Harley-Davidson takes on Royal Enfield Bullet in India

Two icons of the open road are to go head-to-head in India as Harley-Davidson starts selling its heavyweight motorcycles in the country for the first time.

Standing in the way is the Royal Enfield Bullet, commonly known as “The Thumper”; a bike first built in Britain nearly 80 years ago, and one that is enjoying something of a revival in India.

Harley will begin taking orders next week but the price tag means that ownership will be limited to India’s elite. In the United States the bikes, beloved of Hell’s Angels and crisis-hit middle-aged males, start at $7,000 (£4,500). In India import duties will double the cost. For the same money you can buy at least seven Bullet 350s — a comparison that helps to explain the sniffiness of India’s “real” bikers.

“A Harley is for the rich guy who will take it out on a Sunday for a ride to his club,” said Anand Bhalerao, 31, the technical head of the Inddie Thumpers, India’s largest biker club. “It’s too heavy for the Indian physique and in this climate it’s going to overheat.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article7099109.ece