Seems like there isn’t a single industry for which Thailand hasn’t claimed it’s a hub. Most of these bogus claims go unfulfilled but a recent one to be a “Big Bike Hub” might just become a reality.
Recent adjustments to the BOI policies have made Thailand a much more inviting place to set up shop to manufacture “big bikes,” or bikes over 250cc. The former requirements classified big bikes as being over 500cc, but now the same investment incentives are being offered to manufacture bikes in the 250cc segment, a market that is rapidly growing as Asian demands call for small motorcycles that meet the needs of the region. “The trend of big bikes of this [250cc] type is experiencing rapid growth globally, whereas the market for 500cc models is declining, as they are expensive,” said Dr Atchaka, a secretary-general who attended the investment meeting with BMW, according to The Bangkok Post
At the current moment, European firms Triumph and Ducati have the capacity to build 67,000 big bikes per year, whereas the Japanese competition Honda and Kawasaki have the capacity to build 380,000 units. Most of these bikes are exported.
The BMW agreement could lead to more than simply lining the pockets of the German firm, however. BMW has expressed interest in pairing with a Thai university to increase efficiency and improve technology in a field that is experiencing a decline in skilled, specialized labor.
Does this mean there will be loads of BMW motorcycles zipping around Bangkok in the next few years? Probably not, but it is fantastic to see progress towards becoming the world’s “Big Bike Hub”… even if they are only 250cc.
