The small displacement neo-retro segment is growing at a rapid rate. Recent developments from Harley-Davidson and Triumph suggest that the Asian market is in for a treat when it comes to accessible retro-style models from reputable manufacturers. In India, for example, Harley-Davidson recently released images of the X440, and in China, the X350 and X500.
As for Triumph, the Hinckley company has had a long-standing partnership with Indian motorcycle manufacturer Bajaj. Since 2017, the two companies have had a non-equity partnership with the goal of developing and manufacturing mid-sized models for the Asian market. For over a year now, spy shots of the first Triumph-Bajaj collab bikes have been circulating all over the internet. Well, now it seems that our anticipation will soon come to an end.
Triumph India has recently sent media invites for a new product launch scheduled on July 5, 2023. The copy reads “Witness a landmark moment in motorcycling,” followed by “Join us for the launch of a new Triumph Motorcycle.” Furthermore, the invite features the silhouette of a retro-style roadster or scrambler with similar styling characteristics as the Bonneville range of bikes.
Now, over the course of the development of the new bike, Triumph and Bajaj have been incredibly tight-lipped surrounding the details of the new model. Spy photos, however, have made it clear that it’s part of Triumph’s heritage line occupied by the Speed Twin, Scrambler, and Bonneville series of models, as evidenced by its retro styling and unmistakable round headlight. On top of all that, it’s easy to deduce the displacement range of the new model, as 300cc to 400cc models have proven to be the sweet spot for the Asian market.
In the bigger scheme of things, the upcoming new model from Bajaj and Triumph will surely pave the way for increased visibility for the British brand in the Indian market. As we previously reported, Bajaj has taken over the distribution of Triumph Motorcycles in India. In the coming two years, Bajaj has the massive task of expanding Triumph’s reach to more than 120 cities across India. At present, there are only 15 Triumph dealerships in the country, so it goes without saying that Bajaj has its work cutout.
