Harley-Davidson opens store in Vietnam
With licensing laws set to be relaxed for bikes over 150cc in 2014, the American company is pushing hard to get a foothold in the populous bike-loving countryAccording to a report in vietnamnet.vn, Harley-Davidson has opened its first showroom in Vietnam, located in the capital, Ho Chi Minh City.
The store, in District 7 for those who know the layout of the city, will display models from the company’s existing families -- Sportster, Dyna, Softail, VRSC, Touring and Custom Vehicle Operations – and there’s no doubt the new Street 500 and Street 750 will also get a look in when they are launched in 2014.
A case of deja-vu really, as Harleys were prominent on Ho Chi Minh City (then Saigon) during the Vietnam War in the 1960 and 1970s.
Harley-Davidson’s timing is spot on for its fresh Vietnamese offensive, as The Ministry of Transport will shortly removed regulations on providing special licences for motorcycles with an engine capacity of more than 175cc. The licence was previously limited to specific applicants, typically police officers, military personnel and motorsport athletes.
Other marques like Suzuki, Ducati and KTM have got wind of the imminent changes, all releasing their ‘big-bike’ ranges in recent years. Triumph will also be arriving soon.
Around three million bikes are purchased annually in Vietnam. Five joint ventures currently dominate 95 percent of local market share, including Honda, Yamaha, SYM, Suzuki and Piaggio.
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