Ducati motorcycles launched in India

16 May, 2008

Ducati has launched five of its motorcycles in India at New Delhi, India's national capital. All wil be targeted by the very high end of the Indian motorcycle market.

The motorcycles launched for the Indian market are the 848cc Ducati Superbike (Rs. 21.77 lakh), 998cc Ducati Monster S4RS Testastretta (Rs. 22.63 lakh), 1098cc Ducati Superbike (Rs. 25.61 lakh), 1078cc Ducati Hypermotard 1100S (Rs. 20.72 lakh) and 1198cc Ducati Superbike 1098R (Rs. 48.03 lakh).

The least powerful of the motorcycles will feature a 90 bhp engine - more than what most cars in India put on the road - and at the high end, 180 bhp would be on offer.

All the Ducati superbiks will comply with Euro III emission norms. Which means they should be OK according to Indian laws too.

The Ducati motorcycles will be imported as completely built units on which there is a 60 per cent import duty.

Ducati, obviously, does not expect to sell in large numbers in India. The current target is 50 units for the first year. That perhaps is an achievable target.

The Italian bike major already has a 50:50 joint venture with Kinetic Motors to manufacture auto components. Ducati has also fund a distributor in India, based in Mumbai.

Ducati isn’t the only global major who has India in its larger market plans. With the country already boasting of a 7.2-million-strong bike market, many a player including the legendary Harley Davidson of the US, Triumph of the UK and Japanese majors like Honda and Kawasaki, do have an eye on the world’s second-largest two-wheeler market. The size of this market has prompted leading bike-makers around the world to renew their focus on the Indian market, said the report. Kawasaki already sells its superbikes through Bajaj Auto, its motorcycle partner in India.

It has also been pointed out that auto major Suzuki, is launching its Hayabusa 1300 cc bike, while another giant, Honda, is launching the CBR 1000 RR in India and are sure to capture a large chunk of the bike mart in the country.

The report added that India’s own Bajaj Auto, was looking to buy out Ducati Motor Holding in a bid to build its own brand in the lucrative European market. However, the company later decided to buy a near-controlling stake in Austrian bike company KTM.