Triumph Motorcycles India plans to launch 4 bike models in 2018; to focus on localisation, dealership expansion

Britain's largest bike manufacturer Triumph Motorcycles entered the Indian market in November 2013. The brand has within a short span of four years established itself as one of the major premium motorcycle manufacturers in the country.

To take the positive momentum forward, the company has lined up at least four new bikes for the market, and plans to cater more to smaller cities in 2018.

Triumph Motorcycles India is expecting more than a 10th of its total sales from tier II markets next year. "Our target for next year is that 10-15 percent of our total sales should come from tier-II cities," Triumph Motorcycles India MD Vimal Sumbly told PTI. At present, the contribution of tier II cities is around 7-8 percent.

On the new motorcycles, he said Triumph will introduce its Classic Cruiser in India along with a new Adventure range in the first and second quarters of next year. "As of now, the plan is to have four new products next year," Sumbly said.

The classic cruiser in question is the Bonneville Speedmaster Triumph, unveiled in India during India Bike Week in November 2017. At the heart of the new Bonneville Speedmaster is the same engine as the Bobber and the Bonneville T120. It is powered by 1,200cc parallel-twin engine that churns out 77hp at 6,100rpm and a peak torque of 106Nm at 4,000rpm.

Triumph is also planning to aggressively ramp up localisation and dealership chain in India. "Currently, 80 percent of the models we sell in India are locally assembled. In 2018 this will be increased to 90 percent," Sumbly added.

"We are also increasing our dealer network. By March 2018, we will have 17 dealerships, up from 14 at present. The target is to have 20 by the end of next year," he added.