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Provisional 2025 MotoGP Calendar Released

The 2025 MotoGP calendar has just been released. It is going to be an extra busy year with 22 rounds, and 44 races.

Like the previous seasons, 2025 will kick off with a fly-away (non-European) round. However, Thailand will host the opening round at the Chang International Circuit, instead of the usual venue at Qatar. It also means that Thailand will not be held back-to-back to Malaysia, as in the case of this year.

Mid-season period takes place from April to September, with the championship returning to the European continent. The Brno circuit in the Czech Republic returns, no doubt will be much welcomed by riders and fans.

Argentina is provisionally scheduled after the Thai GP, although it was cancelled this year.

A new additional for 2025 is Balaton Park, Hungary. The 2.5-mile venue was only recently completed and will be an interesting test for the teams and riders who will have little to no data and experience of the track. The circus will be heading to the Hungarian venue between August 22 and 24.

There are two missing venues for 2025. First is the Sokol International Circuit in Kazakhstan. It had been cancelled due to bad floods in the country this year. The other is the now infamous Indian MotoGP which has been delayed until 2026 due to what Dorna and the FIM stated as “operational circumstances.”

Rounding out the 2025 season is the traditional showdown at Jerez, with the stunning circuit playing host to the championship between November 14 and 16.

Provisional 2025 MotoGP Calendar

Event	GP Date
Thai GP	March 2
Argentina GP	March 16
Americas GP	March 30
Qatar GP	April 13
Spanish GP (Jerez)	April 27
French GP	May 11
British GP	May 25
Aragon GP	June 8
Italian GP	June 22
Dutch GP	June 29
German GP	July 13
Czech GP	July 20
Austrian GP	August 17
Hungarian GP	August 24
Catalan GP (Barcelona)	September 7
San Marino GP	September 14
Japanese GP	September 28
Indonesian GP	October 5
Australian GP	October 19
Malaysian GP	October 26
Portuguese GP	November 9
Valencia GP	November 16

Indian MotoGP “Delayed” to 2026

After more twists and turns than in a Bollywood movie later, the India MotoGP has been “delayed” to 2026. Dorna and the FIM have confirmed it officially with a press release.

The release did not mention the words “cancelled” or “postponed” and instead stated that the event will be “included on the 2026 FIM MotoGP calendar”. At the same time, they confirmed that the Indian venue will be a standby event for the 2025 championship season.

The full press release from the FIM and Dorna reads:

“The FIM, IRTA and Dorna Sports confirm that the Indian Grand Prix will be included on the 2026 FIM MotoGP calendar, moving to become a reserve event for 2025.

“Operational circumstances have obliged the event to be delayed from its initial slot near the start of the 2025 calendar. With no available dates towards the end of the season, MotoGP will therefore return to India in the early stages of 2026.

“Both MotoGP and InvestUP are working hard to bring MotoGP back to Buddh International Circuit with a world-class event, and are committed to confirming India as a destination for global sporting events.

“Our collaboration with InvestUP to bring MotoGP back to India continues to lay fantastic foundations for the future and MotoGP looks forward to racing in front of our incredible Indian fans as soon as possible.”

Autosport reports that the troubles are down to a lack of financial support from a local government investment agency linked to the region where the race is to be held. Invest UP (UP stands for Uttar Pradesh – the region in which the Buddh International Circuit resides) took over the promotion of the event from Fairstreet Sports, who promoted the inaugural event in 2023. It was believed that Fairstreet Sports had failed to pay Dorna and FIM for the rights to hold the event, in addition to the vendors.

Even that inaugural event in 2023 was fraught with difficulties on more than one occasion in the days leading up to it.

The 2024 was originally intended to take place last weekend, was first cancelled due to financial concerns although Dorna and the FIM did not specifically mention it. The round was subsequently moved to early 2025 due to “weather concerns” ahead of the season’s first round at Buriram, Thailand. It was hoped that the weather in the Uttar Pradesh region will be cooler during that time.

The postponement of the Indian MotoGP meant that MotoGP remained in Misano for two back-to-back rounds, instead.

