Exciting News for Motorcycle Enthusiasts, Keeway and Benelli Coming Soon To Pakistan

[VCheng]

The small single yes.

Or they could let Bajaj come in .....

I am lazily eyeing the 600i off and on.

That would be logical, as Mr. Spock would say. However, the Pakistani Government's policies are only slightly more chaotic than the moderation policies on PDF. @Icarus made the Biker's Lounge thread a sticky. Somebody else closed it, as was the other thread on motorbikes in Member's Club. This thread will probably be next.

I am outta here.

 

[doppelganger]

That would be logical, as Mr. Spock would say. However, the Pakistani Government's policies are only slightly more chaotic than the moderation policies on PDF. @Icarus made the Biker's Lounge thread a sticky. Somebody else closed it, as was the other thread on motorbikes in Member's Club. This thread will probably be next.

I am outta here.

Interesting.

Icarus getting vetoed means I need to be out of here quicker ....

 

[RoadRunner401]

Why does every company offer sports bikes in Pak but not cruisers?

Sports bike = chance of a girl friend, or they might look at you and smile.

Cruiser = dirty glares from older guys on honda 70

 

[544_delta]

Mun ki baat cheen li!

Imagine being able to buy a new Softail Slim S for $20k in Pakistan. The odds of me being able to buy this beauty in my bachelor life do not seem to be in my favour.

Muaaaaah!

.thats a freaking beauty man....wonder why this design is not introduced in our market....love this

Great bikes above, but totally unsuited to the Pakistani market, expect the smaller singles, may be.

.F### the smaller singles AND the Pakistani market man ...
God forbid if we even accidentally introduce some good stuff

 

[VCheng]

Interesting.

Icarus getting vetoed means I need to be out of here quicker ....

Back to the topic, any steps that increase the choices available to the hapless Pakistani consumer and enthusiast should be welcomed, even if they do not pan out.

 

[Icarus]

Sports bike = chance of a girl friend, or they might look at you and smile.

Cruiser = dirty glares from older guys on honda 70

If I have learnt one thing in my life, its that you always think that you'll get all the attention from girls when you start bodybuilding or riding bikes and soon after you have been drawn in do you realize that these pursuits get you more male attention than female. Same goes with bikes, even my friends who prefer the faster Suzuki Bandits and Kawasaki Ninjas inevitably get asked all the time by guys on Honda 125s for a race.

That would be logical, as Mr. Spock would say. However, the Pakistani Government's policies are only slightly more chaotic than the moderation policies on PDF. @Icarus made the Biker's Lounge thread a sticky. Somebody else closed it, as was the other thread on motorbikes in Member's Club. This thread will probably be next.

I am outta here.

I'm sure its a mistake. I'll ask the other mods if it was shut down for a reason.

 

[VCheng]

I'm sure its a mistake. I'll ask the other mods if it was shut down for a reason.

Thank you for looking into it. Apparently, "let not thy left hand knoweth what thy right hand doeth" is alive and well here.

 

[RoadRunner401]

If I have learnt one thing in my life, its that you always think that you'll get all the attention from girls when you start bodybuilding or riding bikes and soon after you have been drawn in do you realize that these pursuits get you more male attention than female. Same goes with bikes, even my friends who prefer the faster Suzuki Bandits and Kawasaki Ninjas inevitably get asked all the time by guys on Honda 125s for a race.
I'm sure its a mistake. I'll ask the other mods if it was shut down for a reason.

You nailed it, as the saying goes "Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards".

 

[Icarus]

Great bikes above, but totally unsuited to the Pakistani market, expect the smaller singles, may be.

The Pakistani market dynamics are quite similar to the Indian market. The only reason that the pace of change has been slow is because our local brands have made no effort to try and take some risks and make something other than 70cc bikes. Super Asia and Hero had a brief affair with slightly larger engines but failed to win over a significant market share because they could not market their product very aggressively and kept production limited to few pieces a month to try and cut back losses.

 

[VCheng]

The Pakistani market dynamics are quite similar to the Indian market. The only reason that the pace of change has been slow is because our local brands have made no effort to try and take some risks and make something other than 70cc bikes. Super Asia and Hero had a brief affair with slightly larger engines but failed to win over a significant market share because they could not market their product very aggressively and kept production limited to few pieces a month to try and cut back losses.

Sir, what you say above is easily negated by the sales numbers, which are the correct proof of the market dynamics in Pakistan, where small and cheap rules above all. There is simply no viable market for larger motorcycles, sadly, and won't be for a long time, given the economic fundamentals.

 

[Icarus]

Sir, what you say above is easily negated by the sales numbers, which are the correct proof of the market dynamics in Pakistan, where small and cheap rules above all. There is simply no viable market for larger motorcycles, sadly, and won't be for a long time, given the economic fundamentals.

Once again that would be due to the lack of domestic manufacturers to diversify their offerings and their desire to stick with the working formula rather than take a risk. The fact of the matter remains that sales numbers for higher displacement bikes is almost non-existent because the option of procuring them is not available. There is no fairly priced offering, the ONLY cruiser on sale in Pakistan, the Suzuki M850 retails for US$ 18,000! The same pricing also pushes sports bikes clear of the average Pakistani's range.

 

[VCheng]

Once again that would be due to the lack of domestic manufacturers to diversify their offerings and their desire to stick with the working formula rather than take a risk. The fact of the matter remains that sales numbers for higher displacement bikes is almost non-existent because the option of procuring them is not available. There is no fairly priced offering, the ONLY cruiser on sale in Pakistan, the Suzuki M850 retails for US$ 18,000! The same pricing also pushes sports bikes clear of the average Pakistani's range.

Sir, look at the issue this way: The market for large bikes in Pakistan is so small that local production would not be viable for any manufacturer. What is your estimate for how many thousands of units annually could be sold for capacities larger than, say, 500cc, in comparison to other markets with local production? If local production is not viable, then allowing large scale imports would adversely affect the balance of payments, which is propped up by remittances. Those who get remittances can pay $18k for a bike they want, or so the goornamint will think.

 

[doppelganger]

Sir, what you say above is easily negated by the sales numbers, which are the correct proof of the market dynamics in Pakistan, where small and cheap rules above all. There is simply no viable market for larger motorcycles, sadly, and won't be for a long time, given the economic fundamentals.

I agree. Thought the exact same while reading Icarus's post.

The Indian market grew and evolved because of the aspirational demand and the ability to pay.

 

[VCheng]

I agree. Thought the exact same while reading Icarus's post.

The Indian market grew and evolved because of the aspirational demand and the ability to pay.

The demand must create the supply. Supply cannot create the demand.

 

[Icarus]

Sir, look at the issue this way: The market for large bikes in Pakistan is so small that local production would not be viable for any manufacturer. What is your estimate for how many thousands of units annually could be sold for capacities larger than, say, 500cc, in comparison to other markets with local production? If local production is not viable, then allowing large scale imports would adversely affect the balance of payments, which is propped up by remittances. Those who get remittances can pay $18k for a bike they want, or so the goornamint will think.

Demand for bikes over 500cc is limited, granted but demand for bikes from 250cc to 500cc is enormous. Your point regarding balance of payments is of course, completely valid. However, as I said before, a more realistic duty structure, even at 100% of the value of the bike should suffice. Taking as much as 3 times its price is a bit over kill. Yet, since it does deter bike aficionados from getting foreign made bikes, one could argue that it has been quite effective in curbing some flight of capital.

But once again, one wonders why the same reactionary policies were not applied against Japanese imported cars. I could get a Toyota Prius cheaper than, say, a Yamaha V Star 650.