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Demand for Motorcycles Fades in Japan
Motorcycle makers in Japan are phasing out models as regulatory costs rise and sales decline.
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Motorcycle makers in Japan are phasing out models as regulatory costs rise and sales decline.
Domestic demand has shrunk to 370,000 units per year, only 11% of peak sales in the early 1980s, according to The Nikkei. At the same time, manufacturers must cut emissions by 50% beginning next month for bikes with engines displacing more than 50 cc. Safety standards, including antilock brakes, loom in 2018.
The newspaper says only one-third of the models made by market leader Honda Motor Co. are ready to meet the standards. Yamaha plans to drop 15 of its 47 models. Only 11 of Suzuki’s 40 models are compatible with the new regulations, although the company says it will bring the remaining 29 into compliance.
Only six of Kawasaki’s 19 models satisfy the new regulations. The company plans to drop five of the other bikes and update the remaining eight models.
The Nikkei indicates that further trimming is likely if the government decides to tighten regulations in 2020 or later.
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