Triumph Motorcycles and Indian firm Bajaj officially announce tie-up
Triumph Motorcycles and Bajaj Auto India have officially announced a long-term link-up to produce a brand-new range of mid-capacity motorcycles.
The new deal will see the two companies collaborate on a new range of bikes to sit between existing large and small-capacity line-ups currently produced by each brand.
This deal follows 13 years after a disastrous Triumph effort to enter the global market with a cut-price range of 250cc single-cylinder bikes that were set to be designed in the UK but built at a new Triumph factory in India. After years of work to get the bikes designed, engineered and built, the British company axed the entire project before the bikes made it near production.
The experience at least helped Triumph learn a lot about how hard it is to set-up on your own in India, so partnering with huge automotive manufacturer Bajaj allows the British firm to use existing manufacturing and supply chains.
The strategic partnership will benefit both parties with Bajaj becoming one of Triumph’s key distribution partners in crucial new markets for the Triumph brand around the globe.
Bajaj will take over Triumph’s Indian distribution activities, at a date yet to be confirmed, using the great expertise that Bajaj has in this region. In their other overseas markets, where Triumph is not currently present, Bajaj will represent Triumph and offer the new mid capacity bikes as part of the full Triumph line-up.
In all other markets where Triumph is present today, the motorcycles developed together from this partnership will join the current Triumph product line-up and be distributed by the Triumph led dealer network worldwide.
Triumph Motorcycles CEO, Nick Bloor, said: “This is an important partnership for Triumph and I am delighted that it has now formally commenced. As well as taking our brand into crucial new territories, the products that will come out of the partnership will also help attract a younger, but still discerning, customer audience and is another step in our ambitions to expand globally, particularly in the fast-growing markets of South East Asia, but also driving growth in more mature territories like Europe.”
Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto India, said: “The Triumph brand is an iconic one the world over. So, we are confident that there will be a huge appetite in India and other emerging markets for these new products. We look forward to working alongside such a famous motorcycle company and to leveraging each other’s strengths and expertise to make the relationship a success for everyone.”
Rumours had been circulating for some time that the two companies would be working together, but today’s announcement finally puts some meat on the bones of the deal. With Bajaj currently making small capacity bikes, and Triumph’s line-up starting at 660cc, it is expected that new products from the partnership will be in the 250-750cc range to fill that gap.
