Reported By:
| Edited By: Rachna Tyagi |Source: DNA |Updated: Mar 17, 2018, 02:26 AM IST
Harley-Davidson Inc, the biggest US motorcycle maker, will start selling its marquee range in India from June.
The company will launch 12 models initially.
“Bookings will begin in April and deliveries from June,” said Anoop Prakash, managing director of Harley-Davidson India.
The motorcycles will be priced from Rs 6.95 lakh for the cheapest model to Rs 34.95 lakh for the most expensive, it said.
Harley-Davidson said in August it will initially set up dealerships in cities including Mumbai and New Delhi as it aims to tap demand among affluent consumers for models such as Fat Boy and Cross Bones cruisers, which can cost more than $40,000 in the US when customised.
The Milwaukee-based company will import the motorcycles, accessories and riding gear.
The company has already set up its facility in Gurgaon, near New Delhi. The company aims to expand its India dealer network to 20 in five years, Prakash said.
A custom-painted bike in Indian colour accents, which was on display at the Auto Expo here, will be the first to be sold in India.
Customers can have a choice of engine sizes, tyres, paints and customise the bikes the way they like it, said Prakash.
“We don’t have a corner in the showroom for leisure bikes or it’s not a hobby for us, like a lot of other racing bike makers, who are not serious about supporting and developing their products. We are here because bikes are our core business, this is what we do and we’re here to stay,” he said.
“People are already expecting Harley Riding Clubs and the Indian chapter here. I can’t wait to see what the first ‘Hog’ (acronym for Harley Owner’s Group) rally will be like in India because every single rally, whether in the US or in Japan, is unique,” Prakash said.
Prakash said a lot of groundwork was done before launching the bikes. “We’ve listened very hard and met over 800 riders before bringing our bikes in. Our main endeavour has always been getting riders on bikes,” he said.
Vipin V Nair of Bloomberg contributed to this story
