Triumph bikes to launch next month

Come November, Triumph Motorcycles, all of 111 years old, is set for a launch in India, but not in time for Diwali.

Triumph, which had announced its entry in the New Delhi Auto Expo last January, has been dogged by delays that culminated in the unexpected resignation of its then MD Ashish Joshi earlier this year.

Vimal Sumbly, managing director, Triumph India, who was drafted in from Bajaj Auto, said the delay has enabled Triumph get its act together in India. "We will hit the ground running. Sales, service, spares, accessories, and financing — everything will be available from day one," he said.

The first phase will see showrooms in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Delhi.

Triumph is seen as a rival to the iconic US bike-maker, Harley Davidson, which turned 110 this year. But Triumph's range — cruiser, adventure, roadster and classic slated for the first phase of rollout — will pit it against other companies including Ducati, BMW and the Japanese quartet of Honda, Kawasaki, Yamaha and Susuki.

What about pricing? "I can't give details," Sumbly said flatly. "But I can assure you that it would be very competitive for such premium bikes."

The smaller bikes would be assembled in the company's Manesar plant, while the bigger ones such as the Rocket 3 and Thunderbird would be direct imports. The company is also setting up a plant in Karnataka.

Summing up, Sumbly said: "We are not about 'brand' and 'icon' and all those things. We are about riding. If you are a biker and want a bike that will bring out your full potential, I would say, buy Triumph."

"We will bring our own Diwali," he added.