One thing is for sure. I have developed deep respect for Harley now. They are simply not letting any stone unturned. Advertisements, events, rides, everything they are doing to influence this lucrative market. Setting up of a HD plant in India is more good news. I do not think that it's injustice being done to any Indian manufacturer as none of them has anything in that category. Who knows, but others may also set up their assembly plants atleast so that they can also bring down the duty cost.
Overall, FANTASTIC job HD !!

Hats Off to Harley

Harley u make us dream BIG now...............

I can't take this...! My head is spinning...! Someone hold me please... The Japanese FTA the EU FTA and now this... We were already moving in the right direction but I seriously feel HD has pressed the NOS for us... This year is gonna be soooo fantastic... I wanna buy a big bike soon most probably early next year... 6 months ago it was just a day dream (ofcourse night dreams also consisted of these beauties) with the least priced performance bike at 13-15L iirc but it seems to be forming into a reality very quickly... It seems my prayers were very genuine this last ramazan and God has put all the wheels in motion to grant my dream...

Yamaha has a poor lineup of bikes in India!

HD with its strong arm twisting tactics in ensuring the 800CC criteria has kinda stopped the easy route for the others.

I am waiting for Bajaj to change the game with the Kawasaki and may be the KTM lineup in a mind blowing price tag especially with the IKM Pvt Ltd.

Like Kawasaki says - Let the Good times roll!

wow....this is great news.....harleys...made in india.....and cheaper too....
but is bajaj doing.....with kawasaki and KTM in its pocket....

Doing what all Indian auto-manufacturers have been doing since years and years - Snoozing ZZZZzzzzzz...

SO..Harley is up to give a tough competition to the rivals...Japs...Where r you??? wondering if japs are going to do the same thing...India is a growing market for bikes after all...

"Made in India" Harleys and "Made in Thaliand" Ducatis.. hmmm.... what opinion an American or Italian would have on that?

Me too. Despite having no present interest in Harley's otherwise excellent Cruisers, I really have respect for the company. I wish they made faired sportsbikes, or managed to get Buell here.

They are just here for some time, and already they are showing the jap gaints how to do business. I mean, if HD can take so much risk starting from the scratch, why can't the japanese giants (K,S,H,Y) produce something exotic in India?

Japanese are at so much advantage, having good reputation & service centres in every city, so is it still a matter of life and death producing the 400 and 600's here?

Respect to Harley though. This company's got heart!

Hey aargee bro! i kind of did not understand this.. Now, for eg. we will talk about the superlow.. its priced @ 5.5L and thats through CKD.. right?? So what would be the price after Indian production? I guess there wont be any import taxes as CKD as it will be manufactured.. So how much % less on the 5.5L price???

^^^ Yeah, you're right. It will be CKD tax only which is 60%. The local tax, I'm not sure if it plays a role. But is Superlow currently being imported as CKD? I doubt because all HD's are currently being imported. This means, 5.5L is with the CBU tax.

Edit - See this news - http://motoroids.com/news/harley-dav...or-lesser.html

The Superflows price of 5.5L is at MRP + 60%
Therefore the mrp would be 5,50,000/160 X 100 = 343750

So once the plant is set up here the final OTR should be close to 4.25L I guess...

Related news articles floating around -

Source - Harleys at INR 3.3 Lakhs: Why not? | Indian Cars & Motorcycles Blog

The past few days have been anything but joyous and hope filled for the Indian automotive enthusiast like never before. Right from the India-EU Free Trade Agreement(FTA) which could make luxury cars manufactured in the European Union to the Indo-Japan FTA which simply could translate into cheaper spare parts for high end Japanese motorcycles as well as cheaper imports from Japan. Now, here is another massive bit of buzz that could potentially have motorcycle enthusiasts dreaming and dreaming big.
Indian Alphonso mangoes turned sweeter when they were exchanged for Harley Davidson to set shop in India. Barack Obama’s visit to India, earlier this year seems to have further sweetened the deal for motor heads as Harley Davidson is making a massive shift in tack. Now, instead of merely setting up an assembly facility to assemble CKD kits from the United States, Harley Davidson India will now go the whole hog and manufacture it’s cult motorcycles in India, ground up. And this includes an Indian vendor base as well since Harley Davidson is aiming at a “mother plant”, which will be the first of it’s kind outside of it’s manufacturing facilities at USA.

What will then happen? You and me can finally start dreaming big. Dreaming of riding on the rapidly improving Indian highways, with the wind in our faces, with the soul stirring exhaust of the engine, with what motorcyclists cherish the most, the absolute freedom in the heart, the freedom of being one with the open road. Just you and the machine and the road. Sorry for the circumvention, but in other words, Harley Davidsons could be sold for as low as INR 3.3 Lakh as manufacturing in India is a whole load cheaper than that of America. And with Indian vendors making Harley parts, it won’t get better than this.

As Indian manufacture of Harley Davidsons begin, Harley will also start exporting it’s made-in-India motorcycles to other emerging markets where Harleys sell for steep prices due to their high manufacturing costs in Uncle Sam country. So, what that means is more jobs for Indians in India and more sales for Harley, in India as well as in other emerging markets. A win-win situation, ain’t it? As for the Japanese big four, this should serve as a good enough reason to contemplate at least CKD assembly operations to gain the all important volumes as the Indian elephant’s purchasing power peaks.

Meanwhile, we’re still perplexed at why the folks at Financial Express are going hammer and tongs at Harley for setting up base in India, with them even going to suggest that national interests have been replaced by corporate interests. Sounds very, very leftish. All said, right here, on ICB, we carried a wordy piece on how India could save Harley Davidson, and just in line with our analysis, it really seems to be happening. And that, if not anything else is one more reason for you to stop by everyday at Cars Bikes India | New Cars 2011 | New Motorcycles 2011 | Indian Auto Reviews.

Absolutely.....60% of 5.5L comes to 3.3L. I see no reason why can HD not position their bikes in this segment.....