In Conversation With Manik Nangia; KTM Service On Wheels

KTM India recently started its Service on Wheels (SOW) on the Manali-Leh Circuit. The idea is to provide service support to KTM owners riding in the mountains, headed from Manali to Leh, considered a pilgrimage for motorcyclists. Specifically, the roving service centre will cover the Manali-Keylong-Jispa-Sarchu route. We spoke to Manik Nangia, President, Pro-Biking At Bajaj Auto on KTM's new customer-centric initiative and here's how the company is planning to look after KTM owners heading from Manali to Leh in the near future. 

Manik Nangia, President - Pro-Biking, Bajaj Auto

Also Read: KTM Now Offers Service On Wheels For Riders Going To Leh

Q1. With the advent of adventure bikes, like the KTM 390 ADV and the KTM 390 Enduro R, how do you see the riding landscape of India changing since the last couple of years with the advent of these motorcycles?

I think it's going to change phenomenally. It's already changing and it's going to change phenomenally. In the last 3-5 years, the premium motorcycles that are specialised for specific segments of riding like the adventure, the enduro, the racing motorcycles, all of them have seen, this category put together has seen tremendous amount of growth. Twice the speed of the overall motorcycle industry. And my view is that the reason for it is as more and more people who are affluent are realizing that there is a large world out there along with nature. There is a large world to be explored in the spirit of motorcycling. More and more capable motorcycles that can traverse multiple terrains are being preferred over generally the street motorcycles.  

Q2. Even within KTM, there has been a significant uptick in terms of people adopting Adventure motorcycles. In the last 4-5 months, we have seen a significant number of new buyers picking up the 390 Adventure, 390 Adventure X and even the Enduro R for that matter. How does it bode for the company?

Adventure motorcycles, we have seen a large uptick. We updated the old 390 Adventure. We introduced a completely new range. This time, this was built specifically on a new platform that had a serious lift-up from the old version. They were just not face-ups or face-lifts. They were actually in technology terms, in terms of adjustable suspension, in terms of the cruise control, in terms of tubeless spokes. All of these things put together, I think the value proposition was so well received by customers, which is why you see the uptick in sales in Adventure. In at least three out of the top eight metros, we are the highest selling Adventure motorcycle stand-alone. 

Also Read: KTM 160 Duke Launched In India

Q3. How often does KTM engage in community building initiatives, say over the course of a year?

for the last 10-11 years now, we have been running a program on rides and community management. We call it ProX. It is the firm belief of the company and also my personal view that we, our job is to focus on the culture of motorcycling. If we focus on the culture of motorcycling, the motorcycle sales itself will grow because we have a product that is so brilliant and superior to everything else available in the market. The fact that we have now been running it for 10 years plus, we called it ProXP. It does a variety of events. There are local events that are, you know, breakfast rides, morning trails, etc., which we call urban escapes. There are specialised adventure academies where we train people on how to use an adventure motorcycle and how to cross different kinds of terrain. There is an adventure experience where we get people to come to an off-roading kind of place and leverage what they brought and get mastery over their motorcycle. There are adventure trails that we do, sometimes a day-long trail, sometimes an overnight stay, etc. All put together, we touch approximately, we touch more than 20,000 customers each year with more than 1,800 or so rides organised by us. 

Q4. Could you tell us more about the new specially designed service van for KTM riders, especially on tough terrain.

You know, we realise that a lot of our customers actually go to Ladakh, you know, Manali, Sarchu, Leh, and each of these are not very easy terrains. Now, while our motorcycles are built so beautifully that there is hardly any need for breakdown support. And that is, I am not talking about my feeling, I am talking about empirical evidence. But, over a period of the last 2-3 years, we were hearing from our customers that it will be a big reassurance for them if we were present there with a van and we could get to them if they needed help. So, we said, why not? We have a fully equipped mobile service station with 2 lift folks, 1 supervisor, 1 mechanic, and a driver. So, it is a crew of three and the idea is for it to be mobile across that region so that, you know that most riders go in groups in these areas. So, wherever a group wants the van to come and if they need help, whether it is very small or it is a major thing, the van is almost as equipped as a big service centre in a metro town. 

Q5. And will the van also have provisions for basic first-aid?

The van will also have things that usually, if the weather turns inclement, that you need, you know, like a few winter jackets along with basic first aid, water and a few things to clean your vehicle very quickly when you are in a pit stop. It will have everything.