All Change at the Next Stop?
The planned merger between Honda and Nissan - Japan’s second and third largest auto makers after Toyota - would be the largest merger between carmakers since that of Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group in 2021.
Some commentators are pointing to it having the potential to mean enhanced distribution opportunities for Honda motorcycles.
This is just the latest in a series of Japanese corporate plays that have seen their 'majors' starting to work with once fierce rivals to produce strategic collaborations and consolidations.
This has already been seen in the motorcycle industry where issues such as hydrogen power, swappable batteries and connectivity have seen the 'Big Four' collaborate as they seek a shared critical mass.
In 2016 Honda and Yamaha began discussions toward a possible business alliance in the Japanese Class-1 category motorcycle market to address various challenges, including compliance with increasingly stringent safety standards and emissions regulations, as well as the pursuit of electrification.
The key areas of discussion included supplying 50 cc scooter models as an OEM, joint development/OEM supply of next-generation 50 cc business scooter models, and collaboration toward the popularization of electric motorcycles in the Class-1 category.
Based on that discussion, in March 2018, Honda began supplying 50 cc scooter models to Yamaha as an OEM. In the second half of 2024 it was announced that they had reached an agreement for Honda to supply Yamaha with electric motorcycle models for the Japanese market, based on the Honda 'EM1 e:' and 'BENLY e: I' Class-1 category models, as an original equipment manufacturer.
Despite an aborted 2004 plan to 'soft-merge' much of their motorcycle business interests, Kawasaki and Suzuki have been sharing common parts for competitive platforms since 2014.
Although 2005 saw a plan floated for Kawaski and Suzuki to merge ultimately came to nothing, that had been seen as an extension of a 2001 collaboration on shared componentry for compatible platforms. That partnership was largely aimed at dirt bikes, but the two still do share compatible common parts of in some model families - they have been doing so with GSXR and ZZR components for years and do so in some of their ATV/Quad models too.
Honda's deal with Hitachi to bring Showa Suspension, Keihin and Nissan all under common shared ownership (Hitachi Astemo) suggests an interesting, and as far as can be seen so far, viable model for future 'quasi mergers'.
In an international motorcycle industry that could see considerable change to the established Japanese OEM landscape in the coming years, don't be surprised to see significant changes in the traditional brand, market and ownership footprints of the 'Big Four'.
Don't be surprised either to see Chinse motorcycle and automotive manufacturers start to flex their considerable fiscal muscles beyond the acquisition of western legacy brands. They will likely start to take ownership positions (controlling and otherwise) in European and even American majors. Rumours are currently swirling about both KTM and Harley-Davidson, and regardless of whether or not anything comes involving either of those two, it's not difficult to see plenty of other such developments on the horizon.
