Just like cars, two-wheelers must meet increasingly stringent emission requirements. And like the automotive industry, electrification is the way forward. But before getting there, more key manufacturers have now stated that they will need to cut back heavily on the model range to keep emissions down.

It is Nikkei which reports that Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki are scrapping around 20 models this year. This means about ten percent of the supply from the four manufacturers.

Honda alone accounts for ten of these “retirements” where, among others, the best-selling CB400 Super Four, the Gold Wing series and the delivery scooter Benly are on the list.

Requirements similar to Euro 5

It is similar for the others, it is the big bikes that are allowed to iron on the foot.

The reason is the stricter emission requirements that will be introduced in Japan in November. The requirements are shaped like Euro 5 that we have here in Europe and that the two major markets now get the same – means that it is no longer sustainable to keep dirty models alive.

The Japanese manufacturers account for around 40 percent of the global motorcycle market – which means that the increasingly clear shift away from fossil fuels will accelerate the transition significantly.