KATHMANDU: In Nepal, two-wheelers are the main means of personal transport. They make up nearly 80 percent of all registered vehicles in the country.
According to data from the Department of Transport Management, at the end of the last fiscal year, there were a total of 5.8 million registered vehicles across the country, of which 4.7 million were motorcycles and scooters.
Because public transport is often limited and unreliable, most people depend on private vehicles for daily travel. While some can afford cars, the majority ride motorcycles or scooters. Many buyers, however, prefer used vehicles as new ones are too expensive.
Although there are no official records, traders say the number of used motorcycles and scooters sold every year is almost twice that of new ones.
Each year, the buying and selling of used two-wheelers in Nepal is estimated to exceed 250,000 units, while the Customs Department reports that over 100,000 new motorcycles and scooters are imported annually.
Govinda Raj Shivakoti, Information Officer at the Gurjudhara Transport Management Office, said around 500 ownership transfers take place every day, out of which 300 to 350 are used bikes. “Last fiscal year alone, Gurjudhara recorded 176,936 motorcycle and scooter ownership transfers,” he told MeroAuto.
This means Gurjudhara alone handles between 125,000 and 150,000 used motorcycle transfers a year. It is also Nepal’s largest transport office, with about 1.6 million registered vehicles.
Shyam Mani Acharya, President of the Nepal Automobile Recondition Business Association, said more than 250,000 used motorcycles and scooters are traded nationwide each year.
He said there are about 250 recondition houses in Nepal, with over 200 in the Kathmandu Valley. Others are located in cities like Chitwan, Pokhara, Bhairahawa, Biratnagar, Dhangadhi, Janakpur, and Butwal.
“While there are no exact figures, we estimate that over 250,000 used two-wheelers are traded annually,” Acharya told MeroAuto. He added that the total size of Nepal’s used two-wheeler market is estimated at around Rs 15 to 20 billion.
Affordable used two-wheelers priced as low as Rs 30,000
Acharya said prices in the used market start from around Rs 30,000. “The price depends on the condition, age, and mileage of the bike. A good condition motorcycle usually costs between Rs 100,000 and Rs 150,000. Premium brands can go up to Rs 800,000 to Rs 1 million,” he said.
Popular brands in the used market include Bajaj, Yamaha, TVS, Hero, Honda, Royal Enfield, Vespa, and Aprilia.
Financing still out of reach for used bike buyers
New motorcycles and scooters are easily available on hire purchase through banks, co-operatives, and finance companies. But for second-hand bikes, financing options are almost non-existent.
“With the cooperative sector facing problems, getting a loan for a used vehicle has become even more difficult,” Acharya said. “Earlier, some cooperatives provided such loans, but that has now stopped. I’ve heard Hulash Finserve still offers it, but the process is quite complicated.”
He said the government should make financing available for buyers of used vehicles as well.
Acharya added that online buying and selling among individuals has also created challenges for recondition businesses. “The market was showing signs of recovery before the Gen Z movement,” he said. “But since then, business has slowed down again. Even during this festive season, sales have remained weak.”
