Harley-Davidson ready for India launch; 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 hold back on its plans 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 exactly 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.

However, details regarding the models and price range of the bikes are not available on the website.

Specific details on which models the company plans to launch were not available. Under the terms of the appointment, Prakash would be responsible for sales, business development and marketing activities in India.

"Given the rapid development of India's economy and physical infrastructure, this is exactly 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.

Harley-Davidson is the global leader in cruising and touring motorcycles and ranks as one of the strongest brands in the world, with motorcycle sales now in more than 70 countries.

Harley-Davidson Inc is the parent company for the group of companies doing business as Harley-Davidson Motor Company (HDMC), Buell Motorcycle Company (Buell), MV Agusta and Harley-Davidson Financial Services (HDFS).

India’s rapidly growing economy, rising middle class and significant investment in construction of new highways have opened the door to leisure motorcycle riding, the company said.