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Indian Motorcycles
The Chief Classic model of Indian Motorcycles.
One of the world’s most iconic motorcycle brands, Indian Motorcycles, arrived in India Wednesday, hoping to ride the surging demand for big bikes.
The company unveiled its lineup of three motorcycles, each with a 1,811-cubic centimeter engine and a throaty exhaust.
They come with technologies that, in India, generally are associated with premium cars, including cruise control, anti-lock braking systems, keyless starter, leather seats, smartphone connectivity and a high-end stereo system.
The bikes also come with a premium price tag. The Chief Classic has a New Delhi showroom price of 2.65 million rupees ($42,889), more than double the price in the U.S. The Chief Vintage model costs 2.95 million rupees, while the top-end model, the Chieftain, costs 3.3 million rupees ($53,398), almost the same price as an entry-level Audi A4 or a BMW 3-Series sedan in New Delhi showrooms.
The local price for the motorcycles is higher than in the U.S. because of the 112% tax India levies on imports of fully-built vehicles.
Polaris Industries Inc., Indian’s parent company, hopes to sell around 28 motorcycles in India this year.
The market for bikes like the Indian is relatively small. Only 200 were sold last year, compared to the total market of around 10 million dominated by fuel-efficient bikes used by middle class commuters.
But the number of dollar millionaires in India is expected to almost double in the next five years from the current 182,000, according to a Credit Suisse Group report. The demand for luxury purchases is expected to follow suit.
Pankaj Dubey, managing director for India of Polaris, said the first dealership will open in the New Delhi suburb of Gurgaon in January. A second dealership will be established in Bangalore. Polaris plans to have a total of five dealerships by the end of 2015, Mr. Dubey said.
While Indian plans to sell only a handful of bikes in the coming year, demand is growing rapidly, Mr. Dubey said. Sales of motorcycles with more than 800cc engines expanded from just 100 units in 2007 to about 2,500 last year. The market for motorcycles with more than 1.6-liter engines such as those sold by Indian is about 200 units each year but is expanding at an annual rate of about 40%-45%, Mr. Dubey said.
Indian Motorcycles is only the latest in a string of high-end motorcycle companies setting up shop. Harley-Davidson Inc. began its operations in India in June 2010. Last November, the British company Triumph Motorcycles introduced a range of 10 motorcycles that cost as much as $32,362.
Others such as Honda Motor Co., Suzuki Motor Corp., Ducati Motor Holding SpA, BMW AG and Kawasaki Heavy Industries also sell their premium motorcycles in India.
Another company, UM Global of the U.S. is also set to enter the Indian motorcycle market in 2014. The company will display its products at an auto show on the outskirts of New Delhi in early February.
Follow Santanu and India Real Time on Twitter @santanu_wsj and @WSJIndia.
Indian Motorcycles Roar Into India - India Real Time - WSJ
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Chief Classic, Chief Vintage and Chieftain are all powered by an 1,811cc Thunder Stroke III engine, which has 139 newton meter torque and six-speed transmission. Photo: Bloomberg
New Delhi: Iconic US bike maker Indian Motorcycle International Llcdebuted in India, with its least expensive bike Chief Classic priced at Rs.26.5 lakh. The other two bikes on offer are Chief Vintage and Chieftain, priced at Rs.29.5 lakh and Rs.33 lakh, respectively. All prices are ex-showroom, Delhi.
These bikes will attract an additional value-added tax of 12.5% as they will be completely built units.
All these bikes are powered by an 1,811cc Thunder Stroke III engine, which has 139 newton meter torque and six-speed transmission, the company said on Wednesday. The Indian’s launch in India comes four years after Harley-Davidson commenced its operations in the country.
“We are here to position Indian above all superbikes in India,” said Pankaj Dubey, managing director, Polaris India Pvt. Ltd, whose US parent bought Indian Motorcycle in 2011. Dubey said his company is targeting the above 1,600cc bike market, which is roughly 200 bikes every year. “We expect this market to grow by 40-50% in a few years and we aim to have 10% market share in the segment,” Dubey said.
Businessmen, company executives and sports enthusiasts in the 30-50 age group are Indian Motorcycle’s target customers. The company will set up its first dealership in Delhi and deliveries will begun in mid-March. The firm will open its second dealership in Bangalore later this year.
Indian Motorcycle has set up a warehouse in Faridabad and its engineers will travel across the country to address service-related issues.
1811 CC beneath the arse,,,WOW,,,,Yaar koi gift kardo ye ,,,