Kawasaki is considering local assembly of its engines, will start with its 300cc and 650cc engines.
The Indian division of Kawasaki is considering localisation of its performance-oriented 300cc and 650cc engines in the coming years. The said engines power about 5 of the 15 models that constitute the company’s current motorcycle portfolio in India.
While the 300cc engine powers the Ninja 300, the 650cc unit powers the Ninja 650, Z650, Versys 650 and the recently discontinued ER-6n. All these models are locally assembled models brought to India as Completely Knocked Down (CKD) units and account for majority of sales for the company. Kawasaki will look for ways to localise its 300cc and the 650cc twin-cylinder engines and might start off by incorporating smaller components into the engines which will lead to more critical parts in the near future.
Kawasaki is also making an effort to maximise the local content in its motorcycles. Its entry-level model from the Z stable, the Z250 has a localisation rate of up to 40 percent, the highest in its portfolio. Meanwhile, other models like the Ninja 300, Ninja 650, Z650, Versys 650 have a localisation rate in the range of 25-30 percent.
Kawasaki has been in the midsize motorcycle segment for a long time and has seen this space grow to where it is right now. New players like TVS, BMW Motorrad will be entering this segment and heating up the competition along with offering a wider range of choices to customers.
This move of localisation from Kawasaki will impact its products’ pricing and also the demand for its rivals like the Yamaha R3, Honda CBR650F, Triumph Street Triple and some others.
Kawasaki Engines Local Assembly
– Kawasaki is considering localisation of its 300cc and 650cc engines in India
– The models with these engines account for majority of sales for the company
– Kawasaki might start with incorporating smaller components into the engines initially
Source – AutocarPro.com