Track-Only 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 Race and 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR Launched

As we mentioned earlier, the road legal Yamaha YZF-R1 is now only available for all other markets except in the UK and Europe due to Euro 5 emissions restrictions. However, the bike can be sold in the UK and EU markets in competition form only. As such, here are the track-only 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 Race and 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR.

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 Race

This is the base model in the competition range, and as usual, Yamaha claims that it is inspired by the YZR-M1 MotoGP bike. All road-legal equipment have been removed, leaving only the necessities, including the large carbon fibre front wings. The factory did not publish how much downforce they add on, though.

The forks are KYB 43mm upside-down units, adjustable for compression dan rebound damping. These are conventionally adjusted unlike the electronically-controlled type on the road-legal R1. This is because most racing series (apart from the FIM EWC) ban electronically-controlled suspension. Besides, professional riders prefer manually-controlled suspension as they provide better feel.

Front brakes consist of Brembo Stylema monobloc calipers.

Highlights:

New MotoGP-inspired downforce winglets.
New generation KYB front forks.
New Brembo front master cylinder and Stylema calipers.
New grippy seat cover.
Fully track-focused, all road components removed.
998cc 200PS crossplane 4-cylinder engine with linear torque.
Sophisticated electronics package.
6-axis IMU with Gyro/G sensors for 3D motion data.
Banking sensitive Traction Control (TCS) and Slide Control (SCS).
Power Delivery Modes (PWR).
Front Lift Control (LIF) and Launch Control (LCS).
Quick Shift System (QSS).
Engine Brake Management (EBM) and Brake Control (BC).
Short wheelbase aluminium Deltabox frame.
Upward truss type aluminium swingarm/magnesium rear frame.
Magnesium rear wheels and 17 litre aluminium fuel tank.
4.2 inch TFT instrument panel with Track Mode.

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR

The GYTR (Genuine Yamaha Technology Racing) unit is the Pro Shop for the brand. The R1 GYTR is said to “leave no stone unturned in the pursuit of racing performance”. It features all the upgrades to the R1 Race, along with a host of “race-developed” GTYR parts. Each GYTR model is also built in one of Yamaha’s specialist GYTR PRO Shops, and is homologated to meet the FIM Superstock 1000 regulations right out of the crate.

Above the spec of the R1 Race, the new 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR features a higher level of adjustability in the bike’s ECU, and rider ergonomics, thanks to fully adjustable rearsets and handlebars.

The front brake system uses the same Stylema calipers, although on the GYTR model they are fitted with Z04 racing pads and GYTR brake lines. There is also a thumb brake lever for the rear brake. A race-spec wiring loom hides underneath the fairing, and exhaust gases are shot out of an Akrapovic silencer.

Suspension is Öhlins, of course.

Highlights:

New black glass fibre race cowl with MotoGP-inspired winglets and sticker kit.
New generation KYB front forks.
New Brembo front master cylinder and Stylema calipers.
New GYTR race rear set.
New GYTR R1 handlebar set.
GYTR Racing ECU (SST spec).
GYTR Racing Wire Harness.
Akrapovic Race muffler with mid-damper system (<100 dB).
GYTR AIS plug set.
15/42T 520 sprockets and 520 racing chain.
GYTR ABS emulator.
GYTR ON/OFF switch.
GYTR brake line set.
GYTR racing fuel cap.
GYTR engine cover set.
GYTR sharkfin rear sprocket guard.
GYTR brake lever guard.
Stand hook set and rear racing stand.
GYTR steering stoppers.
GYTR racing screen.
Brembo Z04 racing brake pads.

Yamaha has net set a price for both models.

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 and 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1M Launched

The 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 and the higher spec’ed YZF-R1M were launched for the U.S. and other international markets. Unfortunately for those in the EU, they will only receive the race-only model.

It features revised bodywork and huge front winglets, plus many other upgrades. Here are the list of features from the press release.

