Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor team up for scooters

Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor – Honda Motor and Yamaha Motor have announced that they have ongoing “talks with a view to a possible alliance” in small-displacement scooters in Japan. In a note the two manufacturers stated that "with the multiplication of means of transport for short distances, including electric bicycles and minicars, the market for 50 cm3 scooters has decreased in recent years“, thanks to the strictest safety and environmental regulations.

“In this situation Honda and Yamaha have concluded that it becomes necessary to collaborate to face these challenges”. On the production side, Yamaha, which currently assembles models of this type in Thailand to sell them in Japan, will entrust the manufacturing to Honda, a decision that will become effective at the end of 2018. At the developmental level, “the two builders intend to evaluate the possibility of a project common” relating to a new scooter model in order to reduce costs. The two companies also want to collaborate on electric motorcycles.

Sales of motorized two-wheeled vehicles in the Land of the Rising Sun have plummeted by around 80% since the 80s. The national market is dominated by Honda with a share of 43%, ahead of Yamaha (27,2%). and Suzuki (12,1%).