Indian motorcycle company Royal Enfield->ke1968 has turned its existing partnership with chassis manufacturer Harris Performance into a more permanent collaboration after announcing its acquisition of the British firm.
The decision to buy Harris Performance comes in the heels of a 40-year partnership that has seen both companies launch numerous collaborations. None of that will matter now since the acquisition makes Royal Enfield the new parent company of Harris Performance.
The Indian bike company’s move to acquire the British chassis manufacturer can be traced to the former’s desire to create a new generation of Royal Enfield bikes that can compete with more established rivals in the west. Having Harris Performance by its side allows Royal Enfield to accomplish this admittedly ambitious plan. The latter is already laying the groundwork to make Harris Performance’s transition as seamless as possible. It's already in the process of building a major engineering center located in Leicester, England.
Royal Enfield didn’t divulge the specific purpose of this new establishment, but put the puzzle pieces together and you’re bound to get a picture that has Harris Performance prominently displayed on it.
If Royal Enfield is determined to make waves in the global motorcycle industry, acquiring Harris Performance is one way to do it. Now comes the more difficult part of actually utilizing the company’s technical expertise for its new generation bikes.
From what it looks like, though, it does appear that Royal Enfield has prepared itself for this major transaction with eyes towards building a new motorcycle lineup that can give American and European brands a serious run for their money.
Continue reading to read more about Royal Enfield's acquisition of Harris Performance.
Why it matters
This is a bold move by Royal Enfield and yet, it’s hard not to blame the company for taking this leap. Right now, Royal Enfield isn’t known in motorcycle circles other than in its home country of India. Sure, there are a small segment of the population that do know the brand, but the numbers aren’t to the point that it can just show up anywhere, stare down companies like Harley-Davidson, and get their attention.
Purchasing Harris Performance can go a long way in establishing Royal Enfield’s bikes. This isn’t to say that the company’s bikes are below standard on their own, but it wouldn’t hurt to have the assistance of one of the best chassis builders in the business.
That’s the advantage Royal Enfield now has with having Harris Performance in its fold. It can make full use of the company’s expertise in the industry and more importantly, establish the kind of credibility it might have lacked in markets like the US and Europe.
I think it’s a great business move by Royal Enfield and I expect this acquisition to pay off big time for the Indian motorcycle company in the future. It may not be evident in the short-term, but once Royal Enfield starts launching motorcycles with Harris Performance’s imprint on them, you could be looking at bikes that are up-to-par with some of the best in the business.