The market for new and used motorcycles in Akbar Road, Karachi, which is the largest in the country, is experiencing a shortage of Honda CG-125 bikes at the showrooms of the company’s authorised dealers. The dealers are reportedly not accepting fresh bookings from customers due to thin supplies from the assembler.
Non-Honda dealers are reportedly demanding a price of Rs252,000-255,000 for instant delivery of the CG-125 bike, which is Rs40,000 more than the company’s price of Rs215,000, despite not having the bike available in their showrooms.
Some unauthorised dealers have already acquired a large number of CG-125 motorcycles from authorized dealers, apparently under an understanding to jointly make a windfall. Some dealers have cited Afghan nationals accompanied by Pakistanis as the reason for the stock shortage. However, 70cc bikes are readily available for instant delivery at showrooms.
According to Dawn, market sources have stated that local bike assemblers exported 25,000 units of 70cc-125cc bikes over the past 11 months, in which Honda 125cc holds the lion’s share. They also believe that the actual volume of shipments of two-wheelers is more than the official export by the companies after individual purchases of bikes by customers for Afghan markets.
Afghan businessmen are importing Pakistan-assembled motorcycles in large numbers daily through the Chaman border amid booming demand for two-wheelers in Afghanistan. The market for Honda CG-125 bikes is experiencing price hikes and shortages across the country, including Quetta and other cities of Balochistan.
