For its motorcycle business Honda announced Q2 ( period ended September 30 ) sales revenue of 493.0bn yen - a year-on-year decrease of 29.4bn yen . The company says that " although sales are recovering in many countries , sales revenue experienced a year-on-year decrease due primarily to unfavourable currency effects ". Operating profit was 68.4bn yen ( a year-on-year decrease of 9.3bn yen ) and says that the improvement was made " due primarily to control of SG & A expenses and cost reduction efforts . This was despite a decrease in profit related to changes in sales revenue and model mix ". For the six months to September 30 motorcycle sales revenue is down by -23 % at 767.3m yen . Motorcycle business operating profit was down to 79.6bn yen from 147.6bn for the yearago period on an operating margin of 10.4 % ( down from 14.0 %). Total global Group motorcycle unit sales for the quarter are reported at 4,467,000 units ( 5,098,000 for the year-ago quarter ), with European unit sales at 63,000 , which is up from 57,000 for its 2019 second quarter . Asia was down from 4,575,000 in 2019 / Q2 at 3,930,000 ; Japan down by 2,000 units at 59,000 ; while North America was up by 5,000 units . Altogether for the YTD ( April through September 2020 ), global unit sales are down by 3,697,000 ( 6,322,000 sold in total ), with Europe down by -17,000 units from the 141,000 sold in the year-ago period ( at 124,000 units sold in six months ). In common with all the Japanese manufacturers , Honda is using the unique circumstances that 2020 has presented to either conclude , accelerate or develop plans to refine its business structure . In the United States , for example , the
Honda companies responsible for motorcycle , ATV and side-by-side products began restructuring earlier this year - to unite the sales , manufacturing , product development and purchasing functions . This follows a similar reorganisation in Japan in 2019 , when the motorcycle operations of Honda Motor and the Motorcycle Centre of Honda R & D were merged into one organisation . Meanwhile , in other Honda news , the company has reached a significant milestone at its Vietnam subsidiary , producing its 30 millionth unit - a Winner X , a liquid-cooled , fuel injected 150 cc SOHC , four-stroke , two-valve single . In racing news , 24-year old Slovenian Tim Gajser has won back-to-back FIM Motocross World Championships on the CRF450RW , and both he and 21- year old Australian Mitchell Evans have had their contracts renewed " for multiple years " - both are currently competing for Team HRC in the FIM Motocross World Championship Premier MXGP Class . On the track Honda achieved an unprecedented 800th FIM World Championship Grand Prix victory in October when Honda Moto3 rider Jaume Masia ( Leopard Racing NSF250RW ) claimed victory in the Moto3 class in Round 12 of the 2020 FIM1 World Championship Grand Prix held at MotorLand Aragón in Spain . In Trials , Toni Bou has won a 14th consecutive FIM Trial World Championship title , riding with the Repsol Honda Team , taking the final round , the Italian Grand Prix , in October . This was his 14th consecutive title , his first was in 2007 , on the Montesa COTA 4RT factory bike . In new model terms , Honda announced its 2021 off-road model year line-up back in June , with the updates highlight being a new frame
for the CRF 450R / RX . In September Honda unveiled a considerable step forward in terms of its Honda Forza scooter offer , with the new 350 and 750 added to the established 125 , and November saw the company unveil seven further new updates for 2021 , including one new model name .
Left to right - SH Mode , SH350i , PCX125 , X-ADV , NC750X , CB1000R , CB125R
Honda ’ s premium sports / GT Forza scooter family expands for 2021 with the arrival of Forza 750 and Forza 350 . The all-new Forza 750 " offers the classic ingredients of Grand Touring ( GT ) road presence and comfort together with sporty , agile handling , lusty engine performance , premium design and feature-rich specifications ".
The CBR1000R ' Black Edition '
Tim Gajser on the CRF450RW
Toni Bou wins 14th consecutive FIM Trial World Championship title
20 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - DECEMBER 2020 / JANUARY 2021 www . idnmag . com