Harley Davidson opens first concept store in India

This move has been made to expand its reach in tier II and tier III towns

In the premium bike market brand visibility plays a massive role. With that in mind and to expand its reach to smaller towns, Harley Davidson has inaugurated its first concept store in Kolhapur. The company says that this will not only help create awareness of the brand in small towns but will also give existing customers to be a part of the Harley brotherhood. The company says that currently there are around 100 Harley owners in Kolhapur and with the launch of the concept store, the number is likely to rise in the future. Aside from creating awareness, this will also help existing owners with its sales and service requirements. The Warrior Harley Davidson Concept store is spread over an area of 3,000 sq.ft located in Sarnobatwadi, Kolhapur.

Commenting on the launch of the company’s first concept store in India, Marc McAllister, ‎VP and MD International Markets at Harley-Davidson® Motor Company, said “Our focus has always been on developing the culture of leisure motorcycling in India. We expect the next level of our growth to come in from Tier II and III cities and expansion to these markets is an important part of our strategy. Our first concept store steps in the same direction by taking the brand closer to enthusiasts and giving them an opportunity to experience the lifestyle.”

Harley isn’t the only premium bike maker expanding its reach in tier II and tier III markets. Triumph recently opened a new dealership in Bhubaneshwar while Benelli inaugurated a new dealership in Mysore. After ending its ties with Bajaj, Kawasaki too is in the process of establishing a strong dealership network. The Japanese bike maker currently has 12 dealerships across the country.