BMW-TVS Alliance- More details emerge

Currently, two-wheeler auto industry is one of the fastest ones in the world. Need of the hour is entry level high performance motorbikes ranging between 200cc and 500cc displacement. Earlier, auto giants that were producing commuters or superbikes were ruling the market, things started changing when entry level performance bikes became the choice of masses. The brands entered in the segment are- Honda with its CBR series, Kawasaki with its Ninja series, Bajaj, Hyosung and the most popular KTM with its range of Duke.

Right now, the Austrian orange monster maker is at top position in the European market, courtesy- Duke 200 and Duke 390. These bikes are perfect in the fields of designing, power and performance, and doesn't make a hole to your pocket like high performance bikes, the reason which made these bikes popular among everyone. BMW which was enjoying the top position in the European two-wheeler market earlier, has now opted for the similar strategy to revive its lost ground. BMW decided to enter the entry level performance motorbike segment, and they chose the Indian bike manufacturer TVS motors as their partner for the same.

BMW Motorrad and TVS motors has already started to develop bikes between 200-500cc segment. Currently, BMW manufactures motorbikes above 500cc displacement and TVS motors manufacture bikes below 200cc displacement, together they are going to fill the gap. The motorcycles developed by BMW-TVS will be sold under two separate badges. The lower priced models with slightly lower technology will be badged under TVS like the Bajaj's Pulsar 200NS and upcoming Pulsar 375. While the models with higher technology and a slightly higher price will be badged under BMW like the KTM's Duke 200 and Duke 390.

The bikes will be sold in the Indian market and exported in the International market, however the main aim of the company will be the largest two-wheeler market of the world, the Indian auto market. Right now, BMW Motorrad has only three dealerships in India in Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. So these bikes will be sold either through TVS dealerships or BMW might establish its own in the later phase. There is also a possibility that TVS can come up with a distribution strategy like Bajaj Pro-biking.

However, the company has not announced any bike in the segment till now, we are expecting baby versions of the two most popular bikes of BMW Motorrad- the naked roadster BMW K1300R and super sport bike BMW S1000RR. TVS which was said to be launching a 250cc Apache, might be the first bikes under the alliance, though with an entirely new identity. The BMW-TVS bikes are supposed to be launched in 2015 and the expected price tags will be between Rs 3-5 lakh.