Delta variant causing delays

Early in 2020, Triumph Motorcycles and Bajaj Auto officially announced their partnership. Under the agreement, Bajaj will help distribute Triumph motorcycles in India, as well as manufacture small to mid-capacity motorcycles for the entry-level market.

Originally slated to hit the showrooms early in 2022, the release of Bajaj-manufactured Triumphs will have to be pushed back a little further due to the complications brought about by the Delta variant of the coronavirus.

“We are in the [product development] stage, where we have made prototypes, and these require physical presence to make corrections if needed,” Bajaj Auto executive director, Rakesh Sharma told reporters.

While a work-from-home or off-site work arrangement seems to be the norm these days, developing new motorcycles requires the constant presence of engineers and designers from both Triumph and Bajaj, but the new wave of virus infections just won’t allow such collaboration.

“This whole process takes time. The partnership got hit because of COVID,” added Sharma.

According to reports, the upcoming Triumph-badged Bajaj motorcycles will be manufactured in Bajaj’s new Chakan factory, which is set to open early in 2023. The new factory will also be the home of KTM and Husqvarna branded models.

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