Honda CEO Takeo Fukui stresses the importance of the company's motorcycle division. Fukui presented his company’s three-year plan for growth in a speech in Tokyo, listing the strength of Honda’s motorcycle division as one of the core areas in improving the company’s manufacturing process and becoming a leader in environmental technologies.

With rising fuel costs and increased concerns over the environment, Honda plans to install its Programmed Fuel Injection (PGM-FI) system on all motorcycles worldwide by 2010. Already installed on all Honda scooters and motorcycles available in Thailand and nearly all scooters and motorcycles sold in Japan, the PGM-FI is a less bulky and cheaper to produce than the conventional fuel injection systems used on Honda’s larger motorcycles while producing fewer emissions.

Honda motorcycles will also see improvements in safety technology. Fukui says the company will install its motorcycle airbag system on more models. Honda also plans to install an anti-lock brake system (ABS) in 250cc or larger motorcycles, except off-road models, by 2010. As well, Honda will introduce its combined ABS (C-ABS) system. Already available for some models, Honda says the electronically-controlled C-ABS system produces 2.3 times the amount of deceleration produced by conventional brakes.

Fukui says Honda will also produce a new 100cc bike for the Asian market where small-displacement bikes like Honda’s Super Cub are popular.

Any 250cc bikes for thailand in that three-year motorcycle plan?