Motoroyale hopes to ride the superbike wave in a big way

It was way back in 1983 when Michael Holding, the legendary West Indian fast bowler, was awarded a Luna moped after the Ahmedabad test against India.

This was the time Kinetic’s small wonder was popular across the country even if it was a little too small for someone like Holding The Pune-based company then followed this up with another revolution, the Kinetic Honda, this time in partnership with Honda, for gearless scooters.

At one point, it seemed as if nothing could stop Kinetic till competition came along and it was only a matter of time before it was relegated to the sidelines. The company then sold its two-wheeler business to Mahindra & Mahindra and it looked as if the Kinetic brand would slip into oblivion (at least in the two-wheeler space).

However, it is now back in a new avatar as Motoroyale Kinetic while riding the superbike wave. A century of motorbike racing has created a thriving culture of sports fans, enthusiasts and superbike collectors devoted to the perpetuation of newer, stronger, faster and better motorcycle technology.

In India, superbikes are a must-have for many who aspire for bigger and faster things.That is exactly what Motoroyale Kinetic is aiming to ride on — the aspirational reach.

Kicked into high gear with the MV Agusta association in 2016, a joint venture with Norton followed a year later. Hyosung, FB Mondial and SWM have joined the Motoroyale family, which now has five brands and nine products in its kitty with prices ranging from ₹3 lakh to ₹60 lakh.

Ajinkya Firodia, Managing Director of Motoroyale Kinetic, drives home the point that the JV with Norton was with “one of the world’s first two-wheeler companies.” Motoroyale has launched the Limited Edition Norton Commando and Dominator in India.

Firodia says the brand “has a huge following and craze like no other in the world. Our aim is to retain the charm of the brand, and develop products that enhances the values and bring them into the hands of Indian and Asian customers.”

Stating that the company is extremely proud to be associated with the British brand, Firodia says it forms a major part of the marketing strategy. This is equally true for all the other superbike brand associations, which the company is betting real big on.

Firodia has analysed the scale of market demand for superbikes and believes the potential is huge. His company is now looking for private equity investment and is in talks with potential investors. “Kinetic has a history in the two-wheeler segment and there is confidence from the investors in our ability to manage this business,” says Firodia.

He adds that investors have appreciated the work done by Motoroyale in a span of just three years. “We got five brands aboard and have successfully launched the models we have,” he says.

Once the PE investments come in, they will go into the creation of products suitable for the Indian market: “engineered by our foreign partners, but made in accordance with the demands of the customer”.

Localisation will be a major part of the strategy and this is where Kinetic’s auto component and manufacturing experience “are bound to come in handy”. It will be interesting to see how the Motoroyale growth story unfolds in the coming months/years.

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