The Yamaha Motor Co. intends to lift the annual production capacity at a Brazilian motorcycle plant by more than 50 per cent to 300,000 units by the end of this year.

The company is likely to spend around 1 billion yen (US$8.2 million) to expand buildings and add production lines at its Manaus factory in northern Brazil.

Currently, the plant can churn out 200,000 motorcycles annually, but with sales last

year hitting 180,000 units, the facility's capacity was nearing its limit.