Earlier this week, a Times of India report claimed that – Keen to expand business operations in India, Italian bike maker Ducati, seeks a partner in the country for manufacture of small engine bikes for global markets.
Ducati seeks partnership in India for the production of smaller size engines between 250cc and 500cc while Ducati’s current portfolio only consists of bikes powered by 800cc and 1,200cc engines. It is with these smaller engined bikes that the company expects to see global sales to the extent of 55,000 units, stated the TOI report.
Seen above is a Ducati Multistrada standing next to a Royal Enfield Bullet.The report also added that Ducati could be seeking partnership with Hero MotoCorp or Royal Enfield following BMW’s plan to introduce motorcycles with 310cc engines from its ‘Motorrad’ division within the country in partnership with TVS Motors. Another example is of Austrian company KTM, who has also entered into an alliance with Bajaj Auto for manufacture of smaller engine bikes for global market.
Refuting the claim made by the TOI report, Ducati India has given the following press statement – “We would like to clarify that Ducati currently has no plans to partner with any Indian two-wheeler manufacturers and/or to build small capacity engine motorcycles in India.”
Scrambler is the most affordable Ducati on sale in India currently.
For 2017, Ducati aims at selling over 1,200 bikes a year in India for which the company is set to increase its network and sales two fold over next few years. As on date, Ducati has 5 dealerships in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore and Ahmedabad. In the past year, the company saw an 18% growth Y0Y and has now reached an important milestone of selling 1,000 bikes in the country ever since it entered the Indian market 3 years ago. This year the company aims at launching at least 5 new bikes in India.
