Continued reports suggest that BMW is getting closer and closer to releasing a small-displacement motorcycle single-cylinder motorcycle (codenamed the K03), which is being co-developed with Indian brand TVS.
The machine is expected to be in the 250cc to 300cc range, be engineered by BMW Motorrad in Germany, but built by TVS in India.
Pictures of the test mule have been on the internet (see above), but the final design is said to be similar to the TVS Draken concept that we saw this time last year.
Loyal A&R readers will remember that BMW partnered with TVS in early 2013, in a collaboration that saw no investments or joint-ventures produced, thus making their business a pure co-development deal.
The move comes after BMW’s need to add small-displacement machines to its product lineup, using the sub-500cc and sub-300cc machines as entry points for new riders into the brand.
The trouble in this effort for many Western brands though is cost and margin of such machines, which necessitate production to occur in developing nations, like India, Thailand, and Indonesia.
TVS is expected to sell its own version of the co-developed models in the Indian market, and elsewhere, thus getting German engineering on its future products as a benefit – a move we’ve seen replicated in similar deals between Western brands an Bajaj and Hero MotoCorp.
We expect to see the fruits of these labors at the motorcycle trade shows later this autumn. Stay tuned.
Source: BikeAdvice.in
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