American bike manufacturer UM Motorcycles, which had announced plans of entering the Indian market at the 2014 Auto Expo, has finally started its descent in the subcontinent. The firm has entered into a strategic partnership with Indian company Lohia Auto. Also, it has opened avenues for several dealerships in southern and western parts of India. Reports suggest that UM Motorcycles will commence operations in India by selling 400-cc cruiser. This bike is likely to enter the market in June, 2015, and is likely to have a price under Rs. 2 lakh. From what it seems, UM Motorcycles has done good homework with respect to the Indian market. In a statement, the firm said that it will be following a multi-pronged strategy focusing technology and safety.
At present, UM Motorcycles has its presence in more than 20 countries across the globe and plans to establish around 75 dealerships spread in 50 Indian cities. The firm hopes to complete this target by July, 2015. The automaker’s production unit is located in Kashipur, a city in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.
The firm plans to begin operations by selling only cruisers and gradually moving on to bikes from other segments. UM Motorcycles, which is based in Miami, Florida, also has plans to export cruisers and sports bikes from India. The main regions in which the company hopes to ship bikes from India include Asia Pacific and Africa.
