Motorcycle manufacturers in the country said if the current business landscape will prevail, sales are likely to exceed the pre-pandemic level of 1.7 million units in 2019 as the two-wheeled motor vehicles continued to be one of the most convenient modes of transportation in the country even during and after the pandemic. Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association (MDPPA) President Norminio “Boying” Mojica said as the group announced a conservative 10 percent growth target this year or 1.72 units. Already, MDPPA sales in the first quarter this year reached 447,429 units already. MDPPA is composed of Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha. “We hope that the performance of the first quarter will be sustained. The market is so volatile as influenced by internal and external variables,” said Mojica adding that “If the existing business landscape will prevail, the 1.7 million units recorded sales in 2019 may be surpassed.” “Despite the global cost-of-living crisis and tightening of financial conditions in most regions, the local motorcycle industry was able to chart an upward trend,” said Mojica in a statement posted on its website. MDPPA sold 1,206,374 units in 2020, its lowest, but sales improved considerably in 2021 to 1.43 million units and 1.54 million in 2022. “The MDPPA stands firm in its commitment to provide safe and affordable mode of transportation to Filipino riders,” MDPPA said. For the first quarter this year, the MDPPA noted that average monthly sales went up 149,000 a month as against 127,000 units in the same period last year. “This makes the three-month totals of 2023 the best-recorded sales in comparison to the first quarters of the three previous pandemic years, including 2020, 2021, and 2022,” the group said. Because of its easy-to-operate controls, the Automatic Category or Scooters took 60 percent of the total first-quarter sales this year with 269,652 units sold. This was followed by the Business Units, which are used for commercial purposes. This category accounted for 18.6 percent of the total sales, with 83,616 units sold. Meanwhile, Mopeds or Underbone motorcycles took 17.2 percent of the total sales due to their affordability, with 77,152 units sold. The Street and Big Bikes, commonly used for leisure and off-road adventure, took the remaining 4 percent with 17,000 units sold.