Yamaha is opening a new research and development company for the Indian market. The newly-formed Yamaha Motor Research and Development India Pvt. Ltd., (YMRI) will be based in Surajpur, on the outskirts of New Delhi, near India Yamaha Motor‘s offices.

YMRI will be Yamaha‘s fifth R&D firm to be located outside of Japan, following locations in Italy, Taiwan, China and Thailand. The new company will part of Yamaha’s “New Medium-Term Management Plan“, and will work on creating new products for the Indian market.

According to Yamaha, India accounted for sales of 14 million motorcycles and scooters in 2012, with continued growth expected to push that number to 16 million units by 2015. Yamaha itself sold 350,000 units in 2012, but the company hopes to increase that number to 500,000 units in 2013 and 1 million by 2015. The new R&D center, as well as the opening of a second factory in Chennai in 2014 should help contribute to that goal. Continue Reading »

Honda‘s subsidiary in India is opening a new technical center to develop new models for that market. The new research and development center is the first for Honda to focus only two-wheeled vehicles, and the first in all of India to feature an advanced wind tunnel to test vehicle aerodynamics. The goal, for Honda Motorcycle and  Scooter India (HMSI) is to eventually introduce a new model to India every quarter.

The new technical center is the first Honda facility to integrate design, engineering, purchasing and quality control all under the same roof. The 2.5-acre facility in Manesar, India, will employ 200 engineers from Honda Research and Development India and HMSI associates.  Continue Reading »

Suzuki is considering moving its motorcycle research facility from its current coastal location to its main factory in Hamamatsu, Japan, to decrease the risk of damage from future tsunamis.

According to a report in the Nikkei business daily, Suzuki is acquiring more land in Hamamatsu to house the research center and other facilities. Suzuki CEO Osamu Suzuki first brought up the idea to relocate some of its higher risk coastal properties during its 2011-2012 fiscal year forecast report. Among the technologies Suzuki is current developing is the use of alternative fuels to power vehicles, such as the fuel cell powered Suzuki Bergman scooter pictured above.

According to the Nikkei report, Suzuki is also considering moving its motorcycle engine production from Hamamatsu.

[Source: Nikkei via Reuters]

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The Piaggio Group announced plans to open a new research and development center in China for producing new vehicles specifically for the Asian market.

The new R&D facility will be located in Foshan, an industrial center in southern China which also houses Piaggio Zongshen Foshan Motorcycle Co., a joint venture owned by Piaggio (45%), the Zongshen Group (45%) and the municipality of Foshan (10%). The new center will be 100% owned by Piaggio, and will focus on developing electric motors, diesel engines as well as small commercial vehicles.

Piaggio plans to employ about 50 engineers at the Foshan R&D center.

Press release after the jump.

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