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1

Created to represent the pinnacle of sportbike performance, Yamaha’s iconic R1 returns for 2025 with the same explosive 998cc CP4 crossplane engine, comprehensive electronics suite and renowned handling character which has led to an incredible run of AMA/MotoAmerica Superbike titles in 13 of the past 14 seasons. Yamaha continues to use knowledge gained from high-level competition to offer some of the most advanced and capable Supersport models in the industry.

New features for 2025 begin with lightweight Brembo® Stylema monobloc front brake calipers. They come paired with a new Brembo® master cylinder to offer outstanding braking power and exceptional feel. There is also a fully redesigned KYB® front fork offering excellent response, road feel and chassis performance. The new carbon fiber winglets not only add to the R1’s sleek, aerodynamic look, they create additional downforce for enhanced front-end feel when braking or cornering. Finally, a new rider and passenger seat cover texture balances both grip and ease of movement for a better sense of control and connection to the machine.

Highlights:

New carbon fiber aerodynamic winglets.
New fully adjustable 43mm KYB® front fork.
New radial-mounted Brembo® Stylema monobloc front calipers.
New Brembo® master cylinder.
New seat cover texture.
Advanced 998cc CP4 engine with crossplane crankshaft technology.
Lightweight titanium connecting rods, titanium intake valves and forged pistons.
Variable Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I®) System.
Lightweight titanium muffler and heat shield.
Compact, stacked 6-speed transmission with close-ratio gearing.
Advanced assist and slipper clutch.
Ride-by-wire Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T®) System.
Advanced, 4.2-inch full-color TFT display.
Six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).
Lean-sensitive Brake Control (BC) System.
Three-level Engine Brake Management (EBM) System.
Four-level Power Delivery Mode (PWR).
Lean-sensitive Traction Control (TCS).
Four-level Slide Control System (SCS).
Four-level Lift Control System (LIF).
Three-level Launch Control System (LCS).
Quick Shift System (QSS) with three settings.
Slim, compact aluminum Deltabox frame.
Fully adjustable KYB® rear shock.
Lightweight aluminum alloy fuel tank.
Premium 10-spoke cast magnesium wheels.
High performance Bridgestone® RS11 tires.
Full LED lighting.

The new 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 will be available in Team Yamaha Blue or Matte Raven Black, and will sell for US$18,999 (RM79,406.05).

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1M

Yamaha’s highest specification and most exclusive Supersport model, the 2025 YZF-R1M immediately sets itself apart with a distinctive color scheme, polished aluminum swingarm and striking full carbon fiber bodywork, which seamlessly integrates with the new carbon fiber winglets for an aggressive, track-focused look. An engraved, serial numbered badge further highlights its exclusivity.

Along with the same advanced performance provided by the powerful 998cc CP4 crossplane engine, comprehensive electronics suite and lightweight aluminum Deltabox frame found on the standard R1, capability is pushed to an even higher level on the R1M with the addition of its sophisticated Öhlins® Electronic Racing Suspension, where data from the motorcycle’s IMU—such as vehicle speed, lean angle, acceleration and brake pressure—is supplied to a dedicated Suspension Control Unit to rapidly adjust front and rear damping in real time for optimum suspension performance whether braking, cornering or accelerating. The ERS simplifies suspension tuning by providing streamlined dynamic tuning modes for both street and track, as well as manual modes for more conventional suspension tuning.

Additionally, GPS data logging comes as a standard feature on the YZF-R1M. Yamaha’s unique Communication Control Unit is an integrated data-logging and GPS system that puts factory superbike technology in the palm of your hand. Vehicle data can be recorded with course mapping and automatic lap timing managed by GPS, then wirelessly downloaded to an Android® or Apple® iOS® app where it can be analyzed. The rider is then able to adjust system settings and upload these changes back to the R1M for the next track session.

