Bajaj and Kawasaki officially end alliance from April 1, 2017

    Probiking showrooms will no longer sell or service Kawasaki's CKD bikes going forward.

    Published On Mar 25, 2017 12:45:00 PM

    9,427 Views

    Bajaj Auto and India Kawasaki Motor (IKM) have had a partnership since 2010 to bring the Japanese motorcycle maker's bikes into the country, as well as provide a sales and service network for the same. Bajaj's Probiking showrooms have been selling and servicing Kawasaki's CKD models such as the Ninja 300, Z250, Ninja 650 and ER-6N, while IKM has had its own network of superbike dealerships for their CBU models.

    However, Bajaj Auto has just announced that this alliance with Kawasaki will be coming to end from April 1, 2017. From this date, Bajaj's Probiking showrooms across the country will only be dealing with KTM motorcycles like the Duke and the RC. No specific reason for this parting of ways has been specified apart from the fact that, going forward, Bajaj wishes to focus on KTM, a company in which it now holds a 48 percent stake.

    Effective from this date, all sales and service for Kawasaki's bikes, even for those sold to customers previously from Probiking showrooms, will be handled by IKM's dealer network. This separation, however, doesn't affect the partnership that the two companies have across the world on various ventures, including selling Bajaj's bikes through Kawasaki showrooms in East Asian countries. Kawasaki will also continue using floor space at Bajaj’s plant in Chakan to assemble their motorcycles and conduct other business operations for now.

    One upshot of the dissolution of this merger could mean more affordable CKD bikes from Kawasaki as the Japanese company will not need to share profits with Bajaj Auto. But how things actually play out in the end still remains to be seen.

    Priyadarshan Bawikar

    Copyright (c) Autocar India. All rights reserved.

    Comments

    ×
    img

    No comments yet. Be the first to comment.

    Ask Autocar Anything about Car and Bike Buying and Maintenance Advices
    Need an expert opinion on your car and bike related queries?
    Ask Now

    Search By Bike Price

    Poll of the month

    The Creta will be the third Hyundai N-Line model in India. Should more mass-market brands have sporty sub-brands?

    Yes, it's something special for enthusiasts

     

    18.40%

    Yes, but only if there is increased performance

     

    44.29%

    No, it's just a gimmick to increase the price

     

    29.42%

    It doesn't always work; just look at Tata JTP

     

    7.88%

    Total Votes : 1560
    Sign up for our newsletter

    Get all the latest updates from the automobile universe