Overpriced 2-Stroke Yamaha Gets Unnoticed. Why?

The most popular under bone 2-stroke bike in Malaysia has to be this Yamaha ZR125. In production for more than 16 years, its price has slowly increased year on year and like the good old days when some new cars were launched and exchanged hands for a premium the next day (Proton Wira, Honda Civic and Mercedes S400 Hybrid), due to long waiting lists, this humble little favourite is still exchanging hands for a premium in motorcycle shops around the country.

But today we are high-lighting this bike not for its used premium price and instead we are highlighting the fact that most new motorcycle shops in the country are selling this Yamaha ZR125 at a premium of RM1,000 and more from NEW. Yes, the bike shops are abusing the low volume production and charging low income customers a RM1,000 premium or more when they order this Yamaha ZR125.

A quick check at several motorcycle shops in Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam (where most of them are) and Jalan Ipoh revealed a price premium varying from RM1,000 to RM1,800, with a frim reply from the shop owners, “you don’t want to buy its ok we have other customers willing to pay this price” and they are not wrong as while we stood there negotiating, 2 customers walked in to buy this Yamaha ZR125 and they paid the premium.

Approved selling price for this Yamaha ZR125 today is RM7,269.00 with GST. Lowest price we managed to get was RM8,900.00 with GST and on the road. This translates to about a 15% premium. When we contacted the Hong Leong Yamaha office via a 3^rd party, their response was lacklustre and with no intention to look seriously into this matter. In fact emails sent to their regional manager of sales has yet to be replied. BTW, on the Internet we found some dealers even advertising this Yamaha ZR125 for as high as RM9,800.00 with registration.

Now we ask, when a trader sells onions for 10 cents more a kilogram, the relevant Ministry comes in confiscates the traders produce and fines them. But when a motorcycle dealer/shop overcharges by more than 15% it’s all quiet? Is this fair to the lower income consumer needing transport?