The local motorcycle market enjoyed 2.8% growth in the first six months of this year with new registrations reaching 872,644 units, according to A.P. Honda Co, the compiler of industry figures.

Motorcycle sales in June alone rose 7.14% year-on-year to 163,501 units, breaking a 21-month record.

Teerapat Chivapong, sales director of A.P. Honda, said the growth was driven by higher farm product prices that gave farmers, the core consumers, higher incomes and purchasing power.

Additionally, with runaway oil prices, some car users have switched to motorcycles to reduce fuel expenses.

According to Land Transport Department registrations, family-type motorcycles had the highest growth rate of 4%, to 442,106 units. Their market share increased to 51% from 50% last year.

For other categories, automatic transmission motorcycles had a 45% share and sales of 396,061 units in the first half this year, up 2% from last year. Family-sport models earned a 3% share and sales of 25,272 units, with a 2% decline in growth. Sport models had a 1% share, with growth of 3% and sales of 5,789 units, while other categories recorded sales of 3,416 units.

Mr Teerapat said oil prices and the economy would continue to be people’s main concerns in the next two quarters. As a result, this will encourage consumers to make more use of motorcycles.

Honda remained the local market leader in the first half with motorcycle sales of 599,062 units, up 0.2% from the same period last year and capturing a 70% share. Yamaha, the second largest player, enjoyed the highest growth of 15% among other players to 222,483 units, capturing a 23% share. Suzuki came third with 36,898 units, down 18.85% from 36,898 units from the same period last year.

Other players in the market included Tiger, the Thai motorcycle brand that sold 555 units, Kawasaki 4,778 units, the Malaysian brand JRD at 2,070 units, Platinum from China 1,441 units and others 5,358 units.


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