Yamaha's stocks on the improve

Yamaha Motor Company has released its first quarter business results for 2010, and it's the motorcycle and marine divisions which are doing the heavy lifting to steer the company through difficult times.

Net sales across the whole company increased 16.3 per cent from the corresponding quarter in 2009, with motorcycle rising 16 per cent alone.

The motorcycle increase was attributable to a massive 36.7 per cent rise in ASEAN sales (excluding Japan), coupled with the positive impact of the weaker yen against the currencies in emerging nations.

However, motorcycle sales in North America and Europe have slumped dramatically for Yamaha. But the company is certainly not alone, especially in America, where all the Japanese marques - and even the home town hero Harley-Davidson - continue to find themselves in a deep hole.

All up, operating revenue in the motorcycle division increased from 8.6b yen ($A1.02b) in the previous quarter to 10.4b yen ($A1.24b) this year.

A total of 1,605,000 Yamahas were sold in the first three months of 2010, made up of Japan (24,000), North America (17,000), Asia (1,414,000) and 'other' (96,000).