Highlights:

Full carbon fiber bodywork including new aerodynamic winglets.
New seat cover texture.
Advanced 998cc CP4 engine with crossplane crankshaft technology.
Lightweight titanium connecting rods, titanium intake valves and forged pistons.
Variable Yamaha Chip Controlled Intake (YCC-I®) System.
Lightweight titanium muffler and heat shield.
Compact, stacked 6-speed transmission with close-ratio gearing.
Advanced assist and slipper clutch.
Ride-by-wire Yamaha Chip Controlled Throttle (YCC-T®) System.
Six-axis Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU).
Lean-sensitive Brake Control (BC) System.
Three-level Engine Brake Management (EBM) System.
Four-level Power Delivery Mode (PWR).
Lean-sensitive Traction Control (TCS).
Four-level Slide Control System (SCS).
Four-level Lift Control System (LIF).
Three-level Launch Control System (LCS).
Integrated GPS data-logging enabled through Yamaha Communication Control Unit.
Quick Shift System (QSS) with three settings.
Slim, compact aluminum Deltabox frame.
Dynamic Öhlins® Electronic Racing Suspension (ERS).
Öhlins® gas-charged NPX fork.
Radial-mounted 4-piston front brake calipers with braided stainless steel lines.
Premium 10-spoke cast magnesium wheels.
High performance Bridgestone® RS11 tires.
Advanced, 4.2-inch full-color TFT display.
Full LED lighting.
Polished aluminum swingarm.
Exclusive R1M color scheme.

The new 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1M will be available in Carbon Fiber and retails for for US$27,699 (RM115,778.07).

Yamaha V4 MotoGP Engine Confirmed

It has been a long time coming, but finally, a Yamaha V4 MotoGP is in the works. The news was confirmed by Yamaha Racing Managing Director Lin Jarvis in an interview with MotoGP.com.

“I can confirm that we are busy developing a V4 powerplant,” Jarvis said.

“It’s something that goes back a while, because when Suzuki was still here, there were two manufacturers running with the inline-4. And obviously the other competitors running with the V4. In the last years, however, we’ve seen many, many technical developments in this sport and of course Suzuki stepped out. So we’ve been the only manufacturer remaining with the inline-4.

“The inline-4, in our opinion, still has plenty of capacity to be developed and to be improved. But when you have all of your competitors using V4s and now as we look towards the 2027 regulations, it’s important for us to fully understand the potential of a V4 versus the inline-4.

“So based on that, some time ago we took the decision to start the project. The project is on schedule… The engine is already being bench-tested. We’ve not run it in a bike yet but when it is ready with its durability testing, then we’ll finally start to track test it.”

Jarvis also indicated that Yamaha still has an open mind on whether to use an inline or V4 engine for the new 850cc era.

“When [the V4 is] quicker than the inline-4, we’ll bring it in. So let’s see!”

Yamaha and Honda are under concessions in MotoGP, meaning they can run a revised or new engine anytime they wanted. Conversely, yhe other three manufacturers, namely Ducati, KTM, and Aprilia need to homologate at the beginning of the season and use the same engine throughout the season.

Yamaha factory rider, Fabio Quartararo was asked recently on the V4 rumours: “I think we have to consider all the options… I never rode a V4 but if we look at the bikes that are working, they are V4s. Okay, Honda is struggling, but we are the only ones with the Inline. Maybe it is something to consider.”

Yamaha can also count on its partnership with Marmotors, headed by ex-F1 designer Luca Marmorini, to aid in its V4 design. Marmorini previously contributed to Aprilia’s RS-GP V4 engine.

However, Honda’s ongoing struggles show that a V4 is unlikely to be a magic fix for Yamaha, whose M1 is also lacking in areas such as aerodynamics and electronics compared to the European machines. On the other hand, having more engine power helps the bike to push through aerodynamic drag, allowing engineers more leeway in introducing aerodynamic features.

2025 Triumph Speed Twin 120 Launched – More Power, Higher Specs

Triumph had been teasing a new model recently and we expected it to be the 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200, instead of a variant of the Speed 400.

It turned out to be true, but we did not quite expect the updated 1200 to be so much more powerful and sporting such high specs. Well, it should be so anyway, since the manufacturer will stop producing the cafe racer Thruxton 1200 from next year, so it is the Speed Twin’s turn to step up to bat. There are two variants of the 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 – standard and RS.

