Yamaha eyes 15pc market share in 125cc bike category

LAHORE: Yamaha Motor Pakistan, a country’s struggling bike manufacturer, is eyeing 15 percent market share in 125cc engine capacity category, its executive said on Monday, unveiling a new price competitive variant.  

Jawaid Yakoob, general manager sales and marketing at Yamaha told The News that a 125cc engine capacity model of another company owns 95 percent of the total market share of over 350,000 annual sales. 

“This has compelled the company to introduce price competitive model (YB125Z),” Yakoob said. “Our existing models, which launched two years back, have more style features which attracted the youth a lot while around 30,000 units were sold during the two years – only one percent of total market share of this engine capacity category.”

He said the company’s target is to bring its market share to 15 percent in this category.  Pakistan has a thriving motorcycle market with more than 16 players selling a well above bikes a year. Japanese veteran player Honda dominates the market.  

Yakoob said the new model has been designed while keeping in view female pillion rider of the bike. The model is equipped with features like new longer and wider size seat, engine balancer to reduce vibration, powerful headlight halogen lamp, self-starter and gear indication on meter with better placed footrests, which provide convenience and ease to pillion rider.

YB125Z will be available in the market from mid of April and at Rs115,900. Its earlier versions – YBR125 and YBR125G – were termed as non-family bikes by the customers. Dealers were also demanding some lower price model in 125cc engine capacity. 

Yamaha has a dealer network of more than 200 sales outlets and 500 after-sales shops.  Shigeru Ishikawa, managing director at Yamaha Motor, during the launch ceremony, said YB125Z is a new weapon to cut into mass segment of 125cc engine capacity. “We have big confidence in our new product and it’s a time for us of entering the next stage.”

Yamaha has already invested $150 million in Pakistan to make its annual plant production capacity to 100,000 units.  

Hiroyuki Seto, executive general manager at Yamaha Motor Co, Ltd Japan said Pakistan is now the 5th largest motorcycle market in the world, and a company is looking Pakistan as huge potential market. 

“Yamaha sees Pakistan a long term investment and keep moving by introducing new models,” Seto said.