Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) and Kawasaki Heavy Industries are in discussions to see whether the partnership model that they have in India and in the Philippines can be taken to other overseas markets.

Neither of the two companies will duplicate investments and efforts in setting up factories in newer markets where one has a presence, Mr Rajiv Bajaj, Managing Director, BAL, said. Pointing out that Kawasaki products were being assembled in India while Bajaj was using the other's facility in the Philippines, he said, “This will be the case in any market we enter.”

Earlier, Bajaj and Kawasaki launched the Ninja 650R, Kawasaki's premium motorcycle, in the Indian market.

Assembled at Bajaj's plant in Chakan with CKD kits imported from Thailand, the new bike, which has no local content, has been priced at Rs 4.57 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi). It will be sold and serviced through BAL's Probiking outlets. Mr Yoshiro Segawa, Managing Director (designate), India Kawasaki Motors, said that the company had opted to launch a product in the middle segment of the premium bike range to establish the brand in India.

This is the second in Kawasaki's Ninja range to be launched in India after the Ninja 250 R was introduced in late 2009, and has sold 1,500 units to date. Mr Segawa said that more products would be launched here in time. The Kawasaki Ninja 650 R has a displacement of 649 cc, power of 72 PS at 8500 rpm and torque of 66 Nm at 7000 rpm.

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