Moped Class 2 = Launch of three new Yamaha models focusing on the 125cc class
The number of motorcycle licensees has been increasing in recent years. According to the National Police Agency's license statistics, after bottoming out in 2017, the number of licenses issued for large plus standard motorcycles in Japan will increase by 31% to approximately 300,000 in 2022. Under these circumstances, sales of moped-class motorcycles from over 50 cc to under 125 cc have remained steady, bottoming out at about 90,000 units in 2017 and increasing to about 120,000 units in 2021 (according to the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association). Sales in 2022 were only about 100,000 units, but Yamaha believes that this class is still capable of generating demand.
Prices in the 250cc class must be higher, with the starting price for a new car at around 700,000-750,000 yen. Including the cost of obtaining a rider's license and equipment, the cost is close to 900,000 to 1,000,000 yen, making it difficult for university students and new working people to enter the market.
In this sense, the company hopes to enhance the 125cc class, which offers advantages in terms of affordability and maintenance.
Yamaha then launched the supersport YZF-R125 on October 16, 2023. Next, the naked MT-125 was launched on November 10, followed by the neo-retro sport XSR125 on December 8, adding three 125cc sports models to the lineup.
Yamaha has set 20-year-old male university students as a specific target for the 125cc model. This is a target group that can be expected to have strong purchasing power in the future and is likely to be an easy entry to the 125cc market.
However, Yamaha does not intend to limit its appeal to these riders, but rather to make the class more accessible to a wider range of riders, including female riders and the older generation.
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Original Source. [ Mosai powered by Motorcyclist ]
