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Published on September 18, 2007

After a 10-year absence of an authorised dealer, Harley-Davidson Motor of the US has appointed Harley-Davidson of Bangkok as its sole authorised dealer for sales and service in Thailand. The company will also carry parts, accessories and general merchandise.

"Our plan is to reintroduce Harley-Davidson premium motorcycles to the Thai market," said Bob Guthrie, 60, managing director of Harley-Davidson of Bangkok. Guthrie has ridden Harley-Davidsons since he was 15.

"I love Thailand. I also love the freedom and the riding in Thailand, and I would like to share these experiences with other people," Guthrie said. "I've been in Thailand for 12 years. In the past few years, large motorcycles have become more popular in Thailand, and this trend will continue in the future. Our aim is to maintain Harley-Davidson as the leader in the Thai market."

Guthrie, who previously managed Amata Spring Golf Course in Chon Buri, said the US parent company recognised Thailand as a significant market with good potential for sustainable growth.

However, Harley-Davidson has a long history in Thailand, having first appeared on Thailand's roads in 1930. There are more than 1,000 Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the Kingdom, ridden by a niche group of middle-class managers and business executives who love the feeling of personal freedom, enjoy taking journeys and have an adventurous lifestyle, he said.

Harley-Davidson of Bangkok grows out of Power Station Motorsport, a company that was set up in 2000. Several years later, it became an authorised service centre for Harley-Davidson in Thailand and then the authorised dealer for Harley-Davidson accessories and general merchandise. It has now been appointed as sole authorised dealer for Harley-Davidson motorcycles.

"We've drawn up a five-year business plan to create sustainable growth in sales of Harley-Davidson bikes in the Thai market at 20-30 per cent per annum. Our current sales are between 100 and 200 motorcycles per year and will probably increase to between 500 and 700 annually over time," Guthrie said. "Our aim is to sell about 1,000 Harley-Davidson bikes over the next five years. The intention is really to reintroduce the Harley-Davidson to the Thai public. More and more new Harleys will be introduced locally to cater for young executives aged between 25 and 35," he said.

More than 30 Harley-Davidson models have already been sold locally. They belong to five major "families" of the famous brand: Touring, Softail, Dyna, VRSC and Sportster, with prices from Bt500,000 to more than Bt2 million.

"However, to achieve sustainable growth, we need to understand the people and the models that are received well by local consumers," said Guthrie, adding that Harley-Davidson had started introducing its motorcycle models to local consumers throughout the Asia-Pacific, including Hong Kong, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand.

Harley-Davidson will showcase its new 2008 Harleys at the USA Fair 2007, to be held in Siam Paragon from October 5-7. Hosted by the American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand and the US Embassy, the exhibition will highlight the latest product innovations and services from more than 60 leading American companies, reflecting the US lifestyle and culture.

"2008 will be a very exciting year for Harley-Davidson, as it is not only the 105th Anniversary of the motor company, but also the 100th year of building motorcycles for police departments around the world. The Harley Owners Group, or HOG, is also celebrating 25 years of great riding. We're very proud of being the sole authorised dealer and being able to bring some of this excitement to Thailand," Guthrie said.