Finally, Honda is set to become the leading brand in the boda boda industry following the introduction of the hugely successful Honda Ace 125. First, a brief history would be in order. The boda boda industry took off in earnest in 2009 after the then finance minister zero rated motorcycles. Before then, motorcycles would cost as much as a very used vehicle with just one more owner to go. With the zero rating, Chinese motorcycles became very affordable, with some costing as little as Kshs 50,000 at the retail level. However, it did not take long for boda boda operators to face frustrations on realizing that the quality of the motorcycles was just as good as the prices. This state could be blamed on traders who would order the lowest quality motorcycles available, even if that meant a small increase in profits for a huge penalty in quality. As the new adage goes, in China, you get what you pay for. It is at this point that Indian manufacturers seized the opportunity and introduced several brands that were positioned as the better choice. Although the Indian models were pricey (Kshs 100,000) compared to the available Chinese models, operators found them to be more reliable than the Chinese versions. The Indian bikes enjoyed good sales, although their quality was still junky when viewed in broad daylight. If we were to make allegories using the proverbial piece of meat that features two knobs in front and a hole at the bottom, we could say that the Indian motorcycles were enjoying the meat from the front cushioned by the knobs, while the Chinese makes had to do with hkm, with all the attendant inconveniences.
Within no time, Honda noticed that the Indians were having too much undeserved fun. As if to underline their anger, Honda came up with a purpose-built boda boda whose price matched that of Indian makes (between 110,000 and 118,000), but with a quality far much superior. In short, Honda has displaced Indian makes and is now enjoying the piece of meat from the front while the Chinese are stuck steadfast on the opposite side. At the time of writing this article, the Indians are still contemplating on what to do next in the face of this very challenging situation where the two main openings have been covered. We are waiting to see how twisted/innovative they can be.
In the meantime, motorcycle repair shops have been complaining that Honda motor cycles rarely show up at their shops even for puncture patching. Should the trend continue, the repair shops might have to find a different trade, such as fixing broken personalities (e.g. Luo American). For aspiring billionaires (kama wevdeb), grab one and enjoy the new roads before they grow potholes. After all you can moonlight as a boda boda rider when that imaginary check delays.
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