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| Edited By: Swati Khandelwal |Source: Zee Business |Updated: Nov 28, 2018, 06:30 AM IST
Jawa bikes are back in a new avatar. Anand Mahindra, chairman, Mahindra Group and Anupam Thareja, co-founder, Classic Legends, in an interview with Swati Khandelwal spoke about the outlook on the brand, technology and dealerships.
Mahindra: I am. The products looked different. I think it is a love at first sight. The brand, Jawa, was a passion for those who used to buy the motorcycle and we will try to maintain the passion. In fact, we will try our best to take this story forward and it is Anupam Thareja’s responsibility to script the story. Thareja, who looks like a biker, is an investment banker, private equity player as well as a person who played a key role in the revival story of Royal Enfield.
Mahindra: I think that we have moved on the right track and it was hinted by public response during the dummy launch.
Thareja: A product starts with its brand. However, the product should justify the brand in itself. Failure to justify the commitment to the brand is negative for both, the brand as well as its lovers. It is a beautiful brand and is being launched with a promise to its customers that we will bring a perfect product that will bring back the beautiful memory that they had with Jawa. We tried our best to justify the product by its brand name in terms of technology, simplicity (in terms of how to handle and the way it rides), power and efficiency. The engine has been designed by engineers who are from Italy. Secondly, the person who has designed the bike and had Jawa with himself is a son of the owner of the company. He is a third generation engineer in himself. Jawa is a brand and we tried to make the right product by understanding the expectations of the customers. But there was a need for a facility and supply chain to make the right product. For the purpose, we negotiated with top vendors to get the qualitative product and that was a place where Mahindra collaborated with us. Jawa is a company with light assets and will mainly focus on marketing, consumers and the ways to make them happy so that we can tell them that the product goes in line with its brand name.
Mahindra: We have worked a lot on the quality, something on which a brand or product is judged. In fact, we always had a discussion on the quality aspect of the product during our meets as we know that you are going to be judged by the quality. It is a machine, not a picture that is beautiful and can be placed on your wall, and should work as it will be used when you are travelling.
Mahindra: Similar questions were posted on my twitter handle. A person from Indonesia was saying that he has seen the motorcycle and knows about the brand. He was asking about the time by when it will be launched in his country. But India is going to be in focus at present and the plans for overseas launch will be based on the response and success of the motorcycle in India itself.
Mahindra: I am going by the motto of my school, Lawrence School, Lovedale, which said ‘Never Give In’ and I am carrying on with it. When it comes to vision, we are planning to wear the blinkers that are used with horses and script a success story. And what we realised is that you have to give it to people who have the passion, ‘junoon’ to make this work. Therefore, our focus in our two-wheelers is right now on Classic Legends.
Thareja: We asked our channel team to go in the market and inquire about the interest of people and place for the launch of the dealership. We asked them to just go in the market and find the interest level that people have towards the brand. I will be happy to inform you that about the kind of interest that people had. We found that people are reaching us with a demand to associate themselves with the brand, Jawa. Interestingly, this happened when we had nothing to show them like the motorcycle or its design or prices or power in terms of CC. But, 105 people have signed for a dealership with us and have also deposited refundable deposits to us that are lying in our bank accounts and also rented places for the purpose. Work on sixty-four dealerships will be completed by December 5 and the rest will be completed by December 31. And this interest was driven by the passion and power of the brand. In terms of products, a company that is starting its operation in the classic category of motorcycles is launching three different products in a go. This is going to be a different approach when seen at other companies of the same segment who launch a single product and stretch its periodicity to a great extent. Besides, we also have a different brand, BSA, and its launch will help us in developing a portfolio. I would like to add that these factory costumed bikes are a canvas in itself, which will allow you to express yourself.
