March 12, 2007 – Distributor adds higher-end products to existing Diamo line

INDIANAPOLIS — Texas-based distributor Diamo is branching out to higher-end products in its fourth year of business.
President Mathu Solo reported the company is adding Italjet, a higher-end line of scooters and motorcycles, and the Fischer MRX sport bike to its exclusive product line.
“We see a lot of growth left for Diamo (products),” Solo said at his booth at Dealer Expo. “But we’ve always had a mindset to diversify and pick up some higher-end type products. Italjet was a great fit, and Fischer now is even a better fit.”
The 650cc bike was introduced by Fischer Motor Co. President Dan Fischer, a former road racer, in 2002 and unveiled at the 2004 Dealer Expo.
“That five years has enabled Dan Fischer and the team to really tweak and improve the product itself,” Solo said.
The bike, which is powered by a Hyosung engine, will retail for $7,995 in its standard version. But Solo expects the bike to have a range of customization possibilities, noting he sees this as a motorcycle “with the street racer in mind.”
Solo expects to build between 60-100 Fischer bikes for the first six to 12 months of production, with deliveries expected to start in the next 60 days.
“We don’t anticipate dealer demand will be a problem,” Solo said of the Fischer bike. “We have a list of dealers waiting for the product.”
Another two-wheel option the company now provides is scooters from Italjet, an Italian company that has its products featured in the Guggenheim museum and the Museum of Modern Art.
Three Italjet models initially will be available in the United States, including the Dragster, which has a 250cc, four-stroke version that can go from 0 to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds and can reach a top speed of 95 mph, according to a company press release.
“We’re going to treat this differently than what we currently do with Diamo, especially with Italjet,” Solo said of the two additions to his company’s lineup. “Each company is a brand and product in of itself and so each dealer will be franchised for that specific product.”
Solo said current Diamo dealers — the company has a few hundred — will have the opportunity to qualify for Italjet or Fischer, but in some cases the company will have only Fischer dealers or only Italjet dealers. psb