Honda’s bikes sales on top

Honda’s Asia and Oceania market showed the most impressive increase in terms of unit volume, with a remarkable 2.7 million unit increase in annual sales. The 14.4 million total for 2010 sets a new record for Honda, replacing last year’s 11.7 million mark, itself a record-setting total at the time. The Asia/Oceania region includes high-volume countries like Vietnam and Indonesia, as well as India, the second-largest motorcycle market on earth.

At the end of 2010 Honda changed its strategic presence in India by confirming a split with its joint venture Hero Honda. The Japanese firm will divest its 26% share in the JV, which since its creation in 1984 has blossomed into the largest manufacturer in India, with more than five million Hero Honda sales claimed for 2010. Honda’s wholly-owned subsidiary company, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India (HMSI), has itself grown into a manufacturing powerhouse in the Indian market. HMSI is the fourth-largest OEM on the subcontinent, behind Hero, Bajaj and TVS. Honda’s subsidiary looks to keep market share amidst the country’s speedy two-wheeled sales growth, with HMSI construction another manufacturing plant for 2011 to maintain production in line with demand.

As for the largest two-wheeled market in the world, China, Honda saw a slight decrease in sales, with totals dropping from 1 303 000 to 1 285 000. In South America Honda recorded the loss, enjoying a robust gain in sales, up 18% to 1 640 000.

Honda’s European and North American markets are characterized by much lower unit volumes of larger-displacement, higher-priced machinery. Honda groups the European market in with the Middle East and Africa. Big Red claims slight decline in sales in those regions, dropping from 261 000 to 258 000. North America remains Honda’s poorest performing market, with motorcycle sales in the U.S. still in the decline for 2010.

Honda’s domestic production market held steady at 190 000. Sales in Japan, however, showed a tidy increase in 2010 – up 15 000 to 196 000.