Triumph and India-based motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj have announced a new partnership that will see Hinkley’s lineup expand with new mid-range models.
Waitaminit, you’re saying: Didn’t Triumph already take a stab at this idea? Doesn’t Bajaj already have a partnership with KTM?
The answer is yes, to both counts. Triumph’s 250 prototype was actually spotted testing on the street, but the whole project was shut down in 2014 when the bigwigs decided they couldn’t make money off the bike. Bajaj actually owns a huge chunk of KTM, and even recently announced it would start producing Husqvarna models in its Indian factories.
Now, the big question is, how much of that KTM-designed technology is going to make it into the Triumph lineup? We live in curious times indeed!
In the press release (check it out below), Triumph says this “non-equity partnership” is aimed at leveraging the strengths of both companies, building mid-sized bikes to take on global markets. Translation: Bajaj knows how to build affordable, yet fun, bikes, and Triumph knows how to market them and (presumably) design them. Triumph designs the bikes and hypes them, Bajaj builds them at a competitive price, and everybody’s a winner.
Or are they? Already, some motorcycle enthusiasts are grumbling about paying premium pricing for made-in-Thailand bikes that carry the Triumph brand. Will made-in-India Triumphs be reliable enough, affordable enough, exciting enough and desirable enough to succeed? Or will buyers instead decide to move to another manufacturer that still produces motorcycles in Europe? If so, they might find options very limited, as the western world’s motorcycle production is getting outsourced overseas every day.
TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES UK AND BAJAJ AUTO INDIA ANNOUNCE A NEW PARTNERSHIP
Triumph motorcycles and Bajaj are pleased to announce their global partnership.
The objective of this non-equity partnership is to deliver a range of outstanding mid–capacity motorcycles benefiting from the collective strengths of both companies.
We hope to bring to bear upon global markets the individual strengths of the partners including brand position & perception, design & development technology, quality & cost competitiveness & worldwide distribution.
This new global partnership will enable Triumph to significantly expand its global reach by entering new higher volume market segments, especially within the emerging markets across the world.
Bajaj will gain access to the iconic Triumph brand, and its great motorcycles, enabling it to offer a wider range of motorcycles within its domestic market and other international markets.
Triumph and Bajaj are excited by the opportunities of this partnership and the prospect of entering new market segments, thereby reaching a whole new group of motorcyclists across the world.
This new partnership builds upon our global operations, adding further capabilities to enable us to enter significant new markets and segments not possible today, in a premium manner, thereby supporting our strategic goal of becoming the premium lifestyle motorcycle brand.
Nick Bloor
Triumph Motorcycles CEO.
Oops, didn’t look at the front page and had posted in Soapbox. You scooped me Zac !