The lure of money

Indian Motorcylces coming to India? Well, if it is Indian, surely why the need to “come” to India; it’s already there, right? Wrong! This is actually an American brand of motorcycle and the “Indian” tag depicts the original natives of USA, the Red Indians. This company was founded way back in 1901 though it went bankrupt in 1953. It was acquired by another American company in 2011 and it began production again in 2013.

Well, the news is that these iconic motorcycles have now been launched in India, three models and all will be luxury brands for us Indians. Well, the company plans to sell 28 vehicles in India this year; so that in itself explains the premium tag. Like a car, this bike has cruise control, anti-lock braking systems, keyless starter, leather seats, smartphone connectivity and a high-end stereo system.

Attracting a 112% duty, the price tag is $42,889 or Rs.26 lakh for the Chief Classic, Rs.29 lakh for Chief Vintage model and the top-end model, Chieftain will cost Rs.33 lakh, which is the entry-level price for an Audi A4 or a BMW 3-Series sedan in New Delhi showrooms. Wow!

Credit Suisse has stated that dollar millionaires in India will almost double in the next five years from the current 182,000. So that explains the rush of these ‘iconic’ luxury brands to India. So much so for India being a poor country!