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NEW YORK - Harley-Davidson Inc. said Thursday it will begin selling motorcycles next year in India, the world's second-largest motorcycle market, where the company hopes its iconic, heavyweight bikes will find a niche among the country's rising middle class.
The Milwaukee-based company said it has established a subsidiary near Delhi and has begun scouting the country for dealers.
This is a marketplace where fuel efficiency and utility are the prime factors in motorcycle transportation, and the nimble agility to get around in congested traffic.
It's where even a 15 hp diesel large motorcycle (Enfield) is still sold for the rough roads and it's hauling capacity and fuel economy. Performance is definitely a lesser consideration, and rugged sturdiness is a primary factor. Much of the marketplace is dominated by 250cc and smaller motorcycles, 500cc is considered a really big bike.
Somehow, I just don't associate these parameters with any product from H-D. Nimble? Sturdy? Fuel Economy? Agile? Durable?
Their market there has got to be the "image" vanity marketplace ... which hasn't exactly been a huge seller in European countries or the Far East where motorcycles have been a mainstay of economical and affordable transportation for a long time.
Enfields aren't diesel, but otherwise you're right. HD barges aren't good for the roads, traffic and congestion that plague India.
On the other hand, if their target market is the same as it is here, it won't be a concern since the bikes will be a garage queen that gets towed everywhere for posing purposes, and is more of an accessory along with the appropriate HD do rag, HD dealer t-shirt, and HD assless chaps, all sold at a ridiculous markup.
Enfields aren't diesel, but otherwise you're right. HD barges aren't good for the roads, traffic and congestion that plague India.
On the other hand, if their target market is the same as it is here, it won't be a concern since the bikes will be a garage queen that gets towed everywhere for posing purposes, and is more of an accessory along with the appropriate HD do rag, HD dealer t-shirt, and HD assless chaps, all sold at a ridiculous markup.
Yes, Enfield's India manufacturing plant made a DIESEL version of the 500cc single cylinder motorcycle ... specifically for the exceptional fuel economy that it could deliver in this area of the world. While a bit "pokey" for acceleration and really poops out about 50-55 mph, much slower than the gasoline 500cc bike ... it was a solid workhorse for folks in India who needed a large bike with a lot of carrying capacity and range.
The success formula of this series of bikes has carried over to a number of companies in Germany and Britain doing diesel conversions to older Enfields, too. They are available as new restoration bikes from several dealers in Europe as well as in the USA. The allure is the fuel economy in real world commuting scenarios. While the net HP is rather low, the low RPM torque is quite a bit more than comparable gasoline powered bikes have off idle.
I found a really good video of a 8 minute ride on YouTube of a diesel Enfield running errands in the British countryside, complete with sound. The bike was able to keep up with the traffic, mostly in the 30-45 mph range, and the handling appeared OK (at least from the perspective of the camera). I got to that site by googling Diesel Enfield motorcycles .... there were several other videos there, one of an India based motorcycle dealer starting one of the diesel Enfield singles, and a few others of them being ridden.
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