Harley-Davidson Now Assembles A Total Of 5 models in India.

At the 2012 Auto-Expo in India Harley-Davidson just announced that it is now assembling l;ocally 2 new models for this market , the FXDB Street Bob and FXDC Super Glide Custom. With the introduction of two more motorcycles in its CKD line-up (Complete Knock Down assembled locally from parts), the company now assembles five models out of its total line up of 15 bikes being offered in the country.

Immediately, Harley was able to lower prices by almost 35%. These 5 models were previously offered as CBU imports (Completely Built-up) whose prices were too high to be competitive. Currently, Harley-Davidson has sold about 1000 bikes in India and has a network of 7 dealers. Of course, to keep prices as low as possible in a very competitive market, expect all models sold in India and soon in Asia to be assembled locally. Harley-Davidson India.

50 Responses to “Harley-Davidson Now Assembles A Total Of 5 models in India.”


  1. 1 deadwood1783 Jan 6th, 2012 at 9:43 am

    How many units did Royal Enfield sell here last here. What was the tarriff on these units? Where is the CKD plant these units are being assembled at locally here in the states. Free trade my ass. How about fair trade? Anybody for that?

  2. 2 Luis Jan 6th, 2012 at 10:03 am

    We don’t have a free trade agreement with India. Although it seems any free trade agreement we do sign is enforced in a lopsided manner.

  3. 3 Industry guy Jan 6th, 2012 at 10:42 am

    Great. Something else to be outsourced. How can you call Harley an American made motorcycle anymore?

    Bring the jobs back here you dipshits!

    You are becoming just like so many other companies. Screwing your fellow countrymen out of an opportunity to make a decent living in America just to save a buck.

    SHAME ON YOU HARDLEY DAVIDSON!!

    SHAME ON YOU WILLIE G. FOR ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN!

  4. 4 hk Jan 6th, 2012 at 11:20 am

    yes shame on you harley davidson with trying to keep prices of bikes competitive with the rest of the planet .Here is a news flash to all the “buy american” almost everything in your house ,on your person and in your line of sight was made by some kid making 8.c an hour overseas so you can have your precious toys and trinkets without complaining that it costs too much .You cant have your cake and eat it too ,unless of course the cake was made in china for 1/3 the price as it costs to be made in texas by people who demand huge salaries and benifits driving the price way past what people are willing to pay .

    ps. there is a lot of parts on a harley davidson that have been built offshore for a long time ,get over it .

    not saying i agree ,just saying i understand

  5. 5 El Loco Jan 6th, 2012 at 11:58 am

    Harley is a profit whore for all of its investors…they only care about the bottom dollar.

    Harley has been outsourcing it’s parts offshore for decades. Trying to keep costs down so that they can make more money……believe me, that’s all they care about.

    There is no reason why Harley can’t make it’s parts in the USA, employ it’s own people and still make a decent profit to grow.

    Victory is living proof as well as Indian.

    Harley’s new slogan should read:

    Harley-Davidson……we act like we care…..but we really don’t!

    El Loco

  6. 6 Toby Jan 6th, 2012 at 12:24 pm

    I’m curious about the 35% cost savings. Is that 35% in labor savings or 35% off the cost of the entire bike? There is nowhere near that amount of labor in manufacturing a bike, and with the knockdown system all the major (expensive) components like engine, transmission, front end are already done before shipping. Has anyone seen these bikes? Are they built of the same quality components?

  7. 7 Alan sharp Jan 6th, 2012 at 12:54 pm

    So when will H/D bring bikes to UK and Europe, 35% more profit if made in india.??????????. yes my hd helmet is made in thailand, jacket in china, t,shirts china, and 275 redundancies in the usa……..

  8. 8 Luis Jan 6th, 2012 at 12:58 pm

    @toby

    Usually a knockdown kit means that the final assembly would take play in india to skirt the import taxes. Its imported as “parts”

  9. 9 Blue Jan 6th, 2012 at 1:36 pm

    Back at the beginning of 2010, we reported on the BSH blog about the the advance of Harley-Davidson into India, and suggested that maybe, just maybe, the MoCo might begin production on the sub-continent. We got resoundedly flamed in quite offensive terms for even suggesting such heresy. And guess what?

  10. 10 CHINGON CHOPPERS Jan 6th, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    AMERICAN MADE MY ASS….. THATS WHY I BUILT MY OWN BIKE AND A BETTER REASON TO BUY A VICTORY.

    VICTORY WILL BE THE NEXT LEADER IN THE BIKE INDUSTRY.. ONCE THEY FIND THE RIGHT DESIGN GROUP ALL HELL IS GOING TO BREAK LOOSE.