The engine for both the standard and RS versions remains the same 1200cc parallel-twin with a 270-degree crank, but it now features cams with new profiles and new ignition timing, to “pull harder for longer up to the rev limit.” As such, maximum power is kicked up by 5hp at 7,750 RPM from 99hp. Maximum torque is 112.6Nm at 4,250 RPM. That is a very good 3,500 RPM spread between peak torque and peak power, giving the rider “power everywhere” in the rev range.

Chassis for the standard includes reworked 43mm Marzocchi upside-down forks and twin Marzocchi rear shock absorbers with remote reservoirs. There are twin 320mm brake discs up front, while the tyres are Metzeler Sportec M9RR. The handlebar is raised higher and further forward to provide roomier riding position.

As for the RS, the front features fully-adjustable Marzocchi forks, and Öhlins rear shock absorbers. The front brakes also use twin 320mm discs, but are clamped by Brembo Stylema calipers. The tyres are also swapped out for the racier Metzeler Racetec RR K3. The handlebar has the same position as the standard’s but the footpegs are placed higher and further back. Buyers can also opt for clip-on handlebars.

As for rider aid, both versions are equipped with a six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) which provides cornering ABS and traction control. The standard has Road and Rain ride modes, while the RS has an additional Sport mode.

There is a new round-shaped dashboard that incorporates LCD and TFT elements, and provide turn-by-turn navigation via Bluetooth connection to your smartphone.

Lastly, the styling. The 2025 Triumph Speed Twin 1200 may look the same as any Bonneville, but the tank has been reshaped with raked lines and deep knee cutouts, and with a new cap. The side panels look cleaner and the LED headlights has a new daytime running light (DRL) signature.

See? The Speed Twin 1200 is taking over from the Thruxton after all, while offering more possibilities and accessibility. Service intervals are at every 16,000km.

Prices are £12,495 (RM69,955.98) for the Speed Twin standard and £14,495 (RM81,126.48) for the Speed Twin 1200 RS.

MotoGP Rider Communications to be Introduced in 2025

MotoGP rider communications will be introduced in 2025, after such system was proposed since three years ago.

Further tests had been carried out by Francesco Bagnaia and Fabio Quartararo after the Spanish GP at Jerez earlier this year. Following that, Dorna will introduce the system in stages. The first stage involves a one-way communication feature, allowing the new race director in 2025, Simon Crafar to communicate with the riders. Messages are expected to be concise to not distract the riders.

It was probably determined that the currect method of sending short messages to the motorcycles’ display is not adequate.

A meeting between Dorna and riders were held last Thursday just prior to the San Marino GP. The former laid out plans for phase two of radio communications, involving a two-way communication system between the rider and team and/or race direction, like that in Formula 1.

The system was tested again during the post-San Marino GP tests, but Bagnaia complained of discomforts wearing the gear. However, there are riders who wanted the system to be implemented, including Aleix Espargaro.

Such proposal for rider-team communications has also divided MotoGP fans. On one side, proponents say that MotoGP is a prototype racing championship and there are motorcycle communications devices in the market, anyhow. Detractors say that it will er… detract from the pure spirit of racing, where the rider skills and race craft are the most important factors rather than the race racing being determined by the team and engineers from the pits.

Ryota Haga, Son of Noriyuki Haga Died in Race Crash

Ryota Haga, the second son of World Superbike legend Noriyuki Haga, had died in an accident during a race on Sunday.

He was killed during the start of the ST600 race in the MFJ All-Japan Road Racing Championship held at the Autopolis International Racing Course, located in Ōita Prefecture.

Haga had trouble launching his Yamaha YZF-R6 off the line at the start, and the bike appeared to lose power, ending being struck by two other motorcycles from behind. The race was immediately stopped and emergency vehicles were despatched to assist, but was transported to the hospital in a helicopter. However, the medical personal could not save the 21-year-old rider from his injuries.

Ryota Haga raced for the WORK NAVI Nitro Racing team. He had been racing in the series since 2020, and finished 10^th in the ST600 Championship in 2023. He had hoped to follow in his father’s footsteps in motorcycle racing.

