The Hindu Business Line : Ultimate indulgence on two wheels

The Harley is as American as it gets. If you want to make a statement of power and style, there really is no equal to the Harley. Die-hard fans save up all their lives to be able to afford one. And now the Harley is to set to hit Indian roads.

We think it is a fair barter. The King of Fruits in exchange for the King of Two-wheelers. Alphonsos in exchange for Harleys. What, you don't agree? You think it is too much to give away for a macho, fashionable set of wheels?

Jokes apart, the outcome of the trade talks between the US and India has left many mouths salivating in the two countries. Even as Government officials can pat themselves on their backs and claim that the India-US relations are on the road to stability after the conclusion of last week's trade talks, the bottomline is Indian Americans will get desi mangoes and we will get one of the most high-profile, very coveted American icons on two-wheels to land on our shores.

The Harley is as American as it gets. On a par with cowboys, juicy steaks, coke and baseball, in terms of its image and association with the US. The name Harley-Davidson almost immediately conjures up the image of a big bike being ridden by an equally big, tattooed macho guy fitted out in a fancy leather jacket and worn out jeans.

It is a bike that has a fan following amongst the young and the old, and is equally coveted by both men and women. Bikers save up all their lives to be able to afford a Harley.

After all, if you want to make a statement of power and style, there really is no equal to the Harley. To the die-hard fans of mountain biking and cruising, the Harley Davidson is the ultimate.

Beauty `n beast

The Harley has been venerated by generations, bequeathed by fathers to their sons and daughters, immortalised in innumerable Hollywood movies and unabashedly shown off by rock stars and Presidents alike.

Functionally, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle is transportation. But mechanically, it is an object of raw beauty that can be customised to fit any rider's aspirations. As the company behind the bike says, it is no coincidence that Harley riders are as passionate about their bike as the ride itself. The flowing curves of the fenders, the smooth lines of the fuel tank, the piercing reflections from perfect chrome, the visual muscle of a big V-Twin engine — these are what set Harley-Davidson motorcycles apart from all others.

And, of course, the sound. No other motorcycle has the same heart pounding, pavement-thumping sound as the venerable Harley V-Twin. It's a sound that has mesmerised generations, and it's as distinct as the people who ride the bike.

Coming from a company that has a century-old history of passionately crafting and manufacturing bikes, it is not surprising why the Harley has such a fanatical following amongst its owners. And the bike's fans have not stopped with just sharing their effusive feedback about the Harley. Instead, they have formed what is arguably one of the largest fan clubs in the world.

While there are many small private groups, the Harley Owners Group (HOG) is the largest company sponsored motorcycle enthusiast group - one million members enjoy the camaraderie that this organisation offers. The Motor Company also participates at many races and events throughout the year, and encourages all riders to join them.

This bike has spawned a whole set of allied industries that manufacture products such as Harley branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. Harley-Davidson bikes, along with Buell Motorcycles (a brand that the former owns), have also been big into racing right from the early days of the company.

India bound

The launch of Harley bikes in India has been long overdue. Previous attempts at entering India were probably put off due to various reasons, only a small part of the blame for the delay in entry would have been the small size of the potential market for a super premium performance bike like the Harley.

It is now also known that the entry of Harley bikes was more hampered by the stringent emissions standards that the Government applies to all categories of two-wheelers and of course due to the import tariffs of more than 90 per cent.

However, after the trade talks between the two countries, the Government has indicated that a special provision will be made in order to make Euro III emission compliance as an acceptable standard for heavy motorcycles. This will have to be a blanket provision that will be applicable to all manufacturers of super bikes and will hence throw open the doors for others such as BMW, Suzuki, Ducati and Yamaha.

There are at least five different broad categories of Harleys that are available in the major markets of the world and a number of regular, `optional' and special edition variants between them. But the Harley doesn't come cheap in the US. In India, the prices will more than double after the all the duties and levies are loaded. With prices starting at Rs 10 lakh plus the Harley will not be targeted at the `Aam Aadmi' (pun unintended).

Also, with even commuter style biking being male-dominated in India, this super bike will invariably be targeted at the Indian male smitten by the Harley's masculine charm.

So, if you are young and have the money to pay for a Harley, it is only understandable that you will wait with bated breath to buy one of them and join the HOG. If you are old and have the money, don't worry; you can still do the same. Just blame it on male menopause.

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