It’s going to rain Ducatis in 2017, with the Italian bike maker’s India line-up set to get larger by five new bikes. Starting in June-July this year, Ducati will launch the new models in four consecutive months, resulting in the availability of nearly all of Ducati’s global line-up in India. As Ravi Avalur, managing director, Ducati India, puts it, “There is nothing that we offer internationally that we don’t intend to make available to customers in India.”

The five new models that will be introduced this year are the Multistrada 950, the Monster 797, the Scrambler Desert Sled, Scrambler Café Racer and the SuperSport.

The Multistrada 950 and the Monster 797 are entry-level bikes in the Multistrada and Monster ranges respectively, making these ranges more accessible to riders with relatively limited experience looking for a more affordable alternative. The Scrambler Desert Sled and the Café Racer are modified versions of the Scrambler, the first tailored for off-roading and the second for fashionable urban riding. The SuperSport is essentially a Monster with a fairing, powered by a 937cc, twin-cylinder engine with an output of 113hp at 9,250rpm.

The introduction of a larger variety of models, especially entry-level ones, is a well-timed strategy for Ducati, considering BMW Motorrad’s beginning of India operations with a very competitively priced line-up. As before, these new models will be brought to India via the CBU route, imported from Ducati’s manufacturing plant in Thailand.