Four Royal Enfield 350 models to hit Bangladeshi roads in July

Ifad Motors is likely to launch locally-manufactured Royal Enfield motorcycles in the country's market by July.

It will start selling four 350cc Royal Enfield models and is currently on the lookout for dealers across the country.

All the models – Classic, Bullet, Hunter and Meteor – will be locally manufactured and the price will depend on the exchange rate, Taskeen Ahmed, a director of Ifad Group, told The Business Standard.

"We will try to keep the prices as low as possible and the final prices will depend on the exchange rate or dollars," he said, declining to share any price tag before the launching.

However, an Ifad Group official, seeking anonymity, told TBS if the dollar price remains within Tk125 during the launching, price tags of the four models would range between Tk5 lakh and Tk6 lakh.

Ifad Motors' factory in Chattogram will have a capacity to manufacture 40,000 motorcycles a year.

Royal Enfield, as the oldest two-wheeler brand which is still operational, looks for its dealers' passion for motorcycling alongside additional space in their outlets so that they can uphold the iconic brand.

Some 15 dealerships would be chosen in 2024, according to officials concerned.

To come out of the motorcycle engine capacity limit imposed in the early 2000s, the government later last year allowed selling of only locally-manufactured motorcycles having engine capacity of more than 165cc, but not more than 375cc.

Uttara Motors, the local manufacturer and distributor of Bajaj motorcycles in Bangladesh, already launched its 250cc model Pulsar N 250 at a price tag of Tk3.4 lakh.

What about registration and driving licence?

The increase in the motorcycle engine capacity limit has sparked confusion among bikers and industry stakeholders regarding registration fees, driving licence requirements for use of these powerful machines. This stems from a citizen's petition calling for stricter regulations on high-powered motorcycles.

The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), accustomed with registering up to 165cc motorcycles only, is yet to modify its motorcycle registration and driving licensing formats for motorcycles with higher cc.

Uttara Motors officials said the 250cc Bajaj motorcycles registration cost is similar to what BRTA charges for 150 cc motorcycles.

Also the current driving licence for sub 165cc motorcycles is allowing the 250cc users to ride their bikes on roads, according to BRTA lawyer Rafiul Islam.

There will be a hearing of the writ petition that demands stricter licensing regime for higher cc bikes, he added