Mega-scooters and motorcycles

摘要

Within two decades, the Japa-nese motorcycle industry's production, domestic sales, and exports have shrunk to less than one third of the record set in banner year 1982, when the industry turned out over 7 million motorized two-wheelers. With production of 2.115 million units in 2002, Japan now ranks a distant third behind China and India. These two countries having the largest motorcycle populations at 33 million and 28 million, respectively, versus Japan's 1.35 million units in use. The Japanese brands are firmly entrenched in most emerging economies except China, where a huge number of manufacturers and assemblers have sprouted up in recent years. In India, Honda has climbed to the top of the sales ladder with 1.68 million units produced in 2002. It also enjoys the lion's share of the Italian market, Europe's stronghold in motorcycle production and sales. Exports, on the other hand, continue to decline, by as much as 53% in shipments to Latin America, Middle East, Asia, and Europe in 2002. The U.S. is by far the largest export market for the Japanese industry, accounting for nearly 40% of total exports. There are more export models in the four primary manufacturers' sports model lineups than for Japan, many of which are re-imported to cater to Japanese big-bike aficionados.