Triumph Motorcycles and Bajaj Auto are expected to formally confirm its deal to develop a range of Indian-built smaller capacity models later this month, with the first bikes set to hit the streets in 2022.
Having revealed back in 2017 that they were working towards an agreement, Triumph confirmed to media outlets last year that the collaboration was indeed going ahead imminently. This is now very nearly a done deal, with details potentially to come as early as next week.
At the heart of this new deal is Bajaj Auto – one of India’s biggest motorcycle companies and a major shareholder of KTM/Husqvarna – to become the manufacturing base for a new range of smaller displacement Triumph branded models in the 250 – 750cc range.
The deal is intended to give Triumph a better foothold in the Asian market, where lower capacity models are more popular. Local manufacturing means Triumph will also be able to price its models more competitively in India, allowing to go up against brands like Royal Enfield, Honda and KTM, which also build and sell models locally.
Notably though, the collaboration will result in only Triumph-branded motorcycles being produced, with Bajaj simply involved in the manufacturing process.
Triumph says it fully intends to export certain models globally – including Europe – raising speculation smaller capacity variants of the existing range, such as a 400cc or 600cc Street Triple could hit the road in 2022.
“This is a product in the 250cc to 750cc segment,” said Chief Product Officer Stuart Sargent. “It will be a one engine platform, but there will be different engine capacities catering to different bike styles. We have been discussing with Bajaj about what is the desirable specification.
“We agreed on what that would be in terms of performance, power and capacity. We know fuel economy is very important in India. Bajaj has a lot of knowledge about the Indian consumer, which they have brought to the project.”
