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Hero MotoCorp Sets Up Dedicated Vertical For Harley-Davidson

The country’s largest two-wheeler maker said it has appointed Ravi Avalur as the business unit head of the new vertical.

A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, painted in the Indian tricolour, sits on display at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi on Jan. 5, 2010. (Photographer: Pankaj Nangia/Bloomberg)
A Harley-Davidson motorcycle, painted in the Indian tricolour, sits on display at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi on Jan. 5, 2010. (Photographer: Pankaj Nangia/Bloomberg)

Hero MotoCorp Ltd. on Wednesday said it has set up a separate vertical to drive its new business of Harley-Davidson products and merchandise distribution in the country.

The country's largest two-wheeler maker also said it has appointed Ravi Avalur as the business unit head of the new vertical.

He will report to Hero MotoCorp Chairman and CEO Pawan Munjal.

Avalur has joined the two-wheeler maker from Cooper, where he was the head of strategy and international business.

Prior to Cooper, he was the managing director at Ducati India.

Hero MotoCorp said the new business vertical also includes four executives from Harley-Davidson's erstwhile India operations.

The company has also commenced wholesale dispatches of Harley-Davidson products to dealers from Jan. 18.

The company further said that it has on-boarded 11 existing Harley-Davidson dealers in key geographies across the country.

"Hero MotoCorp will also expand the service, parts and accessories business beyond the 11 cities currently covered by the newly appointed dealers, to a pan-India level through its extensive dealer network," it noted.

In September last year, Harley-Davidson announced discontinuation of sales and manufacturing operations in India, a decade after it started selling its premium bikes in the country.

In late-October, Hero MotoCorp and Harley-Davidson announced a partnership for the Indian market.

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As part of the deal, Hero MotoCorp will develop and sell a range of premium motorcycles under the Harley-Davidson brand name in the country.

Besides, it will take care of service and parts requirements for Harley bikes.

Further, Hero MotoCorp would sell Harley accessories and general merchandise, riding gear and apparel through a network of brand-exclusive Harley-Davidson dealers and its existing sales network in the country.