Harley-Davidson plans to expand in more Indian cities

The iconic bike maker Harley-Davidson is planning for its expansion in several  Indian cities from the next year. The bike maker has also got plans for adding more products to its current product line of 12 products. At the launch of the first dealer network of Harley-Davidson in Mumbai in Bandra, Anup Prakash, managing director, Harley-Davidson India, commented that they are in the Indian market with a long-term vision and are there to stay. By September end they will be launching their fifth dealership in Bangalore and then wait for the response. From January 2011, Harley- Davidsonwe will target other cities too. Presently the company is there at Chandigarh, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai. Till now the company has launched  12 different models from and depending on the response for these models, the company will even bring in more models, added Prakash.

Anup Prakash, on beginning an assembly line in India, stated that they have kept their options open and a lot will depend on what they do and how they do. He further added that the Milwaukee, the US-based company has its only assembly in Brazil out of the 70 locations where it sells. The reason for assembling motorcycles in Brazil was to escape the effect of high customs that the country charged to import two-wheelers, said Prakash. 

The company is foreseeing some competition from the Japanese bike makers in India.  Prakash added that they welcome any competition as it will help in developing and maturing the market. However, he said that the company would not get into any price war. Sanjay Tripathi, director — marketing was quoted saying that the company will adopt a 360-degree approach for popularizing the culture in India.