While enthusiasts in India were eagerly waiting for the new bike spawned from the partnership between Bajaj Auto and Triumph motorcycles, the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed the launch of the new motorcycle by another six to nine months. This means the first motorcycle from the Bajaj-Triumph partnership is likely to hit the showrooms by the end of FY23.
Travel restrictions were put in place to control the spread of COVID-19. Hence, the engineering and development teams from both the companies had to rely on virtual meetings for product development and this has slowed down the development of the motorcycle.
The new co-developed motorcycle will be sold under the Triumph brand and the entry-level model is likely to utilize a 250cc engine. It is said to come with an aggressive price tag of under Rs 2 lakh. According to sources, the new partnership will spawn motorcycles between 250cc and 750cc.
The delay is in the launch of the motorcycles. However, the prototype has already been manufactured. More details about this prototype are yet to be revealed.
Rakesh Sharma, executive director of Bajaj Auto was quoted as saying, “We are in the (product development) stage, where we have made prototypes, and these require physical presence to make corrections if needed. This whole process takes time. The partnership got hit because of COVID.”
The partnership discussion between the Indian brand, Bajaj Auto and British brand, Triumph started in 2017, however, the deal came to a positive conclusion in 2020. The new motorcycles will also be heavily localized to reduce the production cost.
Under the new partnership, the bikes will be produced at Bajaj’s Chakan plant near Pune. The Rs 650 crore plant already handles the production of KTM, Husqvarna and Bajaj motorcycles. The new bikes from Bajaj and Triumph are set to take the fight to Royal-Enfield which currently dominates the 200cc+ category.
Thoughts On Bajaj-Triumph Motorcycle Prototype & Launch Being Delayed
Bajaj and Triumph are both stalwarts in their respective segments. When they come together to develop an entry-level motorcycle, it is natural for us to expect the very best to come out. Thousands are already waiting in anticipation. Now, it turns out we’ve to wait a bit more.
Source: Moneycontrol