May motorcycle sales take a nosedive

Motorcycle sales took a nosedive in May compared to this time last year with only large capacity bikes between 751 and 1000cc seeing a greater number of registrations over May 2022.

The statistics, released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) make grim reading as cost of living and high inflation take their toll.

Moped sales for May were 29% less than last year with year-to-date (YTD) sales down 34.6%. Honda’s PCX 125 was by far the best selling scooter with 405 sold in May.

Motorcycles fared better with sales down by 7.8% and 3.4% YTD. Of categorised motorcycle sales road sport bikes (super sports and sports tourers) saw a May increase of 4.8% although YTD sales lagged by 1.7%. Of those the Kawasaki Ninja 1000 SX was the most popular bike selling 146 units in the month.

The largest increase in sales came in the competition sector with an increase of 8.9% which equates to a YTD increase of 4.2%. The Sur-ron Ultra Bee was the best seller in this category with 40 machines finding new owners.

Tony Campbell, CEO of MCIA said, “It is disappointing to see a slow-up in demand for the lower powered segments given how well these markets performed over the last three years. It is encouraging to see strong demand and volumes for larger capacity products which is so critical to the sector currently.

“We continue to work hard with Government to ensure full recognition of the key role this sector will play in the future of mobility and decarbonisation.”

Despite the push towards net-zero, electric sales also felt the cost-of-living pinch with sales down 30.2% in May with YTD sales floundering at minus 51.8%. The Lvneng LX01 less than 4kW model and the BMW CE 04 15kW model were the two-road going best sellers shifting just 15 and ten units respectively.

Manufacturer wise Honda outdid all competition by some way selling 2083 models. Yamaha came in a distant second with 1128 sales and Triumph third with 1001.

---

New bike sales suffer a dip in February but the figures are expected to bounce back

First published 20 January 2023, updated 21 March by Stuart Prestidge

Motorcycle registrations fell during February when compared to last year, Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) figures show. Small capacity bikes saw the biggest drop off but industry bosses are confident that things will bounce back as spring kicks in.

Overall registrations over all capacities dropped by 7.6% during February compared to the same month last year and year-to-date sales saw an overall decline of 7.2%.

The 50cc capacity suffered the largest drop in registrations with just 440 last month compared to 681 in 2022, a fall of 35.4% while the 51cc – 125cc category dropping a 13.1%.

Tony Campbell, CEO of the MCIA, said: “A reduction in registrations for the first part of Q1, whilst disappointing is not what we expect to continue as a trend as we move into the spring and the main selling season for the sector.

“Interest in Powered Two Wheelers remains strong whether it be for commuting, last-mile delivery or leisure and we are confident of a good year in 2023.”

---

Bumper sales for biking bigwigs BMW and Ducati

First published 20 January 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

Big bike manufacturers are celebrating bumper 2022 sales across both Europe and the rest of the world.

BMW has announced its best ever motorcycle sales in its history with a total of 202,895 bikes and scooters finding new homes – an increase of 4.4% over the previous year.

Germany remains its biggest European market with a record number of 21,223 vehicles handed over to customers, an increase of 6.7% over 2021.

Growth was also to be found in China, India, Brazil and the USA. Indian sales are the standout statistic with a 40.3% sales increase (7282 units) while North America saw an increase of 11% (20,295 units). Latin American markets also grew by 17.2% with Brazil driving that increase with a 17% rise in sales.

Motorrad’s adventure models, the R1250GS and R1250GS Adventure, lead the way selling an almost combined 60,000 units.

Four-cylinder models also sold well, with the S1000RR superbike underpinning its top position in the sports segment with over 10,000 customers opting for this racetrack rocket.

Together with the S1000R naked and the S1000XR as well as the exclusive M1000RR, almost 23,500 units equipped with the same powerhouse engine were delivered to customers worldwide.

Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad: “The record result in 2022 clearly proves that our attractive product range and our brand are very popular with customers. I look forward to our centenary year in 2023 with great joy and confidence.”

Ducati too are reflecting on record sales numbers with 61,562 units bought across the globe, representing a 3.6% growth over 2021.

The Multistrada V4 was their best-selling model range, with 10,716 units sold. This was followed by the Monster family, with 7971 units and the Scrambler 800 family with 6880 bikes delivered.

Ducati CEO Claudio Domenicali said: “The Ducati brand has never been more loved and desirable, thanks to our extraordinary sporting achievements.

“Ducati today is in my opinion the best ever and reflects the work done in recent years on the growth and enhancement of talents.”

---

Good news! New motorcycle sales surge in 2022

First published on 11 January 2023 by Stuart Prestidge

December registrations of motorcycles are up 1.9% over last year with scooters and large capacity bikes seeing the biggest upswing.

Statistics released by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) show an increase of 1.9% over December 2021 and an impressive 8% increase over statistics from 2019, which MCIA describe as the last ‘normal year’.

Scooter registrations increased from 1298 in December ’21 to 1466 last year, finishing the year with 26,895 twist-and-go registrations overall. Touring motorcycle registrations saw a slight increase from 116 to 130 while ‘modern classics’ saw a big increase from 464 to 662, ending 2022 with 12,115 in total.

Looking at the capacity categorisation, the larger cc machines saw the biggest jump in registrations with the 651cc-1000cc bikes enjoying a 12.1% increase and the over 1000cc machine’s seeing an 11.3% increase over December ’21.

The number of motorcycles in use on UK roads also increased from 1.29 million in 2021 to 1.34 million last year. Riders passing their tests also saw an impressive rise from 16k in 2021 to 48.6k last year, although Covid restrictions for some of ’21 may have an impact.

Tony Campbell, CEO of MCIA said: “2022 has proven to be another great year for the industry, MCIA will continue to work closely with the UK Government on delivering the action plan launched early in 2022, which includes the licence review that is one of the ten key actions agreed with Government in the action plan.”

---

New bike sales are still on the up

First published on 18 July 2022 by Phil West

Bike sales continue to boom post-pandemic, with adventure bikes, 125 scooters and new 2022 models such as Triumph’s Tiger Sport 660 and Royal Enfield’s 350 Meteor leading the way…

According to the latest monthly sales figures released this week by motorcycle industry body the MCIA (MotorCycle Industry Association), a total of 11,801 motorcycles were sold in June, slightly down on June 2021’s total of 13,981, a record figure caused by the releasing of pent up demand built up during lockdown.

This is borne out by the overall year-to-date sales figures, which are 10% up on last year at 59,864 compared to 54,405 to July in 2021.

The biggest contributor to this boom continues to be scooters, which account for about a quarter of the overall market with sales – up 6.7% in June. Honda’s PCX125 and Yamaha’s NMAX 125 are also the best-selling two-wheelers overall.

Adventure bikes also continue to sell strongly with a 20% market share, 15.2% up in June. This is largely thanks to the still best-selling BMW R1250GS and GS Adventure.

Behind those, other stand-out best-sellers include Honda’s CBF125, Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350, Triumph’s new Tiger Sport 660 and Yamaha’s MT-07.

---

Bike sales are booming

First published on 19 May 2022 by Dan Sutherland

Bike sales are remaining strong with the latest official figures for April 4.2% up on the same month last year and total year-to-date sales showing a 32.4% increase.

Smaller, sub-125cc commuters are still the most popular sector with over 16,000 sold so far this year as people turn away from cars and public transport, with Honda’s ever-popular PCX125 by far and away the biggest seller.

But sales of mid-range 126-650cc machines are up 39% year-on-year, led by the best-selling Royal Enfield Meteor 350, and up-to-1000cc bikes increasing by 37%, with Suzuki’s new GSX-S1000GT leading the way. Electric bike sales are also booming with sales up by 68% over 2021 with sub-11kW commuters such as NIU’s NQI GTS proving to be the most popular.

