AP Honda expects flat motorbike
AP Honda Co, an official Honda motorcycle distributor in Thailand, targets sales of 1.35 million units this year, equal to last year, at it foresees the overall market selling 1.7 million units, up by only 1.1 per cent 1.68 million in 2015.
The water-shortage crisis may affect the agricultural sector, holding down
motorcycle sales this year, company president Nobuhide Nagata told a news
conference yesterday.
Last year, the motorcycle market dropped by 1 per cent from 2014, he said.
However, the big-bike category is still growing, thanks to high-end conฌ
sumers in urban areas. Last year saw sales of 19,000 units, a 20-per-cent
increase. Honda sold about 6,900 big motorcycles, a 26-per-cent increase,
Nagata said.
He added that it was not only the big-bike category that was growing, but
also other high-end motorcycles and hobby bikes.
“It’s clear that contemporary Thai users do not only buy motorcycles as a
vehicle for commuting, but also to have fun experiences and reflect their social
status. A motorcycle has become a part of their lifestyle. However, a market
leader like Honda cannot stop its development. We are leading the market
into the future, with three unprecedented experiences,” he said.
AP Honda targets 10,000 sales of big bikes out of 25,000 units by the overฌ
all market, he said.
