Kawasaki set to open its first independent dealership in India on March 28, 2017
Kawasaki's first dealership in India is all set to open on March 28, 2017. This will be the first of the independent dealership network that Kawasaki will soon be setting up in India. This comes just a couple of days after Bajaj Auto announced the termination of its partnership with Kawasaki.
Bajaj and Kawasaki had been in a sales and service partnership in India since 2009, and Bajaj Pro-biking outlets were set up for the sales of Kawasaki motorcycles. In 2012, Bajaj took over controlling stake in KTM motorcycles, and launched the Duke 200 in the Indian market. It was since then that the Pro-biking outlets were slowly converted into dedicated KTM outlets with Bajaj wanting to focus more on the KTM brand in India. This might have been the main reason for the end of the partnership, although there was no official reason given. The termination will be effective from April 01, 2017.
All Kawasaki motorcycles will, from now on, be sold and serviced by dedicated Kawasaki dealerships, operated directly by India Kawasaki Motors Private Limited. The Kawasaki Mumbai dealership located at Jogeshwari East, Mumbai will be opened just before the agreement between Bajaj and Kawasaki is terminated in order to ensure sales are not affected.
Kawasaki's image had taken a serious dent in the Mumbai region last year, when one of its dealers was involved in a controversy wherein the motorcycles were not delivered to customers even after payments were made in full. India Kawasaki Motors terminated the SNK Palm Beach dealership and was looking forward to correct the issue. With the new dealership set to open, a solution finally seems in sight.
Kawasaki just launched its 2017 range of motorcycles in India, including the new BSIV-ready Ninja 300, the updated Versys 650 and the all-new Z650, Ninja 650 and Z900. The new motorcycles will be sold at Kawasaki's new dealerships alongside the motorcycles already existing in the Japanese company's Indian portfolio.
