Harley-Davidson to launch today, sales to start 2010

The iconic US cult bike maker Harley Davidson is set to enter Indian markets tomorrow, two years after it was first granted permission to start operations in the country. Sales will, however, begin only by 2010, the company said in a statement.

"As a first step, we are looking for local dealer partners who share our passion and commitment to building customer relationships, the Harley-Davidson brand and our business in India for the long term," Harley Davidson Managing Director India Anoop Prakash said.

Harley Davidson was first granted permission to start operations in India in 2007 but it had to keep its plans in abeyance because of a crushing import duty of over 100 per cent. However, two years hence, the cruiser's popularity seems to have far outweighed other considerations like price, which is expected to be multiples of lakhs.

"Given the rapid development of India's economy and physical infrastructure, this is the right time to bring the world's greatest motorcycles to one of the world's largest motorcycling nations," Harley-Davidson Motor Company President and COO Matthew Levatich said.

The excitement over the famed bike maker entering India is already palpable online. A clock on the Harley Davidson-India website is counting down hours, minutes and seconds for the "adventure" to begin.

Details of the models and price range are not, however, available on the website.