BRAZILMoto Honda da Amazônia, Ltda.
The Manaus Factory is built on a triangular piece of land bordered by two major roads. Covering 800,000 square meters, the site is huge, and the Amazon River can be easily seen behind the factory.
Honda’s Core Base in South America, with its own R&D Division, a Test Course, and Human Resources Development
Carrying the official title Moto Honda da Amazônia Ltda., Honda’s Manaus Factory produces the Biz, Brazil’s first original Super Cub series model.
As its name implies, this factory is located in Manaus, a city of 2.06 million people in the central region of Brazil, bordering the great Amazon River, which flows through the world’s largest tropical rain forest.
The Manaus Factory began operations in 1976, and employs 5,600 associates (as of 2018). This factory represents the core of Honda’s motorcycle operations in South America, not just Brazil. It even has an R&D wing capable of carrying out independent model development, and a test course that reproduces many of the various road conditions one may encounter in Brazil.
Because it was difficult in the past to procure components locally in Manaus, the factory makes many of the parts and materials normally ordered from other suppliers, such as steel tubing, wheels, and seats. This in-house manufacturing of many critical components has led to independent innovations, quickly meeting local needs while helping to keep down overall costs in Brazil, where outside procurement can quickly become expensive.
One other key feature of the Manaus Factory is its ability to develop human resources, training Honda manufacturing engineers through research and development and the hands-on production of parts and materials.
Annual production figures for 2017 amounted to 730,000 units, showing the effects of Brazil’s recent economic downturn. However, at its peak the factory produced over 1,600,000 units annually. Of these, 30% have been Biz series bikes.
Biz models on the factory assembly line.
L: The simple, factory-like front gate of the Manaus Factory.
R: A panel at the main entrance to the factory bears the word “Welcome!“ in Portuguese, English, and Japanese, offering hospitality to all visitors and helping to build a feeling of trust and cooperation.
This South American version of the Super Cub features a built-in storage space, designed to hold a full-face helmet, located under the seat.
Biz 110i
■Engine: Air-cooled 4-stroke OHC single-cylinder
■Displacement: 109.1cc
■Fuel Induction System: PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
■Max. Power Output: 8.33PS/7,250rpm
■Transmission: 4-speed w/ automatic centrifugal clutch
■Dimensions (L x W x H): 1,894 x 707 x 1,085mm
■Vehicle Weight: 97kg
The Federative Republic of Brazil is the largest country in South America. With a population of 280 million, its land area is fully 22.5 times that of Japan. The country is located halfway around the world from Japan, with a time difference of 12 hours (13 for Manaus).
The Biz is a featured member of the Super Cub series created locally in Brazil. Currently, both the Biz 110i and Biz 125 are manufactured and sold in Brazil.
One of the main features of the Biz is its large underseat storage space, which is big enough to hold a full-face helmet and can carry up to ten kilograms of shopping items with ease. In Japan, it’s nicknamed the ‘Met-in Cub’ (‘Met’ is short for ‘helmet’ and the nickname means “big enough to store a helmet inside.”) The Biz rolls on a 17-inch front tire, while its rear tire is 14 inches, providing a balance between enhanced carrying capacity and confident rideability.
The Biz first made its debut as an original Brazilian model in 1998, and it has since become the standard model for all of South America. Its styling shows a keen awareness of the fact that women are its main users, and it combines both a sharp, sophisticated silhouette and a sporty looking tandem seat designed not only for business use, but to meet the needs of a wide range of people.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price for the Biz 110i is 7,636 Real (approx. 224,000 yen / US$1,980), and 9,446 Real (277,000 yen / US$2,450) for the Biz 125 (Prices and exchange rates as of mid-July, 2018).
Biz 125
■Engine: Air-cooled 4-stroke OHC single-cylinder
■Displacement: 124.9cc
■Fuel Induction System: PGM-FI electronic fuel injection
■Max. Power Output: 9.2PS/7,500rpm
■Transmission: 4-speed w/ automatic centrifugal clutch
■Dimensions (L x W x H): 1,894 x 714 x 1,085mm
■Vehicle Weight: 100kg
“The Biz is so bonito (cool-looking), I can’t imagine life without it!”
“Santos is a big port city. I work as a secretary for one of the port-related unions. I bought a new Biz 125 a month ago. I’d never before seen a motorcycle so practical and handy for going to work or shopping, and it was so bonito (cool-looking) as well. We have a car at home, and my husband rides a motorcycle, but the Biz is just for me. I really like the fantastic look of its white body and brown seat. I just love the feeling I get riding around on the Biz, so I even ride it to work on rainy days.“
“Having the Biz really speeds up how I get around in daily life. Now that I've gotten to know how speedy the Biz is, I can’t imagine life without it.”
