Honda Announces Honda Air Blade in Thailand

BANGKOK, Thailand, A.P. Honda, Thailand’s motorcycle market leader, today set a new standard for sport-style A.T. motorcycles, by launching the Honda Air Blade A.T. motorcycle under the “No. 1 …Cool” concept. Honda Air Blade represents an unprecedented lift to a superior lifestyle for motorcyclists with Built in liquid cooled engine technology and superior utility, including a new positioned fuel tank, the innovative Max U-Box large utility box and a Multi Function Key Shutter that operates like a car’s. The new model is expected to hit the hearts of smart men with sales of 70,000 units this year.

The launch of the Honda Air Blade A.T. motorcycle was led by Mr. Zenjiro Sakurai, President, A.P. Honda Co., Ltd. at Thai Honda Manufacturing, Ladkrabang Industrial Estate. The launch was followed with a visit to Honda’s production line to promote the company’s high-quality production capacity, which allows Honda to export its products to 20 countries while ensuring consistent product quality.

Honda Air Blade is driven by a V-Matic belt. The Honda Air Blade aims to move “Beyond Sport Utility” by being the perfect sporty A.T. motorcycle to fit the lifestyle of smart men. The motorcycle has been developed, designed and tested at the Honda R&D Center in Thailand by Thai designers, who better understand the needs of Thai users than anyone. Thai Honda Manufacturing produces the Honda Air Blade with its high quality control standards to ensure unsurpassed quality.

Inspired by a fighter jet, Honda Air Blade was created under the Bio Mechanic Design concept of swift and sleek design with smart and sharp bodylines. This helps combine the rider’s spirit with the Honda Air Blade’s body. The Honda Air Blade features flexible frame lines and features a front concave console to fit the rider’s physical attributes and offer unique stability for a smooth ride with total control.

Honda Air Blade uses 110 cc four-stroke built-in liquid cooled engine technology. Honda Air Blade’s built-in liquid cooled engine is compact but packs more horsepower than an air-cooled automatic motorcycle engine. With a small twist of the throttle, the motorcycle leaps ahead, providing unprecedented performance in all riding conditions. Ride smoothly with the efficient new V-Matic belt-drive transmission that uses a long-lasting reinforced steel belt and is more durable. Combi Brake technology distributes braking power between the front and rear wheels when only the left brake lever is activated. The motorcycle comes to a stop within a shorter distance with both wheels handling the brake.

For superior utility accessories, Honda Air Blade comes with a newly positioned fuel tank that allows riders to refuel without opening the seat cushion. The fuel tank door blends smoothly with the body surface, just like on a car. Its Max U-Box offers an under-seat storage box with room for more than a helmet. It can store a badminton racquet, for example. Honda Air Blade is suitable for men who love sports, music and smart activities. Its superior Multi Function Key Shutter provides double layers of safety and offers greater convenience by integrating the switches to open the seat cushion and fuel tank in same location.

Additionally, Honda Air Blade is No. 1 …Cool with superior design, including Sharply Wide Beam Headlights, a Sharply LED Tail Light, a Bright Blue Meter with large winker turn signals, a Body Protector, with an attractive black, fin-shaped design to prevent direct bumps to the body, an aero-sharp Swing Arm and Twin Shock Absorber System, which work together to offer the best support for all road conditions. The new Honda Air Blade comes with a large Disc Brake and dual calipers so riders can be confident of their stopping power in any situation.

Since the A.T. motorcycle are as easy to ride as pushing the handle, Honda has installed safety accessories, including a Side Stand Switch that causes the engine to shut down as soon as the side stand is lowered. The engine will restart only when the side stand is raised. This prevents hazards caused by forgetting to pull up the side stand before starting the bike. Moreover, the Parking Brake system works in the same way as a car’s hand brake. The brake prevents the motorcycle from moving even when parked on a slope.

Honda Air Blade is available in two stylish models:

- A front aluminium mag wheel model, which incorporates a front disc brake and Combi Brake system. This model is available in two colors – Total Black and Sport White – and is priced starting at 56,000 baht

- A spoked wheel model, which incorporates a front disc brake and is available in three two-tone colors including black & gray, white & black and dark blue & gray. This model is priced starting at 51,500 baht.

 

Malaysian Yamaha launch a new 4-stoke moped LAGENDA 110Z

Malaysia, Hong Leong Yamaha unveiled today yet another stylishly 4-stroke moped,
the new Yamaha 110Z to further increase its market share.
The new model boasts of major changes to the exterior styling of its current best seller Lagenda 110 with stylish twin head lights, new design meter panel, stylish new tail light plus exciting new colour and graphics to suit the main needs of the modern commuters.
According to Mr CH Ng, Chief Operating Officer, “The motorcycle industry
size is likely to hit 440,000 units for year 2005 and the 4-stroke moped is
still the majority in demand at 84% of the industry size”.
“Hong Leong Yamaha will strive to introduce innovative and competitive
models to improve its share in the 4-stroke moped segment to 28%”.
To remain price competitive, the new Lagenda 110Z, packaged with new
features and an improved warranty period of 10,000 km or 1 year period
whichever comes first, will be available to the market place with almost no
increase in prices over the current Lagenda 110.
Sales price is at RM 4,456.00 (kick) and RM 4,766.00 (electric) the new
Yamaha 110Z will be available for sale in green, red, blue and black.

First Honda Programmed Fuel Injection Motorcycle to be Launched in India

NEW DELHI, India, Hero Honda Motors Ltd., a motorcycle production and sales joint venture in India between Honda and Hero Group, announced the sales launch of Glamour FI, which is the first motorcycle in India equipped with PGM-FI (Honda’s Programmed Fuel Injection).

Glamour FI, based on the stylish 125cc motorcycle Glamour, has better fuel efficiency and ease of engine start, thanks to PGM-FI. Riders can see its high fuel efficiency by a digital real-time fuel economy indicator. Its design is more refined, with its engine integrated with a black color scheme and a unique FI logo.

Hero Honda began production of motorcycles in 1985. Its current annual production capacity is 3,450,000 units combined at its two plants in Dalhera and Gurgaon. This September, the annual production capacity at Dalhera will be expanded to 1,950,000 units from 1,500,000 units by adding a new line. Moreover, its annual capacity will increase to 4,400,000 units in 2007 when a third plant with 500,000 units of annual production capacity will be constructed.

The overall motorcycle market in India has been growing rapidly, reaching approximately 7,300,000 units in 2005, a 15% increase from 2004. The market is expected to grow further in 2006, up to approximately 8,500,000 units, a 17% increase from 2005. Total sales of Hero Honda and Honda’s sole subsidiary, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India (Private) Ltd. established in 1999, reached approximately 3,371,000 units in 2005, an 18% increase from 2004.

Honda plans to install PGM-FI on most of its motorcycles worldwide by the end of 2010 to reduce emissions. Following similar model introductions in Thailand and Indonesia, Honda is providing the environmentally-prominent PGM-FI model to the growing Indian market, thus strengthening environment-friendly activities in its global motorcycle business.