Motorcycle Sales Remain Weak in Japan

Tokyo, Aug. 12 (Jiji Press)--Motorcycle sales in Japan are showing no signs of pulling out of their long-term slump amid the recession.

Sales of two-wheel vehicles in Japan fell 22.2 pct from a year
before to 205,678 units during the first six months of 2009, according to
the Japan Automobile Manufactures Association. This puts full-year sales on
track to total around 400,000 units, equivalent to just over 10 pct of the
all-time high of some 3.29 million units in 1982.
The consistent downward trend is because young people have little
interest in riding motorbikes and a shift away from two-wheelers to
minivehicles, which have engines of up to 660 c.c., industry analysts said.
The pace of the sales decline was relatively slow in and after
2000, but it has accelerated since last autumn in the face of the financial
crisis.
Over the past few years, retail prices have risen because new
exhaust regulations to encourage more environmentally friendly models have
pushed up component procurement costs.
In 2006, despite a shortage of parking for motorcycles, the
authorities started targeting motorcycles for parking violations.
Amid such unfavorable conditions, makers are pinning their hopes on
baby boomers who used to ride motorbikes.
Major producer Yamaha Motor Co. <7272> regularly holds events
pitched at such people that include touring on rented vehicles, in a bid to
stimulate demand for motorcycling for pleasure.
In a similar effort, Honda Motor Co. <7267> made a minor change to
the seat of its 250-c.c. VTR motorcycle, to allow the rider's feet to reach
ground more easily.