A mini Harley to come out in conjunction with Qianjiang

MANILA: The speculations of Harley Davidson bringing out a sub 500cc motorcycle have been doing rounds in the automobile space from quite some time now. The American motorcycle giant has now given all the rumors and speculations rest by making an official announcement concerning the same. However, instead of India, the company joining hands with Harley Davidson is Qianjiang Motorcycle Company Limited from China.

The two automobile manufacturers are all set to produce a 338cc water-cooled parallel twin scrambler in tandem. The motorcycle will be sold in China before making its way out from the country to other Asian markets. Qianjiang’s proven expertise in producing small displacement motorcycles and having an established supply base helped the Chinese company to secure the deal with Harley Davidson.

More Roads to Harley-Davidson, which a growth plan intended to increase the American automaker’s international business to 50% of its total volume by 2027 should receive a major boost with this deal happening with Qianjiang Motorcycle Company Limited. “Our More Roads plan is all about bringing our brand of freedom to more people, in more places, in more ways. We’re excited about this opportunity to build more Harley riders in China, one of the world’s largest motorcycle markets, by creating new pathways to our brand”, said Matt Levatich, President and Chief Executive Officer, Harley-Davidson.

Going by the renders of the upcoming mini Harley, the scrambler might be based on the Benelli TNT300. As a matter of fact, Qianjiang owns Benelli ever since the Chinese company purchased it in 2005. “We are pleased to collaborate with Harley-Davidson. We have proven manufacturing capability and experience in China, and we are committed to improving the experience of motorcycling for riders in Asia”, said Mr. Dongshao GUO, General Manager, Qianjiang. Something that is worth mentioning is that the production of the upcoming 338cc Harley Davidson motorcycle will undergo Harley Davidson’s uncompromising quality standards and testing processes during its production at Qianjiang facility in China. A subsidiary of Geely, Qianjiang also produces vehicles for Keeway, Generic, KSR, and Qijiang.