Japanese motorcyle makers tell Filipino buyers to go for original products to reduce accidents

Japanese motorcyle makers in the Philippines on Friday said Filipino consumers must avoid buying cheaper motorcycles and parts to reduce road accidents.

"By using Japanese-made motorcycles, the public is guaranteed of high-quality products backed by extensive research and development, strict quality control and thorough product testing even before each unit is introduced to the market," Romeo Tan, national sales manager of Yamaha Motor Philippines, said in a press conference at the Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

The proliferation of fake parts and motorcycles made elsewhere is one of the reasons why motorcycle accidents continue to happen in the country, Honda Philippines, Kawasaki Motors Philippines, Suzuki Philippines and Yamaha Motor said in a separate statement.

Recent Philippine National Police data showed that 12 percent of vehicule accidents in the country was due to "defective motorcycles," said Transportation Assistant Secretary Dante Lantin.

"We encourage dealers nationwide to inform the public about the safety features of original motorcycles. The problem here is dealers have been talking only of the price, fuel efficiency and speed which, in the process, are sacrificing the safety of riders," Lantin noted.

"Of the total 6.2 million vehicles registered, 3.8 million of these are motorcycles. So it is very important for us to prioritize the safety of riders," Lantin added.

Japanese motorcycles account for 63 percent of the Philippine market, according to the four Japanese companies, saying the rest are either Chinese or imported from other countries.

Manolo Hontiveros, after-sales manager of Suzuki Philippines, said Japanese motorcycle makaers carry after-sales services through authorized dealers nationwide and provide their customers with safety-riding programs. — VS, GMA News