travellator
January 21st, 2008, 05:29 PM
Got this article from the Bangkokpost, thailand. patiently read till the end
MOTORCYCLES
Automatic models do well in 2007
SANTAN SANTIVIMOLNAT
A slow economy and shrinking consumer confidence and spending caused sales in the local motorcycle market to plunge last year, according to the market leader, AP Honda Co.
Motorcycle sales, based on registrations with the Land Transport Department, fell by 17% from 1.93 million units in 2006 to 1.59 million last year.
However, sales of automatic transmission (AT) motorcycles outperformed the market due to new model launches and aggressive promotion
AP Honda remained the leader in the market for the 19th consecutive year, said Thiraphat Jivapongse, the company's executive director for sales.
Family-type motorcycles accounted for 50% of all registrations last year, or 804,527 units, while AT bikes totalled 727,869 units, or 46%. The remaining sales involved family sport models, sport models and off-road bikes.
''Many negative factors curbed market growth last year but the most important ones were that the overall economy was slow, which directly affected grassroots consumers, the key target of the motorcycle market,'' said Mr Thiraphat.
Despite the sluggish market, sales of AT motorcycles grew 12% from 2006 to 727,869 units, while those of family, family sport and sport models dropped 31%, 47% and 9%, respectively.
Mr Thiraphat said high oil prices also sent overall sales down and forced consumers to switch to more fuel-efficient family-type bikes.
Honda had a 70% market share last year but its total registrations were down 14% to 1.12 million units. Trailing Honda were Yamaha at 370,143 units, down 15%, Suzuki (80,720 units, down 47%), Kawasaki (7,571 units, down 40%) and the Malaysian brand JRD with 6,064 units, up 15%.
Didnt know JRD made motorcycles for export but from their website they also assemble lorries, vans, mpvs. is this their own technology? They seem to be only for the export market. anyway quite a surprise, a 5th ranking among the regular japanese brands, altho the actual number is low.
http://www.jrd.com.my/home.htm
MOTORCYCLES
Automatic models do well in 2007
SANTAN SANTIVIMOLNAT
A slow economy and shrinking consumer confidence and spending caused sales in the local motorcycle market to plunge last year, according to the market leader, AP Honda Co.
Motorcycle sales, based on registrations with the Land Transport Department, fell by 17% from 1.93 million units in 2006 to 1.59 million last year.
However, sales of automatic transmission (AT) motorcycles outperformed the market due to new model launches and aggressive promotion
AP Honda remained the leader in the market for the 19th consecutive year, said Thiraphat Jivapongse, the company's executive director for sales.
Family-type motorcycles accounted for 50% of all registrations last year, or 804,527 units, while AT bikes totalled 727,869 units, or 46%. The remaining sales involved family sport models, sport models and off-road bikes.
''Many negative factors curbed market growth last year but the most important ones were that the overall economy was slow, which directly affected grassroots consumers, the key target of the motorcycle market,'' said Mr Thiraphat.
Despite the sluggish market, sales of AT motorcycles grew 12% from 2006 to 727,869 units, while those of family, family sport and sport models dropped 31%, 47% and 9%, respectively.
Mr Thiraphat said high oil prices also sent overall sales down and forced consumers to switch to more fuel-efficient family-type bikes.
Honda had a 70% market share last year but its total registrations were down 14% to 1.12 million units. Trailing Honda were Yamaha at 370,143 units, down 15%, Suzuki (80,720 units, down 47%), Kawasaki (7,571 units, down 40%) and the Malaysian brand JRD with 6,064 units, up 15%.
Didnt know JRD made motorcycles for export but from their website they also assemble lorries, vans, mpvs. is this their own technology? They seem to be only for the export market. anyway quite a surprise, a 5th ranking among the regular japanese brands, altho the actual number is low.
http://www.jrd.com.my/home.htm