The internet has been set ablaze by news of a possible link of the global big brand BMW and the Indian motorcycle manufacturer TVS. The possibilities that can arise from a partnership of these motorcycle manufacturers are immense. Lets take a look at who gains what from this probable partnership.
From BMW‘s point of view the mass market is here, in India. The sales volume that we have here is so immense that top iconic brands fall short to even come close. That said we are a market of smaller capacity engines, priced in an affordable bracket targeted at a buyer who needs the motorcycle primarily for daily commute. Now from TVS‘s point of view things are the other way around. Clearly TVS will benefit from the all the technology that will be shared and up its game and save a good lot of years of R&D. The mere association will help leverage its brand name to a much higher respect not just in India but globally. Coming back to BMW, currently the BMW motorcycles are sold as CBU’s via two of its main dealers and that’s all of what BMW Motorrad is in India. The plan ‘unofficially’ that has been set is that by late 2013 or early 2014 BMW Motorrad would come in to India. Now for that plants need to be set, the motorcycles would mostly then become CKD’s in the first phase of operations and then there would obviously be some amount of localization by which certain parts will be manufactured here in India.
So where does Husqvarna fit into all of this? That’s the most interesting part about this partnership. It is highly unlikely that BMW Motorrad would directly link with TVS. If you do not know it yet the Husqvarna brand of motorcycles was taken over by the BMW group in 2007 and they returned to road motorcycles in 2011 and have a very strong off-road pedigree. Husqvarna, we think is the ideal partner for TVS. TVS is already ahead in the off-road department in India, no production models yet but, those who are in the scene know, that TVS love’s off road as much as it does the tarmac. We could probably see a slew of lower capacity on-off road road bikes and pure dirt bikes to burst into the Indian market. On what levels the partnership is going to be? Will we see a mere sharing of resources with two separate brands like Bajaj–KTM, or do we see a combined product is anybody’s guess. Everyone we spoke to, be it at BMW, or TVS, just would not divulge in providing any further information. What we know for sure is that top BMW officially have visited multiple manufacturers in India and are most impressed by the folks at TVS and their manufacturing plant.
How much of a difference would an alliance like this make in the Indian motoring industry? Leave back a comment and let us know your views on it.
The authenticity of this news has not been confirmed yet. Even if its true, it won’t prove more than a ripple the ocean of Indian two-wheeler market. Yes, TVS will learn a lot about technology & bike-making from BMW or Husqvarna.
BMW apparently is not keen on making small capacity engines and that means expensive bikes. And the price bracket of anything over a lakh rupees is still considered sacred in Indian market. There are but a few takers of such bikes, namely Yamaha R15, Honda CBR150R, CBR250R & KTM Duke 200. Take, for instance, collaboration between KTM & Bajaj. The Austrian bike maker is known for making big hooligan bikes. However, the Duke 200 lacks engine refinement, top-speed & dearest to us Indians, the fuel-economy. So not-many takers. But Bajaj has already taken a step-ahead with Pulsar 200NS, their comic take on Duke 200. One funny looking but fairly priced bike.
On the other hand, Husqvarna is known for making off-roaders like Nuda, Terra And Strada (sounds like Ducati). But looks like we Indians still like to see them in Dirt races or rallies, not in our parking lots. Hero Impulse, for instance.
It is common sense that the powers that be in the motorcycle Industry would like to have a share in Indian Automobile(bike) industry. BMW can never be expected to make small capacity OR/AND inexpensive bikes. It will ,in all probability,will be a sharing of some platforms for TVS to use. TVS will still simply dish out products under their name/production(ibid Pulsar 200NS for example,i am not sure why that ”NS” even exists).
On the other end of the spectrum our ”well” known ”indigenous” companies want to compete with Japanese bikes. Euro is still not a known thing in India,so the immediate threat is Yamaha/Honda/Suzuki…As you see,the Collaboration has moved from Oriental to the EURO..atleast there is not much of action TRANsatlantic..