The number of motorbikes on Vietnam's roads is forecast to rise to 25 million in 2010, some 31 million in 2015 and 35 million in 2020 from around 20 million in early 2007, according to the country's Industrial Policies and Strategies Institute on Friday.

Demand for luxury motorbikes, mainly domestically assembled and imported scooters, in big cities, and that for low-cost motorbikes in rural areas are predicted to surge in the coming years. Vietnam is estimated to consume 2.5 million motorbikes this year, up from 2.2 million last year.

Motorbike firms in Vietnam, whose population currently stands at some 85 million, turned out 558,200 units in the first quarter of this year, posting a year-on-year rise of 21 percent. Meanwhile, the country spent 164 million U.S. dollars importing motorbike components and spare parts, mostly from China's Taiwan, Japan and South Korea, up 34.8 percent.

Between January and March, Vietnam imported 33,800 motorbikes worth 35.1 million dollars, up 123.5 percent in volume and 94.7 percent in value, according to the country's General Statistics Office.

The local motorbike industry is expected to raise the percentage of locally-made components in motorbikes to more than 90 percent, and that in engines to over 80 percent by 2010, the institute said, adding that it is also striving to export more motorbikes and components, mainly to Asian and African countries.

In recent years, Honda Vietnam has won contracts to export low- cost motorbikes to some Asian countries, mainly Laos and the Philippines.

Source: Xinhua