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Vikram Pawah, Managing Director, Harley-Davidson India, has exited the company as of December 31, 2016.
His exit happens against the backdrop of an ongoing spat between buyers of early models of Harley-Davidson Street 750 and the company over repeated instances of brake failures in the the US cult brand’s made-for-India bike.
However, responding to a query from BusinessLine , the company categorically denied that Pawah’s exit is in any way associated with the Street 750 issue.
It said in a statement, “Harley-Davidson confirms that Vikram Pawah, Managing Director for India, has left the company effective December 31, 2016. We would like to thank Vikram for his contribution to our business in India, and we wish him success in his future endeavours.”
“In the interim until a new Managing Director for India is appointed, Marc McAllister, VP and Managing Director for International Sales Markets, will oversee India operations, supported by the local team,” the company said.
Street 750 issueOn the Street 750, the company declined to acknowledge there are any concerns associated with the brakes. Its views are “unchanged” and it maintains that the Street 750 is a global product with needed certifications.
The company had on an earlier occasion told BusinessLine , the Harley-Davidson Street 750 is an award winning, global motorcycle being built in Kansas City, US, for North America, and in Bawal, Haryana, for the domestic and select international markets such as Spain, Portugal, Italy and a few Asian markets.
However, buyers of the 2014 and 2015 models share their grouse on social media platforms like Facebook and Whatsapp over the Street 750 brake failure.
They are demanding a recall of the bikes to fix the issue.
Udham S Hooda, a Delhi-based rider of the Street 750, who is co-ordinating the protest said groups of riders are coming together across cities, organising demonstrations and plan to approach consumer protection forum and courts over this issue.
The company is not engaging with the buyers as a group to sort out this issue.
Harley-Davidson India revamped the brake system in an upgrade in 2016, while early buyers have been left out in the cold.
The company had in the earlier interaction with BusinessLine on the issue had said that it was a routine evolution that any model goes through.
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