  11. 11 Willie Jan 6th, 2012 at 2:50 pm

    Wow, how many stupid and angry pills do you take a day? What a bunch of dopes.

  12. 12 DW Jan 6th, 2012 at 3:27 pm

    This isnt a case of outsourcing. American jobs aren’t being lost.

    This is H-D trying to break into a NEW market by assembling and building bikes within THAT new market so as to make them more cost competitive. If exporting products to India results in being priced out of competition then nobody wins and everybody loses (except for the competitors who will benefit from easy competition).

    In this global economy, a US corporation expanding its global reach by breaking into new markets where previously they had low or no penetration is a GOOD thing. H-D will realize greater profits, become a stronger company, and be able to innovate and compete in a more robust fashion.

    India is a huge market and I am excited by H-D’s inroads into this market. I hope they are wildly successful.

  13. 13 ROCKSTAR Jan 6th, 2012 at 6:30 pm

    Victory was set to move production to Mexico, until the polaris purchase of Indian… then from a marketing perspective the move was reversed.

  14. 14 PaulHart Jan 6th, 2012 at 7:37 pm

    Do the bikes built in India have four handlebars stacked in secession? You need that for the eight armed goddesses to ride.

  15. 15 GetReal Jan 6th, 2012 at 10:36 pm

    Most here have totally missed the boat.

    It’s like DW says.

    Now
    GetReal

  16. 16 R Sonist Jan 7th, 2012 at 1:11 am

    Industry Guy, El Loco, and CHINGON CHOPPERS, your comments would make me laugh if I weren’t so head-shakingly disgusted at your idiocy. Perhaps you’re just new here, so I’ll humor you and try to explain in small words so you can understand:

    The bikes Harley is building in India are FOR THE INDIAN MARKET. They are not outsourcing the building of American bikes to India. These are bikes to be sold IN INDIA, TO INDIAN CUSTOMERS, for the purpose of circumventing INDIA’S OWN crappy import taxes.

    Also, if you, as an American, like to ride a bike that was built in America, by American workers, how stupid do you have to be not to realize that Indians might like to ride a bike built in India, made by Indian workers? As long as their money comes back here, they’re helping our economy, which could use the help. Or perhaps you’d rather have Indians all ride Royal Enfields instead, so we can never see a single rupee of their money, and the American balance of trade will remain hugely negative without the help of these exports? Does that sound good to you?

    Morons. They’re not building YOUR bike in India and shipping it back here. But then, they’re probably not building YOUR bikes anywhere, because I can’t imagine anyone so slow to catch the point getting paid enough to buy a new bike anyway.

  17. 17 Fausto Jan 7th, 2012 at 7:53 am

    Are those Indian Harley`s then?

  18. 18 Fausto Jan 7th, 2012 at 7:54 am

    Finally!
    An Indian Harley.

  19. 19 Oldude Jan 7th, 2012 at 8:06 am

    I’m a Harley rider and a stock holder also. If you don’t like what Harley is doing to gain in corporate profits for their stock holders perhaps there is a Honda in your future! Get real !

  20. 20 Grayhawk Jan 7th, 2012 at 8:12 am

    R.Sonist

    Are you sure the money is coming back to the US, as many US Dollars earned by US companies that have offshore entities leave their money overseas in view of US State and Federal taxing/ burden levels.. It surely helps the viability of the company but maybe not so much the US coffers nor keeping or growing US staffing levels to the extent of the market growth overseas..

  21. 21 Harley Triumphson Jan 7th, 2012 at 8:48 am

    This gentlemen, has been the funniest list of blog comment I’ve read in a while – good job!
    And well done R Sonist.
    I’m off to my local H-D dealer to have my standard Road King Showa forks serviced…

  22. 22 Borther Tiberius Jan 7th, 2012 at 8:50 am

    Everytime I read comments from people that are going off about how we need to keep someting “American Made” or just build the things here, I have to shake my head at how they really don’t understand modern economics or tarriffs or corporations or things like that.

    Go get a book called “Basic Economics” by Thomas Sowell.

    It’s really thick, like 2 J&P Catalogs thick.

    Don’t be scared.

    Just read it a chapter at a time.

    I’d guess that some of the profit from India is coming back here, and some of it is being used for overhead and expenses in the India operation.

  23. 23 10377586 Jan 7th, 2012 at 8:54 am

    Good for Harley, new market, new jobs, new money that they weren’t seeing before. Whether it all gets back here or not doesn’t matter, at least there’s an opportunity for it to happen. Looks like a good move to me.

