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Honda offers bigger bikes |
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Honda is ready to enter the competitive local market for large motorcycles. Though the big-bike market is small because of sky-high import tariffs, Honda has decided to target the premium market because the budget segment is saturated. AP Honda Co, the local market leader, said that selling big bikes would enhance its brand image as well as take advantage of lower tariffs offered under the Japan-Thailand free trade agreement. Yamaha earlier this year became the first Japanese brand to officially sell large bikes in Thailand. The imported models that Honda plans to market this year include the 680cc DN-01 sport cruiser, developed from a concept bike that was recently launched in Japan. It also plans to offer the 1,000cc Gold Wing sport touring bike and other models in the CBR family. It hopes to sell about 100 big bikes per year in a total market of 500 units. To support the new line, AP Honda will spend 250 million baht to build a showroom, a service centre and test track called Honda Big Wing in Bangkok. The facilities, built on three rai of land on Pradit Manutham Road alongside the Rarm Indra expressway, are scheduled to open at the end of this year.
Figures from Thai Yamaha Motor Co show there are only about 8,000 large
bikes registered in Thailand. The brands include BMW, Harley Davidson,
Ducati, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki, mostly imported by grey-market
operators. |
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Bangkok Post, 28.05.2008 |