His father Noriyuki won 43 WSBK races to become the fifth most winning rider in the series. He had ridden Yamahas, Aprilias, Ducatis, and a Kawasaki in both WSBK and the 500cc World Championships.

Rest in peace, Ryota and our deepest condolences to the Haga family.

Repsol Honda Partnership in MotoGP Ends after 2024

It is official, the Repsol Honda partnership in MotoGP ends after 2024, bringing the most successful partnership to an end after 30 stellar years.

The Spanish petroleum giant will not only cease to be the factory team’s main sponsor, but will also stop supplying fuel and lubricants to the team.

Repsol had begun sponsoring factory Honda team in 1995 when Mick Doohan, Alex Crivillé, and Shinichi Itoh were the riders. Since then, the Repsol Honda venture had racked in 183 wins, 455 podiums, 10 teams titles, and 15 rider titles in the 500cc and MotoGP classes, through the exploits of Doohan, Crivillé, Valentino Rossi, Nicky Hayden, Casey Stoner, and Marc Marquez.

The split is not a surprise. In fact, there were rumours that Repsol had wanted out during every contract renewal. However, the rumours grew stronger at the end of last year when it became clear that Honda is struggling in MotoGP, but Marc Marquez’s departure from the team was the true catalyst. As such, it was rumoured that Repsol renewed their Honda sponsorship for only one last season, and at 50% cut (thus explaining the smaller Repsol logo).

News of Repsol’s departure had begun in May when HRC was seen trying to secure a title sponsor plus fuel and lubricant supplier. The factory needs a supplier quickly because of Dorna and FIM’s fuel requirements. The fuels in MotoGP bikes this season is 40% from sustainable sources, before reaching 100% in 2027, when the engines are switched to 850cc. Therefore, fuel and lubricants play a major role in engine development. At this high level, different fuels and lubricants will result in different torque and power characteristics, hence different engine mapping and even construction is required.

So, who will step up? Malaysian fans are certainly hoping Petronas will, since they are already sponsoring MIE Racing where Adam Norrodin and Khairul Idham Pawi are riders. They are riding the Honda CBR1000RR-R Fireblade in the World Superbike Championship and the Honda CBR600RR in the World SuperSport Championship, respectively.

Four-cylinder Honda CBR400R Four on the Way?

Is a four-cylinder Honda CBR400R Four sportbike on the way?

For us old timers, there were several four-cylinder small capacity four-cylinder four-strokes back in the 80s and 90s in the market. They included the Honda CB250, Honda CBR400, Honda CB400 Four VTEC and VTEC II, Honda VFR400 NC30 (the RC30 lookalike!), and of course the Kawasaki ZXR250 with the signature “washing machine hoses.” Then, the manufacturers switched to singles and twins, most likely for ease of maintenance and lower upkeep costs.

More recently, Kawasaki sprung a surprise by releasing the Ninja ZX-25R, followed by the Ninja ZX-4R four-cylinder sportbikes

Is Honda, the world’s largest motorcycle maker going to let their rival in green run amok in the two segments? Of course not!

Truth is, Honda and Kawasaki both have 400cc four-cylinder models in the Japanese market, but Kawasaki took the step to launch theirs to the world market.

The Honda CBR400R in Japan has an engine derived from the two-cylinder CBR500R, which is available in Malaysia, too. However, its bore is reduced fro 66.8mm to 56.6mm, while leaving the stroke at 67mm. Doing so lowers the engine’s capacity from 471cc (twin) to 399cc (four).

As for Honda’s entry, Motorcycle.com said that they have sighted the company’s patent application in the U.S. marked as “Honda CBR400R Four.” While the patent documents may not necessarily translate to a final product, it does show that the company is somewhat interested in that segment.

Who would not want an affordable howling four-cylinder, right?

KTM Parent Company Pierer Mobility will Axe 200 more Jobs

We reported in July that Pierer Mobility – the parent company for KTM, Husqvarna, GasGas and WP Suspension, besides 50.1% owner of MV Agusta – is set to cut jobs. However, the company did not specifiy the number of employees who will lose their jobs.

