In addition to unveiling a new sportbike at the AIMExpo in Orlando, Florida, Erik Buell Racing (EBR) announced that it would be the sole distributor of Hero motorcycles and scooters in North America. Although the specific models and pricing details are yet to be determined, they are expected to be distributed in the United States and Canada in the summer of 2014.
On hand at the EBR display at the AIMExpo was an advance preview of the Hero models, which included three small-displacement motorcycles – 92cc, 130cc, and 230cc – and a 102cc scooter. So while there are no concrete plans of what the name and displacement of the four models to be distributed here are, they will be in line with what was displayed in Orlando – three small displacement motorcycles and one scooter.
Even though these made-in-India models will be new to North America, Hero Motor Corp produces more than six million two-wheelers in India each year and just recently celebrated the production of their 50-millionth unit.
The partnership between EBR and Hero MotorCorp began in 2012 after a successful collaboration on a concept hybrid scooter in late 2011 for the January 2012 New Delhi show. Since then EBR has provided technical expertise and engineering services to the Indian company. At that same time Hero Motor Corp. became the EBR team’s sponsor in the AMA Superbike Championship. Their relationship was strengthened further by Hero MotorCorps’ purchase of a minority share in EBR this past summer.
Also announced at the AIMExpo was that the EBR team would be racing World Superbike in 2014 with rumors that Geoff May would be riding for the team. The plans for the AMA Superbike Championship were unknown at that time.
