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Ducati And Hero MotoCorp Partnership — Another 300cc Sportsbike In The Works?
Ducati and Hero MotoCorp could tie-up to form a new partnership. The Hero-Ducati partnership is expected to introduce a new 300cc motorcycle in India.
Ducati is planning to introduce a small-capacity, 300cc sportsbike. According to Bikewale, the Italian brand could tie-up with Hero MotoCorp to be their local partner for the new motorcycle platform.
Ducati has chosen Hero MotoCorp as it is the only Indian motorcycle manufacturer left without any tie-ups. The other two Indian brands, Bajaj and TVS have already tied-up with KTM and BMW, respectively.
Hero MotoCorp were also in talks recently with Harley Davidson, for partnership towards the American brand's small capacity motorcycle plans. However, Hero MotoCorp since then has denied the partnership.
With the Ducati-Hero partnership, the Indian brand will offer its low cost, high-quality manufacturing set-up. While Ducati will bring in their latest technology and MotoGP engineering expertise.
The Hero MotoCorp facility in India is also expected to serve as a global production hub for the new entry-level 300cc Ducati sportbike. The partnership could also see Hero, introduce a new 300cc motorcycle based on the Ducati sportbike.
Hero MotoCorp, being the world's largest two-wheeler manufacturer is focused mainly on commuter motorcycles. The brand has little to no presence in the premium motorcycle segment. However, the partnership with Ducati will help the Indian brand get a strong foothold in the highly-competitive 300cc segment in the country.
Ducati will also benefit from the partnership in terms of cost savings for manufacturing, while also opening up more markets for their new product.
The new motorcycle from Hero-Ducati is expected to come with a liquid-cooled, fuel injected 300cc engine offering. The engine will be developed by Ducati but manufactured completely in India.
Reports also suggest that Ducati will introduce two new motorcycles. Both of them will share the same engine, gearbox and other mechanicals. However, design-wise, the cheaper version will be along the lines of the Scrambler range. While the more expensive option will borrow design cues from the Multistrada.
Thoughts On The Ducati-Hero MotoCorp Partnership
Currently, the 300cc segment in India comprises of the BMW Twins (G 310 R & G 310 GS), the KTM Twins (Duke 390 & RC 390), the TVS Apache RR310 and the Bajaj Dominar 400.
The partnership is expected to take the probiking approach, unlike other tie-ups. This will provide a more cost-effective approach, as Ducati wouldn't have to set up standalone dealerships, especially in Tier-II cities.
*All images are for representational purposes only
