[TusharK]

According to a media report, Hyosung has ended its partnership with DSK Motowheels after the latter's real estate business filed for bankruptcy a few months back. Kinetic's Motoroyale will be taking over Hyosung's India operations and will be providing after-sales support to new and existing customers.



Kinetic's Motoroyale currently offers Norton and MV Agusta bikes in India. The company is looking to use DSK Hyosung's existing dealer network to sell these bikes as well.

Hyosung had partnered with Kinetic Engineering to enter the Indian market in 2003. During this period, the bike maker launched the GF 125, GF 170 Laser, Aquila 250 and Comet 250. In 2012, Hyosung joined hands with the DSK Group to introduce new models like the GT 250 R, Aquila 250, Aquila 650, ST7 and the GT 650 R in the Indian market.

Source: Zigwheels

Link to Team-BHP News

[lionell]

Oh no. Not again. I was a victim of Kinetic's pathetic and non-existent service network when I bought the Comet GT 250 way back in the 2005-06. While I commend them for getting the bike to India and make us all drool over it. It had its own set of problems.

I hope they are not going to do the same now since the company has official come into India since a long time now.

Best of luck to Kinetic and Hyosung.

[GTO]

All of these brands are making the same mistakes that Nissan & Porsche did by appointing a 'middle man' (or master distributor) between itself and their dealerships. I had commented on similar lines on the Benelli-DSK divorce thread.

If a brand is serious about the Indian market, it should develop its dealer & distribution network itself. The brand MUST have a direct relationship, instead of taking a shortcut and hiding behind the middle man. Porsche learned this the hard way (with Ashish Chordia) and so did Nissan (with Hover Automotive). The main reason for this = A kaamchor manager (shirker).

Doesn't matter if your numbers are limited. If that's the case, have a small India office, but DIY (do it YOURSELF). These kind of relationships never, ever work in the longer term. In that way, I respect Volvo Cars. Even when they had absolutely pathetic sales, they continued to work on the business themselves.

From a business standpoint too, a 3rd-party for which you are just 'another brand' will never promote your product as competently as you yourself could.

India is a major market, people! Show it some respect.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by GTO

If a brand is serious about the Indian market, it should develop its dealer & distribution network itself.

From a business standpoint too, a 3rd-party for which you are just 'another brand' will never promote your product as competently as you yourself could.

Fully agreed.

Hyosung has an average experience first with Kinetic. Owners might have horror stories to qoute, but atleast Kinetic build the Hyosung brand for the time period during which they were associated with the Korean brand.

However - the DSK period absolutely destroyed the brand value in India. DSK gave step-motherly treatment to Hyosung ever since Benelli was introduced in India - and even journalists and magazines at times have reported shock in discovering that Hyosung is still available in the market. Such was the pathetic state of affairs at DSK-Hyosung.

I doubt Hyosung is interested in India at all - else they would have entered on their own after the DSK experience. It could be a case of Kinetic Motorayale going behind Hyosung since the showroom network is very much underutilized currently with the overpriced MV Agusta range.

Originally Posted by GTO

India is a major market, people! Show it some respect.

Unfortunately - I would have to contradict this statement. India is surely the world's biggest market for two wheelers, but is a very small one when it comes to premium motorcycles.

The biggest player in the market sells about 250 units per month on an average, despite having a portfolio of almost 20+ models. Even car manufacturers like Nissan might be making more money from the market than these guys.

[neil.jericho]

The big winner in this announcement? Kinetic Motoroyale. They have been quietly trying to buy their way to the poker table where the big boys play. The joint venture with Norton Motorcycles was a big part of their strategy but that will take time. It involves assembly of Norton bikes at the Kinetic MotoRoyale plant in Maharashtra. The SWM Motorcycles will also be brought in as CKDs and assembled in India but that is tailored to a very niche market. Add MV Augusta in to the mix. And now Hyosung.


A quick look at the Hyosung UK site shows that they have 3 broad segment offerings
- Entry level 125cc (includes a Suzuki SV650 lookalike, a fully faired model similar to the 650 and a cruiser)
- Mid level 250cc (includes an awkwardly styled naked, a different looking fully faired bike and a cruiser)
- Big bikes (the naked, fully faired and cruiser all of which were sold in India)
I doubt they are going to be able to sell any of these in 2018. The game has moved on.


Kinetic Motoroyale though gets added revenue from servicing of the existing bikes but more importantly gets to tap the Hyosung dealership network. And thus they add to their burgeoning portfolio of international brands. Well played.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Hyosung makes a re-entry with Kinetic Motoroyale.

2018 Hyosung GT250R launched at Rs 3.39 lakh

https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-ne...39-lakh-410044

2018 Hyosung Aquila Pro 650 launched at Rs 5.55 lakh

https://www.autocarindia.com/bike-ne...55-lakh-410045