Electric bike sales now represent around 6% of the total powered two-wheeler market. Tony Campbell, CEO of the Motorcycle Industry Association said: “It is a real delight to see such a buoyant market for the sector overall. We are experiencing excellent growth across the board which includes larger capacity motorcycles predominantly used for leisure and sport.”

---

New motorbike sales looking sharp

First published 12 April 2022 by Dan Sutherland

The latest new motorcycle registration figures from the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) paint a promising picture for bike sales in 2022.

More than 16,700 machines went on the road in March compared to 12,260 last year, which is an increase of over 4500. In the first three months of the year, there were 28,183 new registrations – a 48.6% increase on last year (when we were in lockdown).

“It is positive to see that the latest press statistics for March revealed a 36.8% increase in new registrations, an expected and welcomed rise due to the ‘22’ plate-change,” says Stephen Latham, Interim Head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association, commenting on the latest MCIA new registration figures.

Interestingly it’s some of the smallest machines that have seen the biggest growth with a 70.9% increase in the 0-50cc segment while the 651-1000cc segment saw a 45.5% increase, however with nearly three times as many sales in the segment.

It’s also worth noting that due to supply shortages, many of these bikes will have been ordered some time ago. Electric bikes too have done well, with doubling of new registrations, with the lower powered machines again remaining the most popular.

---

Bumper year for biking: How motorcycling is on the up despite repeated Covid lockdowns

First published 20 January 2022 by Jordan Gibbons

Amidst the doom and gloom of both winter weather and the lingering effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, it might be hard to fathom but 2021 was one of the strongest years for biking in well over a decade, with new bike sales on the increase and more people joining the two-wheeled fold.

Anecdotal evidence from training schools up and down the country was of a huge surge of people wanting to get into motorcycling and now the latest stats confirm it.

June to September of 2021 were standout months for bike tests, with nearly 28,000 examinations taken during the summer alone. The last time the numbers of bike tests even came close was in November and December 2012, with a huge rush of young riders getting tests completed ahead of the January 2013 adoption of the 3rd European Licence Directive and the changes to A2 licensing.

Unlike 2013 though, these stats don’t look like a blip, with consistently high numbers throughout the year with 7034, 7116, 6641 and 6897 tests taken during each month from June.

It can’t all be put down to be pent-up demand from lockdown either, as car tests have settled back to pre-pandemic levels.

Bike sales on the rise

It looks like new riders are helping drive the boom in new and used bike sales, too. The 2021 new registration stats released by the Motorcycle Industry Association show an impressive 9.3% increase over 2020, compared to just 1% in the four-wheeled sector. In fact more than 114,000 new bikes and scooters were registered last year, the highest number since 2016.

Used bike sales stats are harder to pin down but many dealers report little to no stock of pre-loved machines sticking around on showroom floors, prices on the rise and some even offering huge trade-in incentives to get hold of stock.

Ducati say that 2021 was their best sales year on record with 59,447 motorcycles sold worldwide. The figure is an impressive 24% up on 2020, which was heavily impacted by Coronavirus but also a massive 12% up on 2019.

And it’s not just Ducati celebrating success either, with BMW announcing 2021 was their best-ever year of global sales – jumping 14.8% to 194,261 bikes. Up from 169,272 in 2020, over 60,000 of these new machines were either an R1250GS, or GS Adventure.

Despite concerns an exit from the European Union might hinder growth in the UK, sales increased by 26.6% – jumping from 7315 bikes, to 9263.

More people choose bikes

With the growth of Clean Air Zones in many cities, as well as changes to the congestion charge and increased size of the ULEZ in London, two-wheelers (and electric ones in particular) suddenly present a much more financially attractive proposition for commuters.

