'Matrix' of motorbike prices in the Ghost Month

Honda and Yamaha models are selling at higher prices, although not as high as before. Some models are selling below the suggested price.

Without the crazy price reductions like cars before the pivotal time of 2018, the motorbike market witnessed widespread stimulus measures between competitors during the Ghost Month, especially during the new school year opening season.

Customers view cars at a dealership in Binh Thanh District.

According to a survey by VnExpress in Ho Chi Minh City, Honda's "hot" models still maintain a price increase of several million VND such as Honda Air Blade, SH 125i/150i. As for the new product for women, Lead 2017, the selling price is about 2-3 million VND higher than the suggested price of 37.5 million for the standard version and 39.3 million for the premium version.

A Head on Do Xuan Hop Street, District 9, Lead costs 39.5-42.7 million VND. The sales staff said that the number of cars arriving was low and they sold out within a few days of arriving at the dealership. "This car is new, the selling price is not too high because the price may increase soon," this person added, explaining that the 7th lunar month is usually when purchasing power is weak.

Some other dealers also offer similar prices and do not forget to include promotional gifts. However, not all Honda models have increased prices. The opposite case occurs on the Wave Alpha 2017 and the Winner manual clutch model.

The popular Alpha model was launched in early 2017 with an engine increased from 100 to 110cc, and a slightly changed design, and is being sold below the suggested price. For example, at a Head in Binh Thanh, the 2017 Alpha is only selling for 17.1 million without registration fee.

If you add the 600,000 VND gift that cannot be converted into the car price and many other items, the Honda model will be worth more than 1 million VND less. The suggested price of Alpha 2017 is 17.8 million.

Honda Wave Alpha 2017 is one of the discounted models.

On the contrary, the 2016 version with 100cc engine is out of stock at dealers. Many private stores have the opportunity to raise the price. "22 million without papers, only two left in black and red", the owner of a store in Thu Duc quickly replied when a customer asked to buy. A store on Hong Bang Street, District 5 also has a similar price.

In addition to the abstinence mentality during the Ghost Month, the season of students starting a new school year is also the reason why dealers pay more attention to stimulating demand. The case of Yamaha is an example.

The popular Sirius model is currently priced at a similar price to the suggested price, from 18.5 to 23 million VND. This price includes the buyer support of half a million VND included in the selling price. According to the explanation of most sales staff, the slight discount and additional gifts are to attract buyers, especially students.

Nguyen Van Hung, a second-year student at the University of Economics and Law in Ho Chi Minh City, is waiting for money sent from his family in Dak Nong to buy a new Sirius. "Car prices are decreasing these days, and I need a car for my part-time job, so I will go buy one with my brother when we have enough money," Hung said.

Yamaha's Janus scooter is also offering support for female buyers. The price is not much different from the suggested price. Meanwhile, the manual clutch Exciter model, in contrast to its rival Honda Winner, is still priced high.

The Movistar and matte black versions are both priced 2-4 million VND higher than the suggested price. At a Yamaha Town in District 9, the Movistar Exciter costs 50.1 million VND, the Matte Black costs 49.1 million VND, excluding registration fees. The suggested prices of these two versions are 46 million VND and 45.5 million VND respectively.

Unlike Yamaha and Honda, the Japanese brand Suzuki has stable prices for its products. Currently, this company has a package supporting half a million registration fees with gifts, applicable to the manual clutch Axelo or the scooter Impulse. The Italian brand Piaggio is less active but also has gifts for customers buying cars to stimulate demand.

The increase and decrease of motorbike prices is no longer unusual and mostly happens with "hot" products, from brands with high market shares such as Honda and Yamaha. Consumers have gradually become accustomed to seasonal price fluctuations or demand from dealers. Even the recent increase in motorbike registration fees is not a big obstacle for many Vietnamese when deciding to buy.

The motorbike market is in a period of moderate growth, with no major breakthrough in sales. The segment of manual and automatic motorbikes from popular to high-end is becoming crowded, forcing manufacturers to consider a new direction, where motorbikes are an important factor.

According to VNE