What does a country of origin mean for motorcycles?

During the mid-90s, Japanese manufacturers like Honda created such an impression that today's people refer to motorcycles as Hondas. But how is this affecting the other Japanese manufacturers?

Honda spent years developing its brand value which has paid off. Competing with this puffery is heavy.

Locally

We have primarily Indian, Chinese, and Japanese-origin motorcycles. Which one should you be going for if you are planning to buy a new bike? There is no definite answer. Indian manufacturers like Bajaj and TVS have been pretty consistent and created a sense of reliance among their patrons.

Before introducing the newer Honda Hornet and Suzuki Gixxer, Pulsar -- a lineup from Bajaj -- had been dominating the country’s streets.

However, the domination could not last forever.

With the introduction of new lineups from Japanese manufacturers the market dynamic shifted. The Bangladeshi motorcycle market is diversified now.

Uphill battle for the Chinese

Earlier, the Chinese engines were almost always considered of being substandard in quality. But Lifan, TaroGp, Keeway, and more, have paved the way for Chinese engine manufacturers to gain a growing reputation. Affordability that comes with premium performance, is their theme.

Motorcycles like KPR and KPT introduced by Rasel Industries have created a new sensation for the motorcycle enthusiasts of our country.

Misconception

There is one misconception among the consumers; all the Japanese companies do not have their manufacturing stationed in Japan.

Most of these motorbikes are manufactured from their Indian factories. They are shipped to Bangladesh as a CBU unit or as a CKD unit. CBU or Completely Built Unit is a terminology for bikes imported from some other country as a complete car fully assembled.

The acronym of CKD is a Completely Knocked-down unit. It means that the units arrive in various parts and require assembly before usage. Products which are imported as separate parts and then assembled here are known as CKD units.

Not only these, but there are also several motorbikes in the grey market which originate from countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and more. The country of origin makes each motorbike different. It's not like one is flawed from the other; instead, each of them has its pros and cons.

While purchasing, a customer must make an educated discussion before choosing their desired ride.