  24. 24 Calif Phil Jan 7th, 2012 at 9:00 am

    DW nailed it.

  25. 25 riverat Jan 7th, 2012 at 9:01 am

    ROCKSTAR, where on earth did you get this crap from? Not even close particularly since the move was Polaris ATV nothing to do with the Victory division or the purchase of Indian. And would be totally and completly unrelated to what HD is doing.

  26. 26 Sam Burns Jan 7th, 2012 at 9:29 am

    Hey there hk,
    Where did you come up with Texas (that’s with a capital T, pard) making so much money and getting so many perks? You can take all the cheap shots at H-D that you like cuz, but let’s have a little respect for the underpaid folks in the Lone Star State. We’ve got some high rollers here just like anywhere else, but the minimum wage is…well, minimal. The vast majority of folks here aren’t swimming in money…kind of a slap in the face.

  27. 27 TONY INDIAN Jan 7th, 2012 at 9:54 am

    A HARLEY DAVIDSON COFFEE METAL THERMAL MUG MADE IN CHINA 25.00 $ PLUS TAX ,.AT 7 11 THEIR MUG IS 7.00 $

  28. 28 Matt Jan 7th, 2012 at 10:09 am

    I don’t fault Harley for this. Corporations have to keep posting growing #’s to keep their investors happy. If you want your voice to be heard by MOCO then sell your HD bike and buy HD stock.

  29. 29 BobS Jan 7th, 2012 at 10:56 am

    Just a few facts: the bikes being sold in India are made in York and Milwaukee. They are the CDK, complete knock down, that means disassembled into a box of parts. Shipped to India where they are reassembled thereby getting around the import tariff. Tariff means a tax on imported goods btw.
    Also Victory was never going to move production out of Iowa, more stupid rumors from people so eager to jump to the worst possible conclusion. Victory, H- D, and now Indian again, all made in America by Americans.

  30. 30 Juanhunglow Jan 7th, 2012 at 11:32 am

    You HD homers better hope this experiment fails. Otherwise my kids HD will be built in India and shipped over here…this great news already makes for some interesting debate @ my local juke joint. Polaris is looking pretty damn smart for buying Indian Motorcycle right about now, instant street cred. Let the games begin ! Indian, Americas First Motorcycle…….and last !

  31. 31 Harleynot Jan 7th, 2012 at 11:37 am

    Juanhunglow, is a brother from a different mother!

  32. 32 Tired Jan 7th, 2012 at 2:19 pm

    Piss on Harley, I used to buy a new one every year until I bought my 2010, what a piece of crap. Their customer service has gone down hill, they don’t seem to care about a sub standard product. Like someone else mentioned Victory will be a force to be reckoned with once they ditch the Ness fat boofy designs.

  33. 33 X Harley Dealer Jan 7th, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    Maybe Harley will start assembling bikes in Canada for us Canadian riders to bring our prices more in line with the US. Also get rid of Fred Deeley Imports who serve no purpose sinse Trevor Deeley died years ago. Trev Deeley bailed out Harley at the last minute when Harley almost went broke! In return Harley gave Deeley Imports a sweet deal and they have being screwing everyone sinse, paying customers still pay 25 to 30% more for bikles and partsDeeley Imports the (exclusive Canadian Distributor) is greeder than the Motor Company and treat their dealers like shit! Deeley makes more dollar phrofit on bikes and parts than the Canadian Harley Dealers. The reason Harley tried to prevent it’s dealers from re selling to others at a discount, was due to Deeley’s winning that they were losing their unreasonable phrofit margin that they claim they are entitled to, because Candians were saving thousands by dealing with shops like St. Paul Harley-Davidson (right On St. Paul, you got balls standing up to these greedy clowns). I am certain this latest tatic contrviens the Canada/Us Free Trade Agreement and they should be alerted immediately. I think I will drop a dime!
    One Pissed Off Cowboy, an EX Candian Dealer

  34. 34 Doc Robinson Jan 7th, 2012 at 2:52 pm

    Thanks BobS, though your clear and concise explanation will be undoubtedly misread and mis-interpreted by the numerous rock apes who infest this blog and post uninformed comment after comment,

  35. 35 Blackmax Jan 7th, 2012 at 5:26 pm

    I understand the buisness model and the motivation to expand into new markets. But I don;t have tp like it . Now, for sure, I know what my next bagger is going to say on it VICTORY !!!!!

