As expected, more details with decent amounts of credibility start to pour in from India, relating to the future Harley-Davidson motorcycle(s) the Milwaukee manufacturer plans to develop, build and sell in the Indian market.
Seemingly with a direct intention to chew off the market share Royal Enfield has in India,
Harley-Davidson is planning a 500cc bike: given the fact that most bikes in India are in the 200cc-ish segment, a bigger bike would not only be “too large”, but its price would also defeat the purpose of the whole business. However, Harley-Davidson prepares a V-twin bike, and not a thumper, as some tried to guess.
The Indian Harley-Davidson will retain most of the characteristics of their bigger bikes and since the Sportster 883 is the smallest in the range, we might expect a smaller Sportster-like version. Indian sources hint that the new H-D might come with a 3 lakh price, meaning somewhere in the $6,000 (€4,550) range. Cheap for US and Europe, but remains to be seen how will the Indian market think of this.
No sketches have leaked yet, but we might learn more after the oncoming India Bike Week and first H-D Rally in Goa in a month or so.
_________________
Weer geen Sportster,
http://www.bensbikes.nl maar wel een Road King, BMW R60/5, Ural M72 en een Suzuki SV650. Fiets met trapondersteuning.