with Hero, Harley has nonetheless hasn’t kissed the ultimate goodbye to the Indian market, however loads may also rely on the brand new fashions that can come out on account of this partnership.