Of all the machines registered last year more than 28% were scooters, while electric bike sales were up 146% – although they still account for just 5% of the total bike market. Interestingly it’s the lower-powered bikes, in the 1-4kW power segment that have done the best with more than 4700 new registrations. That’s more than double the amount of tourers registered last year and is closing in on many popular segments.

Away from commuting machines there has all been considerable growth with adventure, custom and modern classics all seeing double-digit rises.

“A 9.3% rise in registrations further underlines the dedication and passion of our industry to cumulatively promote the many benefits of PTWs [powered two wheelers] as a commuting, business tool and leisure activity,” says Tony Campbell, CEO of the MCIA.

“We will continue to work with, and challenge Government to enable our members and their customers to maintain this upward trajectory in motorcycling as we head into 2022 and beyond.”

---

New bikes sales up on pre-Covid figures

First published on 13 October 2021 by Jordan Gibbons

New bike sales have bounced back brilliantly so far in 2021 – although September did see a slight slowdown compared to the same month in 2020.

Sales to date have stormed to an impressive 86,431 – that is 13.4% up on the first nine months of 2020 and a healthy 3% up on a (pre-Covid) 2019.

September 2020 saw bumper sales as pent-up demand and new bike arrivals resulted in a sales boom. Even though this September saw new bike sales drop by 6% on 2020, it was still up slightly on 2019 figures, which is a more accurate comparison.

Adventure bikes, customs and scooters have seen the biggest growth with the BMW R1250GS still Britain’s best-selling big bike.

Honda’s PCX125 fought back against Yamaha’s NMax 125 in September to claim top spot in the 125cc scooter class while Triumph’s Speed Twin soared to the top of the Modern Classic category.

Sales of electric bikes continue to soar with a 97% uplift this year compared to 2020 in September.

And for the year so far, there’s been a massive 170% hike with over 4000 electric machines snapped up in 2021. By far the biggest area of growth is in 1-4Kw machines (50cc petrol equivalent) used by commuters to avoid public transport.

Watch MCN’s expert Honda PCX125 video review here:

---

New motorbike sales bounce back

First published 15 September 2021 by Jordan Gibbons

New bike sales are booming in Britain with the first eight months of 2021 showing a 17% increase over the same period in 2020.

And while 2020 sales were undoubtedly hit by the Covid situation, this August showed a 24% increase over the same month in 2019, before Covid had even been thought about.

The electric market is up nearly 200% on 2020. This growth is coming from the 4Kw-11Kw sector (roughly 125cc equivalent).

This small-capacity electric bike surge has benefitted Super Soco who are celebrating becoming the first plug-in powered two-wheeler brand to surpass 1000 sales in a single year.

The company have sold 1028 machines across 2021 so far which follows 18 months of strong sales – partly driven by Covid-19. With five 50cc-125cc equivalents in the range, the firm’s top-value offerings have lured commuters off the bus.

Small petrol bikes have been selling well too with Yamaha’s NMax topping the UK charts with 271 sold in August. Lexmoto’s small bike offerings including the LXR 125 are also shifting in big numbers and are fourth on the list.

---

Retro models lead motorbike sales surge

First published on 17 June 2021 by Jordan Gibbons

New bike sales are continuing to surge with commuters (including electrics) and retros particularly popular – however dealers are still urging caution. The latest figures are for May 2021 compared to the same time last year, when the economy had almost stopped completely, which is partly why the year-on-year growth is so high.

Total year-to-date sales still lag 10% behind those of 2019. May itself, however, is showing an encouraging, post-lockdown upsurge with the 10,871 bikes sold also 123% up on May 2019.

Standout sellers were 51-125cc scoots, where Yamaha’s new NMAX 125 was not only the best seller, usurping Honda’s PCX125, but also the overall best selling powered two-wheeler; and, among full-sized bikes, Royal Enfield’s Interceptor 650 and Triumph’s new Trident 660.

