AP Honda aims to sell 1.55m bikes in 2013

The company delivered 1.485 million motorcycles last year, breaking a national sales record.
AP Honda plans to expand its network by opening 1,250 Honda Wing Centers this year. Three Honda BigWing branches are also expected to open as regional hubs this quarter.
“Although the sluggish domestic economy in early 2012 resulting from the great flood in the previous year affected the export, tourism and agricultural industries, the economic rehabilitation plan by the government and the mutual cooperation among Thais have boosted the local economy back to normal faster than expected,” said Chiaki Kato, president of AP Honda.
According to the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board, Thailand’s gross domestic product grew by 5.5 per cent last year, encouraging the local motorcycle market.
There were new registrations of 2.13 million units, up by 6 per cent from 2011.
Honda sold 1.485 million units, up by 7 per cent, for a 70-per-cent market share.
The accumulated domestic sales of the company have reached 20 million units, making Honda Thailand the fourth country to hit that milestone after Japan, India and Indonesia, Kato said.

GROWING INCOME
“The economy in 2013 will continued to grow with stability. Thanks to the increasing income of general consumers, the motorcycle market expects to see sales of 2.15 million units.
“AP Honda expects to reach its ambitious target at 1.55 million units,” he said.
Honda is launching five new models this quarter. The Honda MSX125 is a new mini street bike, Honda Forza300 is a premium big scooter, Honda CRF250M is the twin brother of the CRF250L, and the Honda Spacy i is a newly designed automatic-transmission motorcycle.
The fifth new model, the Honda Wave110I, will be available nationwide from next Wednesday.
Of the other four models, the MSX125 will be available by the end of this month, the Forza300 and Spacy i will be launched in early February, and the CRF250M will come available in March at all Honda Wing Centers nationwide.
To expand the Honda Big Bike network, the company plans to open three new outlets this quarter, in Pattaya, Udon Thani and Phuket.
After the success of the original branch in Bangkok and the second one in Chiang Mai, the new branches are expected to be the regional hubs of the East, Northeast, and South respectively.
Honda BigWing provides standard “6S” services: sales, service, spare parts, safety, second-hand units, and society.