  36. 36 Woody Jan 7th, 2012 at 10:31 pm

    Think of it as Harley returning to their heritage? Remember in the 60s/70s when dealers almost had to finish building the bike after they took delivery? (and after you bought it, YOU finished building it) Americans still have some decent paying jobs making the knocked down bikes going into those crates to be shipped overseas. I sure prefer that to seeing machinery and tooling being loaded into crates bound for India. @BT-ditto on Thomas Sowell’s book! A great read.

  37. 37 Jason Hallman Jan 7th, 2012 at 11:22 pm

    I cannot wait to see a photo of 9 family members packed on to a Dyna!

  38. 38 Septic the Sceptic Jan 8th, 2012 at 12:26 am

    Some of you people are dumber than a bag of hammers. HD is assembling bikes in India, so they can sell bikes in India. It’s either do it that way and get some of the market, or not doing that way and getting none of the market.

  39. 39 morpion Jan 8th, 2012 at 9:37 am

    x harley dealer,,,your right we don,t need fred deeley,,him he makes a profit plus the dealer after

  40. 40 Gert Jan 8th, 2012 at 5:51 pm

    WOW! Talk about all over the board. About half of these comments read like the writers never actually read the article. If Harley hadn’t figured a way around the Indian tariffs, they’d sell about 2 bikes a year in India. Foreign countries do the same thing here. I used to live near Benicia, CA, where auto transport ships would dock and unload Japanese pick-up trucks with no beds on them. The beds were installed here and then transported to dealers across the western states and the trucks were subject to a lower tariff. I now live in Colombia, where a new Fatboy costs over $30,000 USD. The secondary market also passes on the tariff when a bike is resold. A 10 yr old Harley costs about what a new one sells for in the US. Colombia has been trying to ink a FTA with the US for over 5 years, which would greatly expand the Colombian market for large, durable US-made goods. Obama once promised that he would never sign such an agreement, but he is now pushing for it. Unlike the sweetheart deal Clinton gave China, the FTAs with small South American countries would actually benefit both signees. The US will sell more stuff there and the locals will be able to buy goods that do not compete with their local mfg base, at much reduced prices. India, China, Japan, Korea, etc already have huge shares of the markets here (cars, motorcycles, electronics, large appliances) because they can sell their goods much cheaper even though Colombians would love to buy US-made goods. Most Americans would be shocked to learn how much of a presence China has in Central and South America. I wish Harley would start assembling bikes here for S.A. distribution, then I could afford a bike here, too.

  41. 41 barney Jan 8th, 2012 at 7:14 pm

    Shame really, H-D is giving (gave) away one of its most important, if not thee most important selling point; that H-D is an American motorcycle made with American made parts. Offshoring is shortsighted where its brand value is so intrinsically iconic in nature.
    That special value is being traded away for short term bucks…they’ll live to regret it.

  42. 42 fuji Jan 8th, 2012 at 8:39 pm

    Brazil. Silence !

  43. 43 mars Jan 8th, 2012 at 8:42 pm

    do you think the Japanese are upset because Honda builds the Goldwing in the USA to sell to Americans.

  44. 44 gravey Jan 9th, 2012 at 12:38 pm

    I just got back from Cancun and the Harley t shirts were the same price as back home. Home is up here in Edmonton alberta Canada. Does everythong with Harley Davidson have to cost that much. You want more sales, lower the prices. Just a thought.

  45. 45 gravey Jan 9th, 2012 at 12:42 pm

    Can someone tell me why a tshirt in Cancun costs the same as where i live.Which is Edmonton Alberta Canada

  46. 46 fuji Jan 9th, 2012 at 2:08 pm

    Goldwings are built in Japan, if you live there [ Japan ] you have to have it imported. For what its worth.
    ———————————————————————————————————-
    Harley Davidson’s manufactured out side the country. Never say never, for they have been there before. “‘Japan ”

    Comment,
    We have found it in our best interest to outsource our manufacturing and assemble the parts here in the USA for the AMERICAN CONSUMER. This still defines the bike as American made. LOL

    Its coming, as soon as the dust settles in your minds. Little by Little.

    York, PA. facility will be a good test bed for the offshore plant construction as soon as they label all the equipment in another language. LOL

  47. 47 Richard Jan 9th, 2012 at 2:36 pm

    Mars,
    I’m not sure the gold wing is still built here. Anyone know for sure?

  48. 48 Matt Jan 10th, 2012 at 10:08 pm

    Richard. I believe the 2011 Goldwing was the last model year to be assembled in the States.

  49. 49 Woody Jan 10th, 2012 at 10:57 pm

    No more US-made Honda bikes, the production at the Marysville, OH was moved back to Japan. While it was running, the Valkyries, Wings & VTXs were all made there.

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