The Philippines has become the hottest motorcycle market in Southeast Asia in 2016, with sales reaching and even exceeding one million units to 1.14 million, a 34% growth from the previous year.

The Motorcycle Development Program Participants Association (MDPPA) has forecast Philippine motorcycle sales will surpass Thailand, the second largest market in Southeast Asia, by 2020. The organization of motorcycle manufacturers in the Philippines sees sales expanding to 2.5 million units in the next five years, due to the need for increased mobility and the availability of more affordable financing in the country, as well as the worsening traffic situation in the metro areas.

According to the Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries (FAMI) database, MDPPA reported sales by year-end of 2017 of 1.32 million units, up 16% from the previous year. The ASEAN Automotive Federation, which is the official reporting body for the automotive industry of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), has not yet published their year-end data but has reported a 15% rise for the first 11 months of 2017.

Thus, lubricant manufacturers sense a huge opportunity in upgrading their motorcycle oil offerings in the country to stand out in what has become a very competitive lubricant market. Chevron Philippines recently rolled out its newest range of Havoline synthetic and mineral motorcycle engine oils.

“This is an exciting time for Havoline and an energizing time in the history of the product.  Havoline continues its commitment to create products that protect vehicles and our clients, ensuring that they continue to perform at an optimum level. With the growth of the motorcycle community in the Philippines, with scooters, big bikes and other recreational bikes, Havoline marks another chapter in its growth,” said Chevron Lubricants Area Business Manager Joseph Bronfman.

“Our new and improved formulation is street proven so that riders in this country will be able to rule their engines and ride strong.  Havoline will be your ally in conquering the roads and the city,” he added.

Introduced along with the latest range of motorcycle lubricants was Caltex’s proprietary CORE Technology. The Havoline Super 4T Semi-Synthetic and Mineral oils are fortified with Zoomtech additive technology, which is said to improve clutch grip by 13% for better power transfer and enhance acceleration at a twist of the throttle. The SuperMatic 4T line for scooters, on the other hand, has been improved to meet API SN specs. Moreover, all products meet the JASO MB standard which is suitable for dry-clutch gearboxes.

“It has always been our pride to provide innovative solutions to our riders not just in enhancing their bike’s engine performance but also in making their experience more exciting and valuable. This is what motivates us to further develop and innovate in our creations for our riding community,” said Chevron Lubricants Asia Pacific Marketing Manager Lennard Kwek.

At the launch, Caltex also introduced its newest brand ambassador actress and TV personality Solenn Heusaff.