Is the Monster name about to be cheapened?..

[ducatiz]

I don't know about other countries, but i can say for India that no bike under 800 cc can be imported without running into major homologation hassle. That was the reason no 696 was launched in India when Ducati came.

Can you explain this further?

Is this a protectionist measure to protect the local bike industry?  I know there are a boatload of small engine bikes there.

[Raux]

which would explain the need for an 803cc model as the entry level in Asia or at least India

[ducatiz]

which would explain the need for an 803cc model as the entry level in Asia or at least India

i cannot see someone riding a Ducati in India..  all of the bikes I saw were 50-250 cc most were 2 stroke and they get ridden to death.  the few people who could afford a Ducati probably aren't going to ride it much else they'll be mobbed or the bike stolen...

[thought]

i cannot see someone riding a Ducati in India..  all of the bikes I saw were 50-250 cc most were 2 stroke and they get ridden to death.  the few people who could afford a Ducati probably aren't going to ride it much else they'll be mobbed or the bike stolen...

isnt india one of the fastest growing motorcycle markets in the world?  also, with the dramatic rise of the economy in india, there's going to be a middle class showing up soon which will prob look at ducati's as a marquee bike to have.

i think everyone's just looking at how gm/vw got their foundations into china so early and are now so dominant there.  and getting even a tiny bite of the pie that asia is right now will be huge... esp for a smaller player like ducati.  ducati even managed to get some sort of special licensing for a motorcycle over 250cc's in china that allows them to be plated in shanghai.  right now, only HD and ducatis can have it.  everyone else who imports a bike has to get a plate from a town outside of shanghai which leads to some issues in town.

[ducatiz]

isnt india one of the fastest growing motorcycle markets in the world?  also, with the dramatic rise of the economy in india, there's going to be a middle class showing up soon which will prob look at ducati's as a marquee bike to have.

yes, and they are selling a boatload of Bajaji, Mahindra, Royal, LML and Hero -- all domestically made.  and all of them are very cheap.  the market to sell Ducatis there is very small, and I just don't see a huge number being sold.  Parts of Mumbai feel like the nicest areas of New York, but the reality is that 95% of India is still a third world country.

i think everyone's just looking at how gm/vw got their foundations into china so early and are now so dominant there.  and getting even a tiny bite of the pie that asia is right now will be huge... esp for a smaller player like ducati.  ducati even managed to get some sort of special licensing for a motorcycle over 250cc's in china that allows them to be plated in shanghai.  right now, only HD and ducatis can have it.  everyone else who imports a bike has to get a plate from a town outside of shanghai which leads to some issues in town.

Interesting, but very different issues in China.  China's upper middle class is growing very large and Shaing Hai is HUGE.  India does not have that level of capital yet.

[thought]

i think ducs will sell decently simply because they are expensive.  i'm not sure of the mindset/culture in india, but in china/hk/etc, it's def "if you have it, flaunt it".  as long as it's high end and priced outside of the range of most people, they will go after it... in fact that's the main reason for it.

to me, this bike is a no brainer for ducati.  make a spare parts bike out of your cheapest model and get your name/brand into the country.  earmarked as a luxury good for the wealthy, but the main benefit isnt the actual amount of sales you'll get, but the amount of exposure you'll receive as "the bikes to lust over".

[Ashish]

Don't know if they are trying to help local manufacturer or what, but they came out with this stupid rule of 800cc for bike and for cars it has to be over 1400cc and for cars alone cost at least 50K, so that once 107% duty kicks in, they can get most revenue.

Even for honda and yamaha who have local manufacturing lineup for local built bike goes upto 250cc then jumps to CBR 1000RR or R1. For a country where average sale price of a bike is close 1200$, its really nice to see these beast for a change, if only roads were better than what they are.