Honda

 

Left to right - SH Mode, SH350i, PCX125, X-ADV, NC750X, CB1000R, CB125R

 

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".

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".

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 year-ago 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. 

The CBR1000R 'Black Edition'

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.

 

Toni Bou wins 14th consecutive FIM Trial World Championship title

 

Tim Gajser on the CRF450RW

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.