Motorcycle sales zip ahead

More than 435,000 motorcycles were registered in the first quarter of the year, posing a growth of 2 per cent thanks to market stimulation packages from manufacturers including new models.

AP Honda sales director Thirapat Jiwapong said motorcycle makers have recently launched a large number of new models due to the sales season.

"Agricultural products are also fetching high prices and farmers, who are enjoying higher purchasing power, are the major consumer group for motorcycles," he said.

Thirapat said from January to March, a total of 435,069 motorcycles were registered in the country, up 2 per cent compared with 426,172 units registered during the same period last year. During the next quarter, he said the motorcycle market will remain active. "This is because the market is still in the sales season, while the government's policy of stimulating the grassroots economy by setting up funding for the SML project to develop the potential of villages and communities is a positive sign for the market.

This will play an important role for the next quarter in terms or continued growth," he said.

In the first quarter, 218,260 family motorcycles were registered. A total of 199,836 were automatics (46 per cent market share) followed by 12,358 semi-sports models (3 per cent market share), 3,010 sports models (1 per cent market share) while 1,605 units were of various types.

Honda was the leader with 298,136 units (69 per cent market share) followed by Yamaha with 110,777 (25 per cent market share), Suzuki with 18,861 units (4 per cent market share), Kawasaki with 2,395 units (1 per cent market share), JRD with 1,007 units, Platinum with 870 units, Tiger with 263 units, and others with 2,760 units.

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