---

2020 new bike sales figures drop just 2.6 percent despite pandemic

First published on 20 January 2021 by Jordan Gibbons

Despite a topsy-turvy 2020, new bike sales in the UK ended the year just 2.6% down on the previous 12 months.

As the Coronavirus pandemic caused havoc in dealers, biking bucked the automotive trend by offering viable and safe transport solutions for much of the year. A total of 104,612 machines were sold, just 2,796 less than in 2019.  Even with the additional restrictions and changes in regulations, motorcycle sales saw a staggering 58.1% growth in December.

As consumers continued to choose two wheels to stay Covid-safe when commuting, many delivery businesses also required additional scooters and mopeds to meet the rising demand. All of this led to a 10.5% rise in scooter registrations for the year and only a 6.7% drop for motorcycles.

Continually strong performance through the year for adventure sport (-9.9%), sport/tour (-9.5%) and naked bike (-7.9%) segments, indicated that both new and old riders alike were still engaged and wanting to get onto new bikes. BMW once again showed great traction with the R1250GS Adventure and the touring R1250RT.

With no travel, less opportunity to eat/drink out, hardly any live sports or music to watch, one of the biggest winners were the Trail/Enduro bikes (-0.6%). With the KTM 300 EXC selling very strongly in December.

Total registrations for electric motorcycles increased by a whopping 51.2% compared to 2019. A final surge in December (+111.9%) showed that consumers are starting to adopt the technology as more models become available.

Strong global result for BMW

BMW Motorrad have announced that 2020 was their second best sales year on record, having sold 169,272 motorbikes and scooters worldwide. The figure was bolstered by a massive 33.7% growth in China and a slightly more modest growth of 6.4% in Brazil.

“Following difficult months from March to June, the entire BMW Motorrad team was able to turn the tide by applying a high degree of pragmatic flexibility and great personal commitment,” said Dr. Markus Schramm, Head of BMW Motorrad.

“In addition to arguably the best BMW Motorrad product offering ever, it was this team effort, of which I am very proud, that made the second best sales result ever possible in 2020.”

---

Motorbike sales stay strong through pandemic as more people turn to two wheels

First published on 14 December, 2020 by Jordan Gibbons

Despite the second lockdown in England sales figures of motorcycles and scooters have remained strong, with just a 0.4% drop in November compared to last year – that’s a difference of just 22 bikes.

There had been hope that after the huge increase in both interest in, and sales of, commuter machines that the Government might include motorcycle dealerships in the ‘essential retailer’ category for lockdown two, but that was not the case. Despite this setback, many dealers opted to offer click-and-collect services, helping to keep sales buoyant for the month.

Figures from the Motorcycle Industry Association show virtually no drop on sales from this time last year, with year-to-date stats just 5.6% down. More incredible still is that sales of scooters have increased by over 6% as people realise what an effective transport tool they are. Sales growth of electric bikes and scoots is even more impressive, up 15.3% for the month and an incredible 45.7% for the year.

---

There’s never been a better time to buy a new bike

First published on 25 September, 2020 by Ben Purvis

Buying a bike is a big financial decision, so it’s easy to understand why many people might be tempted to put it off. But if you’re lucky enough to be able to buy a new machine there may be no better time to do it. A host of external influences have come together to create a market that puts buyers in an unusually strong position, but it’s not going to last forever.

What’s created this situation? There are several separate elements that have come together but the most obvious is the Covid-19 pandemic and economic disruption it caused. The initial ‘three-week’ lockdown that came into force on March 23, forcing non-essential retail outlets such as bike dealers to shut their doors, eventually dragged on for more than two months, ending on June 1.

The timing meant that dealers missed out on the peak sales period for new bikes, just as the latest 2020 models were coming into stock and as the weather improved.

Since lockdown ended motorcycle sales have been booming – they were up 42% year-on-year in July – so don’t expect big outright discounts, but even so there are several factors that make it cost-effective to buy a new machine right now.

