Bajaj, Triumph commence global partnership, to roll out 1st motorcycle in 2022

Bajaj Auto and iconic British motorcycle brand Triumph on Friday formally commenced their non-equity global partnership to manufacture a new range of mid-capacity motorcycles in the country.

The first bike under the partnership, which was forged in August 2017, will be rolled out in 2022 and will carry a starting price tag of less than Rs 2 lakh, Triumph Motorcycle Chief Commercial Officer Paul Stroud said at a press conference here.

The new bikes will be manufactured at Bajaj Auto's Chakan facility.

"The Triumph brand is an iconic brand the world over. So, we are confident that there will be a huge appetite in India and other emerging markets for these new products," Bajaj Auto Managing Director Rajiv Bajaj said.

The collaboration will explore the 200cc-500 cc motorcycle category to offer multiple product options across various segments.

Triumph bikes manufactured under the collaboration will be sold under Triumph brand, and not Bajaj auto, through exclusive network of outlets.

However, as part of the pact, the bike will be be exported to all overseas markets where Bajaj has a strong presence.

On the other hand, the home-grown auto maker will be able to increase its scale of operations in involving both domestic and exports markets.

This is the first time Triumph Motorcycles has partnered with any other auto maker, its chief executive officer Nick Bloor said.

The partnership will build a new engine and vehicle platform in the mid-capacity range (200-800 cc) and offer multiple options to address different segments in this class.

"The products that will come out of the partnership will also help attract a younger, but still discerning customer audience and is another step in our ambition to expand globally, particularly in the fast-growing markets of South East Asia but also driving growth in more mature territories like Europe," Bloor said.

The Triumph-Bajaj collaboration will combine strength in design, technology, cost-competitive manufacturing and an intimate knowledge of key target markets to deliver a range of products and business successes, as per the pact.

Bajaj did not divulge the details on revenue sharing between the partners or the potential investment that would be made into the joint development and in the manufacturing of the planned models in the immediate future.

The strategic partnership will benefit both parties with Bajaj becoming one of the key distribution partners for Triumph in crucial new markets for Triumph brand globally, a statement said, adding that going forward Bajaj will take over Triumph's Indian distribution activities.

In all other markets where Triumph is present currently, the bikes developed together will join the current Triumph product portfolio and be distributed by Triumph-led dealer network globally.

"This will truly unlock the potential on a global scale," it added.

Triumph manufactures over 60,000 bikes per year and has around 650 dealerships across the world.

In India, it sells around 1,000 bikes in a year, Bloor said.