Bajaj and KTM – Europe’s biggest motorcycle producer based in Austria, are celebrating the 10th anniversary of their partnership this year. Husqvarna Motorcycles, founded in 1903, is the world’s second oldest motorcycle brand, for which KTM has secured a long-term license agreement in the year 2013. After its new positioning, the volumes have sharply gone up to an all-time high with over 30,000 units sold in 2016. Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG and Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director of Bajaj Auto decided on the strategy to take Husqvarna Motorcycles brand global and scale up the business multiple times.
The first models, Vitpilen 401, Svartpilen 401 and Vitpilen 701 will be produced in Mattighofen, Austria, and launched in early 2018. Later in 2018, the Vitpilen 401 and Svartpilen 401 production for the global markets will be transferred to Bajaj’s Chakan factory. This enlargement of the cooperation to the Husqvarna Motorcycles brand will elevate the partnership between Bajaj and KTM to the next level. Bajaj aims to sell Husqvarna motorcycles at a similar level as KTM products in India and Indonesia by increasing of KTM and Husqvarna branded motorcycles, produced in India, from expected 100,000 in 2017 to over 200,000 units in the next years. The Chakan produced “Joint Products” volume for the global market, which is planned to exceed 100,000 units in 2017, is expected to double to 200,000 units sold in the next years.