In addition to common bikes like Honda Blade or Yamaha Sirius with a price tag of less than 30 million VND, the Vietnamese motorcycle market has recently welcomed many new and expensive models, mostly in the form of private imports.
Compared to brand-new bikes, the market for private imports is more active. Many private dealers quickly bring in new products to sell just a few months after their debut overseas.
Surprising prices
Although the scooter segment is not as lucrative as the scooter segment, there are still many private dealers importing motorcycles to introduce to customers. Compared to imported scooters, there are clearly fewer options for motorcycles and the prices are also not for the masses.
Most recently, two Honda models, the Dax ST125 and CT125, were launched in Vietnam by a store on Le Trong Tan Street (Binh Tan District, Ho Chi Minh City). The prices of over 130 million VND for the Dax ST125 and over 150 million VND for the CT125 have surprised many people.
The prices of the Dax ST125 and CT125 are considered high when considering the price-performance ratio. In their home country, Thailand, the Honda CT125 has a starting price of 2,226 USD. With 150 million VND, domestic consumers have many options such as the Honda SH 350i or the Yamaha YZF-R3.
Despite the high prices, the Dax ST125 and CT125 still attract a small group of customers. Sharing with Zing, a minibike enthusiast in Ho Chi Minh City stated that these imported models are aimed at customers who like to collect bikes rather than using them for daily commuting.
About a month ago, the Honda Wave 110i also appeared in Ho Chi Minh City. Honda Vietnam is also distributing the Wave Alpha with a design similar to the Thai-imported Wave 110i.
The price of the Wave 110i is only about half the price of the Dax ST125, but it is still higher than the average price of the domestic motorcycle market.
Representatives from Quang Phuong Store, the importer of the Wave 110i, said that the initial quantity of imported bikes was not large because it was only a trial period to explore the market. “The price of this model is quite high, so the whole system only imported a few units,” the representative shared.
In addition to the Wave 110i, the motorcycle market in recent years has also seen the introduction of the Wave 125i. This model is also known as the Future, a Thai-imported model that features the same design as the official Honda Future. The average amount required to own a Wave 125i is about 80 million VND, while the suggested price of the Future is only over 30 million VND.
No official warranty
Warranty is always a concern for many customers when it comes to privately imported motorcycles. Unlike bikes sold directly from the manufacturer like the Honda Super Cub C125 or the Yamaha Sirius, imported bikes do not receive direct warranty from the manufacturer.
Recently, the Honda ADV 160 and PCX 160 models were recalled by PT Astra Honda Motor (Malaysia) to address transmission-related issues. Vietnamese customers who purchased these models have not yet received any recall information from the stores.
In addition to warranty issues, the supply of imported motorcycle spare parts also creates many troubles for users. Normally, stores only import a certain amount of spare parts for popular bike models. If customers use rare imported bikes, replacing parts can take a lot of time. Depending on the bike model and type of spare parts, the ordering process can take from 2 weeks to several months.