Boon Siew Honda targets to sell 28,000 units of new bike

Boon Siew Honda targets to sell 28,000 units of new bike
Star, 22 Jan 2009


KUALA LUMPUR: Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd is targeting to sell 28,000 units of its newly-launched Honda icon this year.

Managing director and chief executive officer Shoichi Harada said he was optimistic about the sales of its 110cc automatic transmission (AT) model due to the affordability of the bike and the growing demand for AT models.

?This is a fast-growing segment. What started out as a trend has become a prerequistite among consumers,? he said after the launch of the model yesterday.

At present, the AT segment commands 13% of the overall motorcycle market.

From left: Boon Siew Honda Sdn Bhd GM Fabian Ong, director Tan Hui Jing, COO Tan Heng Teong, Shoichi Harada, chief production officer Hiroshi Mitsuyoshi and Honda R&D Southeast Asia Co Ltd assistant chief engineer Ken Tomiyasu with models on the new bikes.
?Our market share in the AT segment is currently quite small as we only have the Honda Click . With this new model, we hope to achieve about 46% market share in the AT segment from our current 1% to 2%,? Harada said.

The Honda icon is 100% assembled in Malaysia and will be available from Feb 5. Priced at RM4,688 (on the road) it comes in five colours ? pink, red, blue, black and white.

Harada said the Honda icon signified confidence. ?Confidence in the resilience of the Malaysian economy and in the growing motorcycle market, and most of all, confidence in Honda?s ability to always deliver the right product to the right market at the right time,? he said.

?No doubt, there are challenging times ahead for everyone. The market environment will never get any easier. There will be more competition, more sopisticated consumers and more obstacles to overcome.

?The only way to rise up to these challenges is to stay ahead of the curve by holding firmly to the principles of delivering value-added quality,? he added.

Boon Siew Honda, a 50:50 joint-venture company between Honda Motor Co Ltd and Oriental Holdings Bhd, began operations in September last year with the aim of consolidating motorcycle production and sales in Malaysia.