VietNamNet Bridge – While experts have warned that the motorbike market is getting saturated and motorbike manufacturers have seen the sales go down sharply; they still make heavy investment to develop new models.

More and more models make debut

Manufacturers have marketed a lot of motorbike models since July in an effort to attract more clients.

Yamaha Vietnam has introduced the special version of Nozza model which has black color, some chrome plated accessories and new patterns on paddle. Meanwhile, Kimco has launched Candy Hi 110, which has been upgraded from Candy 4U 110cc, the model with the design specifically designed for women.

Honda Vietnam has also joined the race when launching the new SH 2012 model with two versions of 125cc and 150 cc. Commenting about the new model, experts say there are not many changes in the general design, but the new Honda SH is made of the most advanced technology now available in Vietnam.

Especially, the race between Honda Vietnam and Piaggio these days has caught the special attention from the public.

After Honda Vietnam launched SH 2012, Piaggio has marketed Liberty S 125 ie.

In mid-September, Honda Vietnam introduced a new PCX version with big changes in both the design and engine.

Just one and a half months later, Piaggio launched Vespa LX and Vespa S with 3-valve engine and electronic fuel injection.

Piaggio reportedly has changed the engine in order to help reduce the fuel consumption by 30 percent in comparison with the previous generation engines. Three-valve engine allows to consume 2.2 liters of fuel for every 100 kilometers of travel at the stable speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

Just four days after the Vespa LX and Vespa S hit the market, Honda Vietnam launched the renewed Vision version. Sources have saidthat Honda would introduce some more models from now to the end of the year.

Kymco does not run noisy advertisement campaigns like others, but it has also launched nine scooter models into the market just within four months. The latest version introduced was Many Fi 125 for women.

The “Piaggio challenge”

Admiting that the motorbike sales have dropped sharply, manufacturers all think that these are just the temporary difficult period of the national economy, while they don’t believe that the motorbike market has become saturated.

Masayuki Igarashi, General Director of Honda Vietnam, believesthat the motorbike market would keep developing strongly. He affirmed that Honda Vietnam is still planning to expand the production and enlarge its sale network.

Giuseppe Messina, Asia Pacific Strategic Marketing Director of Piaggio Group, also said Vietnam is one of teh biggest motorbike markets in the world, affriming that Vietnam is an important market for Piaggio.

While the demand for popular motorbike products seems to decrease, high income earners now tend to possess original products with suitable designs and features. Vietnamese people want to be seen as young and modern individuals in the society.

Therefore, analysts say scooters have become more and more popular. This gives Piaggio one more reason to keep optimistic about the Vietnamese market in a long term.

At first, in 2007. Piaggio planned to invest 30 million dollars in Vietnam. However, the investment capital has raised to 90 million dollars, which can show what Piaggio thinks about the market.

Especially, Piaggio not only intends to assemble products in Vietnam, but it has also set up an engine production factory and a reserach and development center in an industrial complex in Vinh Phuc province in the north of Vietnam.

DNSG