TVS and BMW join hands

Motorycle specialist BMW Motorrad has tied up with Indian two-wheeler manufacturer TVS to enter the market here.

BMW has adopted a slow but steady approach to the Indian two-wheeler market, gradually making inroads with consistent sales of their high-end, large capacity motorcycles through a set of trustworthy Indian importers. This German giant remains among the last of the 'big-ticket' manufacturers to dive into the high volumes Indian market with an earnest game plan, as KTM, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Triumph and every major Japanese bike maker have already played their cards in our important and massive market, most with grand success stories already stitched-up, or in the making.

It's an alliance with all the ingredients for grand success, there being no better prospective Indian partner for the Munich headquartered BMW Motorrad than the Hosur (outskirts of Bengaluru) based TVS Motor Co. The partners will share a resource pool to build a new series of sub-500cc motorcycles. The first products are expected to make it to production by around 2015. Bikes or scooters will be sold under their own brand names, that is either TVS or BMW Motorrad, through the companies' respective distribution networks.

It's still early days, but the sky's the limit for what can come from this solid a joint venture. BMW motorcycles are renowned world over for their high quality, built to last a generation reliability and ample performance, while closer to home, anyone who knows TVS will vouch for their meticulous, award winning production practices, rock solid in-house R&D capability, keen understanding of the Indian two-wheeler market and unparalleled on-and-off road racing expertise here. TVS is already a master at tapping into the small capacity two-wheeler arena, with successful motorcycle and scooter brands like the Scooty, Victor, Star and Apache RTR to their credit, while BMW are masters of technology for every perceivable top-end motorcycle including their popular, rugged and versatile GS, as well as the famous K and supersports S series superbikes. Such a tie-up is certain to fill in the blanks for both manufacturers, while unlocking new market horizons for both manufacturers, specially in developing markets where BMW presently lacks a significant presence.

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