Factor 1: There’s a serious used bike shortage

With dealers closed during spring there were no trade-ins to supply the machines that make up the backbone of the used bike market. The result? Secondhand motorcycles are unusually expensive at the moment.

Those high used prices mean the best deals are for riders with an existing bike to trade-in or sell. Whether you’re chopping it in at a dealer or putting it on the market yourself, you’re likely to get more money for the old model than you might have expected.

‘Cost to change’ – the difference in price between the bike you’re selling and the one you’re buying – is much more important than the outright price of a new bike. Many dealers are offering cash incentives of hundreds of pounds to trade in.

Factor 2: Interest rates are remaining low

In the weeks before the lockdown the Bank of England slashed interest rates from 0.75% to a record low of just 0.1%. Even after the financial crisis of 2008-9 it only dropped to 0.5% – so it’s at a just a fifth of that at the moment.

That means if, like most people, you’re buying a new bike through finance, either HP or PCP, you’re in for a good deal. Some manufacturers are offering zero percent on selected models.

Factor 3: High GFVs

The high demand and prices for used bikes give you a double-whammy if you’re buying via a PCP deal, as it means GFVs (guaranteed future values) are on the rise. The GFV defines the size of the optional final balloon payment at the end of a PCP deal.

If it’s bigger, the monthly payments are smaller, and if – like most PCP customers – you trade in instead of making that final payment, the overall cost of ownership during the PCP deal is lower and more attractive.

Factor 4: Euro5 rules are coming in very soon

The new Euro5 emissions limits are due in force from January 1, 2021 for all new machines, and that means a fair number of existing Euro4 models are expected to get tweaked, updated or replaced for the 2021 model year.

As long as you’re not desperate for the latest, 2021-spec bike, that could be a bargaining lever on the old, Euro4 machines. However, be aware that stock levels for many bikes aren’t high because factories closed during the lockdown, so don’t expect big discounts on the most popular models.

In the market for a new bike? Visit www.mcnbikesforsale.com

---

‘The motorcycle market is up by 42% right now’

Stephen Latham, head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association, said: “Your assessment is correct – now is a great time to buy a bike and that’s reflected in a market that was up 42% in July. We’re also seeing a big growth in commuter bike sales as people look for alternatives to public transport.”

On Brexit, he warned that even machines ordered in 2020 could fall foul of tariffs in the event of a no-deal scenario if they can’t be delivered before the end of the year, saying: “The lead time on ordering bikes tends to be around three months, so it could be a rush to get some models in time.” The message? Don’t hang around.

While negotiations are still underway with the EU, the chances of a ‘no-deal’ Brexit are growing as we get closer to the end of the year when the transition period expires. Under current plans the UK will impose tariffs on imports of 8% on bikes below 250cc and 6% on bikes over 250cc coming from any country that doesn’t have a trade agreement with the UK to prevent those tariffs.

Unless new deals are struck, those tariffs will be applied, not only to bikes coming from EU countries but also from those nations we have trade deals with as a member of the EU. Tariffs on bikes coming into the EU from Japan are currently at 3%, having come down from 6%. The UK signed a trade agreement with Japan earlier this month but it is unclear at this stage how that will affect tariffs on motorcycles being sold between the two nations.

---

Rapid motorcycle sales growth sees more than 9000 new bikes sold in August

First published on 16 September, 2020 by Ben Clarke

Motorcycling’s rapid growth after lockdown has continued unabated, with combined new motorcycle and scooter registrations up 31.2% compared to this time last year.

In total over 9000 new bikes left the showrooms last month but the biggest rise was in scooter sales, with 2650 new scooters hitting the road – a whopping 39.5% increase on last year.

The figures have actually been so good, that even taking into account for lost numbers during lockdown, new bikes sales to date are only 11.7% adrift of this time last year.

