MV Agusta to power its way into India

MV Agusta, the Italian exotic superbike maker, is actively looking to launch its bikes in India. The company is currently looking out for an importer. The price tag of the machines bearing the famous MV (Meccanica Verghera) lightning badge is expected to start at a steep Rs 13 lakh and go well past the Rs 22 lakh mark.

MV Agusta motorcycles have an incredibly rich past when it comes to racing and today the motorcycles rolling out of Varese are considered the equivalent of Ferraris on two wheels.

MV Agusta will follow a clutch of global auto giants including Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, KTM, Harley-Davidson and recently Triumph, who have charted out their India entry plans with a range of superbikes. A superbike is classified as a motorcycle having an engine capacity of more than 750cc. Such bikes are generally clubbed as lifestyle products.

Pune-based Kinetic Motors, makers of scooter brand Flyte and Nova, may become the likely importer of the premium bikes for MV Agusta. Kinetic had earlier signed an agreement with MV Agusta for supply of various components of motorcycles for Agusta's entry level model under the Cagiva brand.

Speaking to Business Standard, Claudio Castiglioni, managing director, MV Agusta, said, "We are now looking for an importer in India for our motorcycles. It may be even possible that we may ask Kinetic if they would be able to sell them."

The company's plan is to position the Cagiva branded bikes, which have 125cc models, as entry level bikes in the market, with the powerful MV Agusta machines at the upper spectrum.

Interestingly, to avoid huge import duties, Japanese companies like Kawasaki, Honda and Suzuki are either working on a local assembly or are working on streamlining operations for a similar move.

One of Cagiva's 125cc models will be manufactured at Kinetic's Pune facility according to an agreement signed between the two companies last year. The facility will churn out two-stroke and four-stroke versions of the same bike. A similar machine is sold in Italy.

Two-wheeler experts indicate that the superbike market in India is expected to escalate once there is clarity on the duty structure. "It is hard to put a number to the actual market size of these superbikes but the initial response for bikes from Honda and Yamaha are overwhelming," said an analyst.

Most of these powerful bikes are priced above the Rs 5 lakh price bracket, which makes them a niche product. MV Agusta bikes are easily priced well above this and maybe available for about Rs 13 lakh for the cheapest model. There even more expensive, high performance machines from the stable.

Yamaha was among the first companies to have launched the world-renowned superbike YZF-R1 and the MT01 on Indian roads in December last year. Honda is expected to follow this year with the CBR 1000RR and the CBR 650 RR. Suzuki is expected to launch the new Hayabusa and Kawasaki will launch the small capacity Ninja range by the middle of this year.