Honda launches new ACE 150 motorcycle for rural use

Honda, the Japanese multinational renowned for its automobiles, motorcycles, and other machinery, has introduced a new motorcycle model, the ACE 150. Designed specifically for rugged rural environments, the ACE 150 is aimed at farmers and those needing a reliable vehicle for off-road operations.

The launch event took place on Monday at Honda’s factory on Idiroko Road, Ota, Ogun State, and was attended by wholesalers and members of the public.

The Honda Senior Manager of Sales, Olabade Badejo, described ACE 150 as the ‘kind of motorcyclist’, stressing that the bike was not made for commercial use but for rural rugged uses.

He said, “Our main target for ACE 150 is not Okada riders because they might be unable to afford this. There is a product made for Okada riders, and that is the 100cc and 110cc bikes. This ACE 150 was conceived and produced for rural, rugged operations, dispatch riders, and those who cannot use normal vehicles or trucks to bring their farm produce from the farm to the market, to town.”

Badejo stressed that nothing was sourced locally other than research and development for the actualisation of the new motorcycle.

He said all the parts of the new motorcycle were sourced abroad because the Nigerian government has refused to show honesty in the drive for local content.

He stated, “The local content I can say is in this production is design, research and development. That is our input from Nigeria, but for the actual content, nothing was done here in Nigeria. This is because the policy of the government for local content, especially in the motorcycle industry, has only been lip service.

“For Honda, if we have to enter into the local content sourcing, the product will be much more expensive. So, we need economic upscale before we can venture into local content sourcing and this has not been guaranteed. As a company, we cannot be the only one sourcing locally while others are busy importing from abroad.”

Earlier, the Managing Director of the company, Tetsuya Kawai, said the motorcycle was built upon understanding the Nigerian market to achieve durability, reliability and performance.

He described the unveiling of the motorcycle as a testament to Honda’s commitment to continuously provide quality products that meet the ever-evolving needs of its customers.

“At Honda, we have always been committed to designing and delivering solutions that make life easier, more efficient, and, most importantly, safer for our customers,” he stated.