There isn’t a doubt in hell that these are some of the most difficult times the world has ever seen this side of the dark ages, the great depression and other major world crises.
But motorcycle sales has been on the decline way before anyone ate the bat that supposedly caused Covid-19.
Motorcycle sales has been dwindling globally for years already. Blame that on stricter regulations, safety concerns and global warming even. Or perhaps man and motorcycle has lost its romance. Some manufacturers are still in the black, but others are already facing the red with difficult calls from the management to remain relevant.
Singapore is one country that has particularly been hard hit. Whether intentionally or not is up for debate. Known the world over for its extreme taxes, one particular tax called the ARF had apparently been revised a few years ago. And this tax alone had caused the prices of some motorcycles to go up by more than S$40,000!
So how are our Singaporean riding buddies hanging on?
Our friend and fellow motorcycling aficionado Will Yap published an interesting article on his website – The Gasoline Addict – detailing exactly what the Singaporean motorcycling industry is facing.
Quoting sources from within the industry as well as prominent journalists, Will’s article paints a wanting picture of the Singaporean motorcycling industry. And though there are some fun motorcycling events and many who still ride for leisure and for work, the industry has seen better days. But whether those days will return or not is the real question here.
Will for one definately hopes so, he says, “While the policies like COE and ARF, aimed at controlling congestion are able to impose some control over the car population, motorcycles are also subjected to these policies. Motorcycles have the ability to maintain constant movement through congestion. A study shows that drivers switching to motorcycles instead can even greatly reduce congestion.”
Will the industry ever recover and will motorcycling ever get back to the glory days of the past? Difficult for a city state hell bent on making personal vehicle ownership ridiculously expensive, but with Singapore, you never really know. Check out Will’s article by clicking here.
Harley-Davidson Asia’s dealer agreement with Naza Prestige Bikes Sdn. Bhd. has come to an end. Naza Prestige Bikes currently operates Harley-Davidson of Kuala Lumpur, Harley-Davidson of Penang and Harley-Davidson of Johor Bharu dealerships.
The bombshell news comes in light of Harley-Davidson’s objective to increase its international business by another 50 percent of its current annual volume. The Motor Company will now embark on the quest of searching for a new Malaysian partner with immediate effect.
“We would like to thank Naza Prestige Bikes Sdn Bhd for close to a decade of partnership in Malaysia operating Harley-Davidson dealerships and building up a loyal customer base,” said Peter Mackenzie, managing director of Harley-Davidson in Greater China, India and Asia Emerging Markets.
The announcement in Harley-Davidson’s Facebook page added: “We’re working towards a seamless transition to continue bringing exciting motorcycles, parts and accessories, as well as apparel to you in Malaysia.”
“We are grateful for your support and are here to stay. If you have any questions, please drop us a message or email us at AEMenquiries@harley-davidson.com. Stay tuned for updates.”
It will be interesting to see who will pick up the ball and how this news will affect the Harley Owners Group (HOG) Malaysia, besides the owners of officially sold Harleys and parallel-imported Harleys.
The announcement has not been reflected in Naza Pretige Bike’s dealership Facebook pages. Owners are already beginning to enquire about their warranty status and five-year free service package. Hope to see some definitive answers soon.
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