Reference Auto

There are many takers for luxury cars and bikes in India, indicating an inclination for the Good Life, and to cash in on this growth, iconic motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson has launched its 1,200 cc superbike christened Forty-Eight in India, with a price tag of Rs 8.5 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi).

The Forty-Eight has Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection or ESPFI and performance tuning with a broad torque curve. This allows a powerful responsive ride with smooth clutch feel.

The Forty Eight is part of the Harley-Davidson’s Sportster cruiser range and comprises the V-Twin engine.

The bike wears a retro look with bulky tyres and low seating and this feature will pave the way for a comfortable ride.

The target is clearly the Indian youth even with the retro look.

According to the company, bookings for the Forty-Eight will start from this month itself at its five dealerships throughout the country.

This model can be bought from all the Harley-Davidson dealerships, which already stock 14 other bike models, Harley-Davidson India said in a statement.

Harley-Davidson is also aware of the intense competition it is slated to face in India in the near future and also the price factor which could partially influence a buying decision in the luxury segment.

Keeping this in mind, the US motorcycles giant said it would not raise prices of its two models (the SuperLow and Iron 883) that will be assembled in India despite a higher import duty for completely knocked down parts.

The US iconic brand was allowed to foray into India in 2007 after emission norms for giant bikes above 800 cc were relaxed but the company rolled out bikes almost three years later.

In November last year, Harley-Davidson said it will assemble motorcycles in India from 2011. The Indian factory will be its second facility outside the US, the first one being in Brazil.

Harley-Davidson, which is planning to set up an assembly facility at Bawal in Haryana, said it was weighing this option on the backdrop of new CKD norms that have led to higher import duty, which has prompted bike makers to mull price hikes.

In December 2010, it had stated that the SuperLow and Iron 883 would be the first two models to be launched from the CKD assembly facility at Bawal in Haryana. The bikes come for Rs 5.5 lakh and Rs 6.50 lakh (showroom price) respectively. Currently, the bikes are assembled outside the country.

Other bikes from its stable that are fully imported are priced between Rs 7.79 lakh and Rs 38.66 lakh.

High-end bikers literally swear by Harley-Davidson, which is clearly the first choice for anyone keen to buy a luxury or a superbike.

As the market for high-end, high capacity bikes evolves in India, we will see more rollouts by companies. This is set to jack up earnings substantially, especially for players like Harley-Davidson while the smaller ones may have to shut shop sooner or later.

So, with the superbikes segment revving up from its nascent stage, we are likely to see companies like Harley-Davidson setting up production centres in India and this could scale down the prices of bikes like the Forty-Eight by almost half, especially if parts are manufactured locally.