Key highlights
- Harley-Davidson is looking for a return to small motorcycles
- Official hints at the new product lineup
- Thailand-based facility to be used for the future roadmap
America’s iconic two-wheeler manufacturer Harley is eyeing the entry-level small capacity motorcycles for its future expansion. Read below what the reason is behind this thought shift and what Harley’s future plans.
Also read: 5 most powerful motorcycles under Rs 10 lakh for you
Harley-Davidson to enter the 350cc club soon?
In a recent media interaction, Harley-Davidson International Markets Vice President, Kolja Rebstock, stated that the company is eyeing to shift towards more “acceptable” motorcycles with low capacity globally.
As per the VP, the discontinuation of its entry-level 883 Sportster and Forty-Eight models in Europe has led to a very narrow product lineup, which mainly has premium and big motorcycles like the Softail, CVO, etc.
Moreover, the official also added that the Harley X440, the company’s first mid-capacity bike made in collaboration with Hero MotoCorp, has done extremely good in India. However, it is still missing from the US and European markets.
For now, the image of Harley is concentrated as a “heavy softail” manufacturer. However, the success of the low-capacity motorcycles like the Honda CB350 RS and the Triumph Speed 400 in the European market has caught its attention.
The official also added that Harley’s Thailand-based facility will be used to make future products. As far as the low-capacity bikes are concerned, the company is looking to expand among new customers.
There are also plans to introduce a Bagger Series Championship, which will use factory-prepped race-spec Bagger motorcycles competing on MotoGP tracks worldwide. This will help in changing its image further.
Our verdict
Harley’s future vision looks clear, as the company now seems more focused on the performance-oriented mid-capacity and low-capacity bikes. Additionally, the main reason is to introduce motorcycles, which are affordable, unlike the current product lineup, which is already too costly worldwide.