“Hero Motocorp’s heartwarming gesture for specially-abled employee – transforms Harley Davidson into a custom trike!”
Hero Motocorp collaborated with Harley Davidson to bring the American company back to India and manages their operations in the country.
In a heartwarming gesture, Hero Motocorp and Rajputana Customs converted a Harley Davidson Road King cruiser into a trike to help a specially-abled employee realize her dream of riding on her own.
Hero Motocorp has collaborated with the American motorbike manufacturer to bring the company back to India. Hero also manages the operations of the American two-wheeler manufacturer in India. In the course of its daily operations, the company came across a unique case of Harley Davidson Road King motorbike modification. The large motorbike was to be converted into a trike for a disabled rider. In order to address the situation, the company converted the motorbike into a functional trike.
The story of the Harley Davidson trike begins with a YouTube video titled “Freedom on Wheels” posted by the company. The video was created after the company held a competition in which one of their specially abled employees, Chitra Zutshi, took part. However, due to her physical limitations, she could only enjoy it from the pillion. Taking note of the situation, Hero assisted Zutshi in realising her dream of riding on her own.
Following the dream, Hero and Rajputana Customs converted a Harley Davidson Road King cruiser into a trike. The feat was accomplished by incorporating supporting wheels on both sides. They removed the side coverings and boxes to make more work space. Rajputana Customs designed a set of supporting wheels with their own suspension for a smoother ride. These wheels were even given a metal wing in the colour of the motorcycle.
The company, however, kept the new motorbike a secret from Chitra; she was introduced to the trike once it was finished. When the custom-made Harley arrived at Hero’s Center of Innovation and Technology in Jaipur, Chitra was invited to the test track. Mr. Pawan Munjal, the CEO of Hero MotoCorp, met her here to reveal her surprise.
Chitra’s bike is outfitted with a suicide shifter to assist her in changing gears. Aside from that, the motorbike is unchanged. This Harley Davidson Road King’s 1,745 cc twin-cylinder engine produces 84 PS and 147 Nm of maximum torque. In India, one of them costs Rs 28.49 lakh ex-showroom.