Bike dealers have announced that they will be left with no other choice but to close their shops if the manufacturers don’t reduce the prices.
Bike prices have reached unprecedented levels in recent months, mainly due to the massive devaluation of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar and rising raw material prices. However, despite significant improvement in the exchange rate in the last few weeks and falling raw material prices, bike makers haven’t revised their prices.
The sky-high prices have greatly contributed to the low sales, dropping by 80%. Dealers have requested the manufacturers and part suppliers to cut their prices.
Talking to Samaa News, the Chairman of the Karachi Motorcycle Dealers Association Mohammad Ahsan Gujjar expressed his disappointment over the current prices despite the improvement in the value of the Pakistani rupee against the US dollar as well as a reduction in petrol price.
According to him, monthly motorcycle sales in Karachi have dropped by up to 24,000 as they are only selling 6,000 bikes every month. He added that the Chinese and Japanese bike companies should cut their prices by up to Rs. 40,000.
Gujjar further stated that 70cc bikes are the most popular among the middle-class and lower-middle-class groups. He feared that it would be impossible to keep their businesses running if the prices aren’t reduced.
