DSK to launch Benelli superbikes priced up to Rs 14 lakh

Pune-based DSK Motowheels will start selling five superbikes from its Italian partner Benelli's stables from March with prices ranging between Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom prices).
The company, which had entered into an agreement with Benelli last October to bring the Italian superbikes into the country, will roll out the bikes initially in eight cities.
"Deliveries of Benelli superbikes will begin from second week of March. All the five models from the range would be available for sale across eight cities," DSK Motowheels Chairman Shirish Kulkarni told PTI.
The bikes, which come with engines ranging between 300 cc and 1,130 cc, would be priced between Rs 3.5 lakh and Rs 14 lakh (ex-showroom), he added.

The five Benelli models line-up include a 300 cc bike, two 600 cc models, one 899 cc bike and one 1130 cc bike.
The 300 cc and 600 cc models would come as CKDs from China while the bigger 899 cc and 1,130 cc powered bikes would be imported from Italy and later assembled at the company's plant in Wai near Pune, Kulkarni said.

DSK Motowheels already has a collaboration with South Korean firm Hyosung and currently sells six Hyosung superbikes, ranging between 250cc and 700cc, from 41 outlets across the country.
Both Benelli and Hyosung superbikes would be sold from different dealerships across the country, Kulkarni said.

Elaborating on the launch plan, Kulkarni said the Benelli bikes would be first rolled out in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad, followed by Chandigarh.
"We are not looking at more than 20 outlets for Benelli bikes in the first year. So we would be adding at most another 11-12 outlets in the current year. By 2016-end we plan to have around 40 dealerships," Kulkarni said.
When asked about the sales target for the current fiscal, Kulkarni said: "We expect to sell around 2,500 units of Hyosung bikes in the current fiscal. In the next financial year, we are looking to sell around 3,000 units of Benelli thus taking our total sales to over 5,500 units."

"Achieving the sales target won't be an issue because Benelli is already an established brand and secondly we are looking at competitive pricing for the products," he added.
The Indian superbike market is estimated at around 10,000 units per annum and is expected to touch 15,000 units mark in the current year.