KTM owned Husqvarna motorcycle brand's India launch plan shelved?

Husqvarna MD Oliver Goering in January said all Husqvarna models will be built in Austria. New reports say the brand is not keen to enter India.

Swedish motorcycle manufacturer Husqvarna unveiled the production-spec Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 motorcycles at the 2016 EICMA show in Milan. Husqvarna is owned by KTM (in which Bajaj Auto has a stake) has been rumoured to enter India this year. The new bikes are based on the KTM 390 Duke platform and hence the manufacturing of both motorcycles was linked to the Bajaj Auto plant in Pune.

Also read: Husqvarna bikes based on KTM 390 Duke may not be manufactured in India

However, Husqvarna MD Oliver Goering in January said all Husqvarna models will be built in Austria to give them a premium feel rather than in India and will use European components. Now a report in Rushlane claims the launch of Husqvarna in India has been shelved. The report also says Bajaj Auto's vendors are expected to export the components for Husqvarna bikes.

It was reported that Husqvarna motorcycles will be priced above KTM models worldwide. In India, KTM models do good business. It looks like the company is concerned over the reception for Husqvarna bikes over KTM models as the latter is priced competitively. This could be one of the reasons for dropping the plan.

In addition, Husqvarna's primary target markets are European countries. Hence offering superior quality bikes at its mother plant in Austria will help them maintain the premium bike image. The move is expected to ease pressure on Bajaj Auto's Chakan plant which manufactures several Bajaj and KTM models for both domestic and international markets.

If the report is anything to go by, Indian streets will miss Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401, neo-retro motorcycles with exposed stance and a contemporary street fighter look. Husqvarna claims Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 focus on providing a pure riding experience and features a technologically advanced single-cylinder 375cc engine housed in a stripped down steel-trellis frame. The mill will develop 43bhp of power and 37Nm of torque mated to six-speed transmission.