TOKYO - Production of Japan’s familiar 50cc motorized bicycles — a popular choice for short trips and errands — will come to an end in October, prompting a surge in demand as consumers scramble to purchase the last available models.
Under Japan’s classification system, mopeds are divided into two categories: Class 1, with an engine displacement of 50cc or less and a legal speed limit of 30 km/h, and Class 2, with a displacement over 50cc but under 125cc and a speed limit of 60 km/h. It is the Class 1 mopeds — which can be ridden with an ordinary driver’s license — that all domestic manufacturers will stop producing this month.
Dealers say demand has risen sharply ahead of the deadline. “A month ago, a customer came all the way from Kobe asking us to sell one because there were none left locally. He was even willing to pay for shipping,” said Yukio Shinbo, manager of B-Power’s Adachi store. The main reason for the production halt is new emissions regulations taking effect in November. “The standards for environmental and safety rules have become extremely strict,” Shinbo explained. “If we try to build a 50cc engine that meets those requirements, production costs soar, and scooters would end up priced at 400,000 to 500,000 yen. At that point, who would buy them?”
During interviews, one customer who came to the store decided to buy within two minutes of entering. “Since 50cc bikes are disappearing, I wanted to get one while I still can,” he said. Others who rely on mopeds for work are more anxious. “I’m worried maintenance costs will rise once parts become unavailable,” said a food delivery worker for Uber Eats.
Newspaper delivery services are also bracing for the impact. “We’re in real trouble,” said Tomihiro Tagami, head of the Narimasu Akatsuka Hikarigaoka branch of Sankei Shimbun. “Our first option is to switch to electric bikes, and the second is to have all employees obtain a medium motorcycle license and switch to larger models. But electric bikes are expensive, so converting the entire fleet now is difficult.”
Under the revised regulations, ordinary license holders will still be able to ride motorcycles up to 125cc if their maximum output is limited to 4 kW. Pizzala, a major pizza delivery chain, said it is considering introducing electric bikes, stating, “We will monitor developments closely and seek the most suitable vehicle mix, taking safety and operational costs into account.”
The shift is expected to affect not just delivery services but also ordinary consumers. How the landscape for small motorbikes evolves in the coming years remains to be seen.
Source: FNN
