The global motorcycle market is far from healthy with falling sales in the USA and Europe.
If it weren’t for countries like India, Brazil and the pacific region in general, there wouldn’t be much keeping us afloat right now.
With the big Japanese four in crisis mode, companies like Honda are looking for other solutions to boost production and sales.
It is turning to building a third Honda motorcycle factory in India, after already announcing an expansion in the second factory.
The Indian motorcycle market is the second biggest for Honda after China.
It sold 1.
5 million motorcycles in India last year – a 40 percent increase on 2009 which represents a small slice of the total 11.
3 million bikes sold in India in 2010.
Honda has been enjoying this growing trend for ten years and now plans to reach production of four million units across its three facilities.
The first Honda factory in India is working at full capacity, producing 1.
6 million motorcycles, the second factory is expanding and the third is under construction.
It should be completed by 2013 and should have a capacity of 1.
2 million units – the same as the second factory.
The third Honda factory is being built in Bangalore in the south of India to improve coverage of the Indian territory.
A new Honda CB Unicorn Dazzler will appear.
It’s a 150cc bike being built for young customers, and larger numbers of the Honda CBR250R will also be rolled out.