Pakistan’s Interest in Motorcycles Grows; Kawasaki Heads the List

While cars make up the majority of Pakistani vehicle sales, motorcycles beginning to garner interest among potential buyers. Carmudi, the best way to sell or buy your vehicle online, analyzed hundreds of thousands of its listings and browsing data, in order to find where in Asia motorcycles rule over four-wheeled vehicles, and which brands dominate in the search for the perfect motorcycle.

Motorcycles comprise 27% of global listings, the majority of which are located in Asia. In Pakistan, the local market is still dominated by cars, which make up 87% of total listings, while motorcycles make up 10% of vehicles offered.

Pakistan’s traditional preference for cars is changing fast. In the first quarter of 2015, 213,000 motorcycles were sold in Pakistan, with motorcycle sales reportedly increasing by 26% between July and September. The sudden change may have stemmed from poor public transport and soaring petrol prices for cars, according to a survey of local car dealerships.

This surge in demand can also be explained by a recent ban on unregistered Qingqi rickshaws in the Karachi area, which has affected at least 65,000 Qingqi owners. Motorcycles are comparatively low-cost and low maintenance, less regulated, and can be more convenient in dealing with Pakistan’s prevalent infrastructure issues.

This sudden interest in motorcycles as an alternative to cars can also be seen on Carmudi. The most sought after model is Kawasaki ZX10R, with over 40,000 browses, followed by nearly as popular Yamaha R6 and Piaggio Storm.