Now, it has been reported that 200 employees will be axed in the third quarter of 2024. These poor souls are the latest addition to the 373 who were already let go since the start of 2024.

Pierer Mobility is also planning to decrease their Austrian manufacturing quota by 25%, besides focusing on higher manufacturing numbers in India and China. Additionally, they are planning to reduce their sporting activities.

These plans follow lacklustre sales which has since seen the company’s net debt rise to €1.469 billion (RM7.21 billion). They had earlier confirmed that performance in the first half of 2024 had dropped compared to previous years. Overall sales for 2024 is also expected to drop by 15%.

Currently, Pierer Mobility has a total of 6,024 employees, after adding the 213 resulting from their consolidation with MV Agusta.

Thai Motorcycle Market Shrinks in 1st Half of 2024

The Thai motorcycle market, which had boomed for the last three years, begins to see a drop in the first half of 2024.

Industry players reported that they delivered 904,135 motorcycles in the first six month of the year. While that is a huge number compared to us in Malaysia, it was actually a -9.9% drop compared to H1 2023. Thailand is the world’s sixth largest motorcycle market.

The country’s economy is now seen as the weakest in the region due to what the Bangkok Post calls “over-consumption.” The demand for consumption has stripped the supply of cash from income, leading to inadequate domestic liquidity.

The president of Honda Thailand, Yuichi Shimizu said that, “High household debt that stands at 91% of GDP and weak consumer purchasing power caused people to be more cautious about spending. They are worried about the current economic situation.”

It was hoped that 2024 will see the economy rally again, but it is not to be. The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) has reduced its 2024 growth forecast for Thailand’s economy to 2.2%–2.7%, down from the previous forecast of 2.8%–3.3% predicted in November 2023. The outlook for 2024 is weaker than previously projected due to dimmer export and public investment prospects.

As such, market leader, Honda saw a -7.5% drop, while their arch rival, Yamaha lost -12%. Piaggio, in third saw a large -34% drop, and in fourth, GPX saw a precipitous hit of -62.2%.

However, electric motorcycles are seeing a sustainable growth. Honda and Chinese are well positioned to exploit this sector. Having sold 13,600 units thus far, Honda expects to sell a total of 30,000 units in 2024, up from 21,000 in 2023. In fact, the company is planning to have at least 44 battery swapping stations and increase their share in the motorcycle rental sector.

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Global News

Provisional 2025 MotoGP Calendar Released

Provisional 2025 MotoGP Calendar

Indian MotoGP “Delayed” to 2026

Track-Only 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 Race and 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR Launched

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 Race

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 GYTR

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1 and 2025 Yamaha YZF-R1M Launched

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1

2025 Yamaha YZF-R1M

Yamaha V4 MotoGP Engine Confirmed

2025 Triumph Speed Twin 120 Launched – More Power, Higher Specs

MotoGP Rider Communications to be Introduced in 2025

Ryota Haga, Son of Noriyuki Haga Died in Race Crash

Repsol Honda Partnership in MotoGP Ends after 2024

Four-cylinder Honda CBR400R Four on the Way?

KTM Parent Company Pierer Mobility will Axe 200 more Jobs

Thai Motorcycle Market Shrinks in 1st Half of 2024

Suzuki Recorded Best Global Sales in 15 Years in 2024

Pirelli to be Sole Tyre Supplier for MotoGP in 2027

Triumph Broke Sales Record – Sold 134,635 Motorcycles in 2024

Pirelli Diablo Powercruiser Tyres Launched

Zontes 703V Power Cruiser Revealed

BMW Wants to Buy KTM?

Valentino Rossi 46th Birthday Race Suit Launched

2025 Ducati XDiavel V4 Debuts, Gets V4 Power

Honda Expects to Sell 20.2 Million Motorcycles in 2024 Fiscal Year

Special Liveried Honda GL1800 Gold Wing to Celebrate 50 Years

MV Agusta Back in Timur Sardarov’s Control

2025 Yamaha XSR155 Launched in Indonesia

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