New Delhi, October 27:
Iconic American motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson and Hero MotoCorp, the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheelers by volume, have announced a new partnership for the India market. Under the new partnership and distribution agreement, Hero MotoCorp will sell and service Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and also sell parts and accessories, as well as general merchandise, riding gear and apparel through a network of brand-exclusive Harley-Davidson dealers and Hero’s existing dealership network in India. According to a press statement, as part of a new Licensing agreement, Hero MotoCorp will develop and sell a range of premium motorcycles under the Harley-Davidson brand name.
So far, there are no details on what kind of motorcycles Hero MotoCorp will develop with the Harley-Davidson name, but from all indications, these range of bikes could be the entry-level Harley-Davidson bikes, targeted primarily at markets like India and other South East Asian countries. Till now, Harley-Davidson’s smallest and most affordable model is the made-in-India Harley-Davidson Street 750. With a new partnership in place with China’s Qianjiang Group, Harley-Davidson’s smallest and most accessible model is expected to be the Harley-Davidson 338. With the new agreement with Hero MotoCorp, it looks like Harley-Davidson will be looking to tap into the potential of Asian markets with more small displacement motorcycles, with Hero becoming the latest manufacturing partner. The motorcycles are likely to be small displacement Harley-Davidson bikes, possibly between 250-500 cc
