Harleys roar into India

       The US motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson said yesterday it would begin selling its iconic bikes in India,pitching the "freedom of the open road"to some of the world's most densely populated cities.
       "A subsidiary has already been established outside New Delhi and sales are expected to begin next year," the firm said in a statement.
       According to company president Matthew Levatich, the Harley-Davidson image of "self-expression, adventure,and the freedom of the open road" will resonate as strongly in India as anywhere else in the world.
       But while India is the world's secondlargest motorcycle market, most sales are of small, inexpensive bikes that are better suited to the clogged streets of cities like Mumbai and Kolkota than a 1,500cc Harley "Fat Boy."
       India does have open roads outside the large cities but many are in a condition that make for less than easy riding.
       The market for Harleys will also be narrowed by hefty import duties that experts say could result in a price tag of around two million rupees ($40,000)more than twice the price in the United States.
       Harley-Davidson CEO Keith Wandell said moving into India was part of a strategy to break into emerging markets and cited the attraction of India's rapidly growing economy and rising middle class.
       "India is important to our vision of being a truly global company," he said.