In fact, the demand for small capacity scooters to use as commuting machines is so strong that scooter sales are 4.3% up on the year to date compared to last year. The big question will be how the trend continues as the weather turns colder and wetter.

---

Covid commuters fuel new motorcycle sales

First published on 20 August, 2020 by Phil West

The surge in bike sales continues to be fuelled by the massive growth in commuters turning to powered two-wheelers due to the coronavirus crisis, according to the bike industry. But dealers also say sales could have been higher still were it not for stock shortages.

Latest new bike sales statistics reveal that in July, combined UK sales of all Powered Two Wheelers (PTWs) were up by an astonishing 41.9% on the same month last year. Within that, scooters were up by gob-smacking 56.6% with motorcycles increasing by 37.5%.

And that comes after already skyrocketing sales in June when the lockdown first began to ease, bikes were allowed out and commuters began to turn to two wheels in preference over public transport. That month saw scooter sales up a huge 43.1% on the same period in 2019 with new motorcycle sales also up, by a healthy 8%.

The new figures come from the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), who told MCN: “It’s not surprising that registrations have exploded as more people realised what our continental cousins have known for years: PTWs are easy to ride and park, convenient, inexpensive and good fun.”

But those sales, particularly of commuters, could have been higher still, MCN has learned – had there been enough bikes in dealers.

“Scooter sales would have been even higher than that 56% had supply been able to meet demand,” said Paul Styles, director of leading commuter belt Honda dealer Doble in Surrey.

“I’m actually only able to do a third, or maybe even less, of what the actual demand is, because of supply. Without doubt coronavirus is exacerbating it. People are coming into a bike shop for the first time saying ‘I need a scooter,’ and you have to say ‘Sorry, you’ll have to wait.’ Frustratingly, that’s how it is. No-one was able to foresee the increase in demand.”

Nor does he see the supply and demand situation altering in the foreseeable future. He continues.

“I don’t see it changing anytime soon, no. We all thought Covid was going to last three weeks but we now know it’s going to be here for a long while, so I think demand will continue to grow as people who haven’t yet thought about a motorbike decide to do so.

“I just hope that the manufacturers are ballsy enough to increase supply and not think the rush was a flash in the pan.

“On the plus side, one thing it’s also done, because demand has gone high, it’s meant that every model in the range, including bikes that might have been in low demand, have benefitted as people buy them because they need something to get around on.”

---

Demand for CBT ‘doubles’

The massively increased demand for bikes and particularly for scooters and 125 commuters has also resulted in a huge spike in demand for Compulsory Basic Training (CBT) courses, which allow new riders to qualify to ride A1 class 125s on the road.

• How to complete a motorcycle CBT

RideTo, one of the UK’s largest motorcycle training bodies is reported as seeing demand for CBT courses increase by 100% or double what it was in the same period last year. While CAM Rider, one of the market leaders with 11 training centres in the midlands, east and south of England are also experiencing unprecedented demand.

A spokeswoman for CAM Rider Peterborough told MCN: “We’re very, very, very busy. We’re fully-booked on everything we can possibly sell at the moment. There’s no tests available and CBTs are fully-booked for a couple of weeks ahead of what they normally are. If you want CBT you’re waiting three or four weeks.”

---

Great deals on wheels: UK motorbike dealers report booming sales as lockdown lifts

First published on 09 July, 2020 by Phil West

A wave of new manufacturer incentives, including up to £2400 off flagship KTMs, is helping fuel a boom in bike sales following the easing of lockdown, say dealers.

At the peak of the Covid-19 crisis, with biking banned and dealers closed, sales plummeted. April saw an 83.5% drop in sales compared to the same month in 2019 and while May bounced back a little, new bike sales were still 50.4% behind the previous year.

But now, with bikes allowed out again in England, dealers back open (albeit with certain restrictions), buyers turning to new two-wheelers either in place of cancelled holidays or for commuting, and a raft of new incentives such as KTM’s new ