Boon Siew Honda targets higher motorcycle sales this year

Honda Wave Alpha

KUALA LUMPUR: Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd targets a higher motorcycle sales of 120,000 this year from 90,000 last year, capitalising on the launches of new models. 

Its deputy chairman and deputy executive officer, Datuk Seri Tan Hui Jing said besides the launch of the all-new Wave Dash FI, the company planned to introduce two more models in June and at year-end, both in the smaller bike or Cub segment. 

“We are aiming for a 28% market share of the Cub segment and are working hard to win back our market leadership in this segment,” he told reporters at the launch of Honda Wave Dash FI in Kuala Lumpur on Friday. 

Tan said the company expected the all-new bike, which came in three variants, namely Type S, Type R and Type-R Repsol Edition, would be able to contribute between 30 and 35 per cent to its total sales this year. 

The showroom prices of the models are RM5,299, RM5,549 and RM5,699, respectively. 

“The company aims to sell at least 3,500 Wave Dash FI bikes, the third generation of Wave, this year,” he said, adding that demand for the trendy Cub, first introduced in 2003, exceeded expectations last year. 

Meanwhile, Koji Onishi, managing director/chief executive officer/chief sales and marketing officer of Boon Siew Honda, said the Wave Dash FI is a new and improved edition based on customer valuable feedbacks. 

Boon Siew Honda would continue to launch more new models in an effort to reenergise the motorcycle market and increase its overall Malaysian motorcycle sales volume, he added. 

On the Malaysian motorcycle market in 2015, he said, the total industry volume was lower due to the implementation of the Goods and Services Tax as well as the slide in commodity prices which had affected consumers in the rural areas. 

The total motorcycle registration in the April-December period last year dropped 19.22 per cent to 261,851 units from 324,180 in the corresponding period last year, he added. 

He said the market also recorded slower retail in October, November and December last year with an average sales of 6,600 motorcycles a month, signaling a shrinking market due to the economic downturn. - Bernama