Harley Davidson bikes to ride into India by 2010

Harley Davidson bikes to ride into India by 2010

 For all you bikers out there, get ready to get the biggest and best of them all in India. The Harley is once again planning to ride into India, but will cost at least Rs 7 lakh.

                           In 2007, Harley Davidson wanted to ride into India and in a one-of-its kind diplomacy suggestions, India agreed to trade mangoes with the US for the Harley Davidson bikes.

                        After that, Harley received the green signal from FIPB but ran into some trouble over emission norms.

                           But today the company announced that its bikes will be sold in India early 2010 onwards. And even though Harley Davidson has a cult following round the world, it is beginning its Indian journey with modest targets.

                           President & COO Harley-Davidson Motor Company, Matthew Levatich says, "Our volumes to start with are modest. India is the second largest motorcycle market but that's more of inexpensive bikes, so certainly our initial volume targets are modest in the context of Harley Davidson worldwide."

                               Harley Davidson is planning to import its bikes from the US and partner with dealers in India. The company says it's being chased by 100 dealers and that even exclusive retail outlets are on the anvil.    

 

HISTORY-:

                                 The history of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle began in Milwaukee in 1903. In Milwaukee, Bill Harley and Arthur Walter Davidson developed a one-cylinder motorcycle. Around the turn of the century the gasoline engine was developed and the one-cylinder motor was introduced. In 1901 the Indians were the first motorcycles and in 1903 Mitschell, Merkel and Yale.

This motorcycle was initially built for racing and was powered by a one-cylinder gasoline combustion engine.

                                          In 1903 in Milwaukee, Bill Harley and Arthur Walter Davidson developed a one-cylinder motorcycle. It was a reliable and even a beautiful cycle. And ... someone bought it !! In 1905 they had made 11 motorcycles, in 1908 it were 154 and ... they had a company, in a little wooden barn, that was build by Davidson's father.

                The small company extended quickly and another member of the Davidson family, William, joined them. In no time they hired about 20 employees in an especcially build stone-factory.

              In 1909 Bill Harley made a project of the first 1000 CC V-Twin. It produced a modest seven horsepower. The 45-degree V-twin would become one of the more recognizable images of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. This V-Twin stayed with HD for a long, long time. Maybe it's hard to believe, but Harley-Davidson didn't invent the V-twin !! When Bill Harley developed one, he just followed the tendency of the time. 1969, Time for a merger with the American Machine and Foudry Company (AMF).

               In 1991, The Dyna line of Harley-Davidson's was introduced with the FXDB Dyna Glide Sturgis. 1994 saw the jump of Harley-Davidson into the Superbike racing with the VR1000. The VR1000 featured a dual overhead cam and a liquid cooled engine and showed that Harley-Davidson was not fully averse to manufacturing a race inspired sport bike.

                           In 1996 a state of the art Parts and Accessories distribution plant was opened in Franklin, Wisconsin. The following year a new Product Development Center opened in Milwaukee. Also in 1997, a 330,000 square foot plant in Kansas City made its first Sportster. In 1998, assembly operations were taking place in another part of the world, Brazil. In the year 2001 Fuel injection was available on the Softail models.

                     These days, in America, Harley Davidson owns 62 % of the market of motorcycles with 850 CC or more !!

                               Harleys are, just like porches, funn stuff for people with money and appearance. So, "rich" customers rule the market. It could have been tempting for Harley Davidson to participate in this commercial hype, but when the hype is over, they know the company will still be there and will still sell motorcycles ... because of the loyal followers. 

                   For these people, despite of age and appearance, a Harley is the one and only. It is an obviously arrogant, massive and cool cycle, without doing its best for it. However, Harleys aren't the fastest and manageable cycles, riding a Harley is uncomparable with riding any other bike ...

                               In the mean time, the die hards have to share this experience with the yuppies !!!