The international chessboard of motorcycle manufacturing and sales continues to shuffle, with news that Derbi is moving to Italy, and Victory is going to sell bikes in India.
There aren’t many Derbi motorcycles in Canada; the manufacturer is best-known for small-displacement two-strokes. They’ve been in business in Spain since 1922, and they make some pretty fast 49 cc machines. But the economy in Spain is terrible, sales are dropping and changes are coming after a deal with a Swiss buyer fell through.
Derbi is owned by Piaggio, and the parent company has decided to move manufacturing to Italy. They’re closing down the Spanish plant, laying off 150 employees.
As a further sign the motorcycle scene is seeing a massive global shift, Victory has announced they’re planning to sell their motorcycles in India.
Up until fairly recently, that move would have sounded mad. But with less money sitting in North American pockets, the manufacturers are looking at ways to diversify their income, and there’s money to be made in Asia.
This move comes at an especially interesting time, as Harley-Davidson has made a big push in recent years to sell their bikes in India. Is Victory taking advantage of their market research, at the same time that parent company Polaris tries to revive the Indian brand? Will Indian be the next marque to make it to India?
We certainly live in interesting times.
