Mahindra rides BSA bikes on Nostalgia Road

Vintage is back with venegeance on Indian roads.

As bikers yearn for the old world machines that strode till 80s and 90s, motorcycle makers including Royal Enfield and Hero MotorCorp are rolling out yesteryear designs.

Latest to join the bandwagon is Mahindra, which has announced reviving BSA (Birmingham Small Arms Corporation) and JAWA brands of motorcycles, that were once ubiquitous on Indian roads.

Mahindra has bought the marketing licence for two brands and has created a separate subsidiary called Classic Legends through which legacy brands will be promoted.

Pawan Goenka, executive director at M&M said both BSA and JAWA will be agnostic to M&M brand and will have its own independent identity. While BSA whose brand usage is currently sub-judice due to a court case in India will be produced and made for foreign markets.

The JAWA bikes are however meant for the India market.

"The launch of the first few products would happen in around two years," Goenka said.

BSA was founded in 1861 by 14 gunsmiths of Birmingham Small Arms Trade Association, who had together supplied arms to the British government during the Crimean war.

In 1920, BSA bought some assets of aviation company Airco, which at its peak produced an aircraft per 45 minutes, but went bankrupt post hostilities. By 1951, the company bought Triumph to become the largest motorcycle producer in world, before losing out to competition from Japanese/German brands and eventually closing down in 2003.

JAWA was founded in Prague in 1929 after it bought over motorcycle division of Wanderer (German manufacturer of civilian and military automobiles from 1896-1945). The company was among the top motorcycle manufacturers in 1950s, exporting its 350cc model in 120 plus countries. JAWA which was introduced in India in 1950s breathed its last in 1996.

While Classic Legends has acquired BSA for Rs 28 crore along with all its existing global brand rights, the JAWA deal includes signing of exclusive brand licence agreement for India and certain neighbouring markets in Asia.

M&M's move to target premium niche segments comes after a restructuring it did around one-and-a-half years back to revive its loss-making two-wheeler business. The company has halved its manpower and cut down on promotional budget.