Indian Motorcycle launches Scout Sixty; brand Victory to join

America's Indian Motorcycle wants to tap a new base of customers in India with the just launched Scout Sixty. This smaller sibling of the Scout comes with a 999cc, 84 bhp engine and a price tag of Rs 11.99 lakh, ex-showroom, Mumbai. That makes the Scout Sixty the most affordable Indian motorcycle.

This new offering is expected to boost Indian Motorcycle's sales in India. The Scout is already the volume driver, contributing to around 60 percent of Indian's sales here. Pankaj Dubey, managing director, Polaris India (pictured below), hopes that the Scout Sixty, which is cheaper than the Scout by around Rs 2 lakh, will take that figure to 75 percent soon.

If the initial response to the Scout Sixty is any indication, then it may not take too long for Dubey to achieve the target. The very first set of Scout Sixtys is also booked or sold. As the customer base for Indian Motorcycle grows, Polaris India will start assembling Indian motorcycles here. The Scout Sixty could be the first model to move from the Completely Built Unit (CBU) to the Completely Knocked Down route to India.

Indian Motorcycles currently has seven dealerships in India. The plan is to take the count to 12 by the end of this year and add at least four more next year. Sales figures of Indians are not available but the company says that it has managed to capture a 10 percent share in the market of 1200cc motorcycles and Rs 14 lakh+ priced motorcycles. Polaris plans to expand the Indian range with the introduction of the Springfield and the Chieftain Darkhorse in the Chief range.

Currently, Mumbai and Bangalore, which keep trading ranks, are the top two markets for Indian. They are followed by Delhi and Ahmedabad. These markets are followed by Chennai and Hyderabad, both almost at the same level in terms of sales volume.

Polaris India's efforts on building the Indian model portfolio and sales network now will also help pave the way for the entry of the Victory brand. The Victory brand will sit below the Indian in brand and price positioning.