Aficionados of Italy’s premier sporting motorcycle marque may be surprised to learn that key precision components of their thunderous Desmodromic steeds are now being sourced a very long way east of Bologna. Hero Motors, parent of India’s largest motorcycle manufacturer Hero MotoCorp, has revealed that its transmission division has received an order for gears from Ducati.
Commenting on his coup over Ducati’s former Italian cog suppliers, Hero Group chief executive Pankaj Munjal said: “This new development definitely is a big leap for us and we are quite excited about it. We are not only forging a strong relationship with a global two-wheeler leader but also reaffirming our proficiency and expertise in specialised manufacturing.”
Ducati isn’t the first western customer through Hero’s door in search of cheaper parts. Munjal added that BMW Motorrad and Harley-Davidson are customers too.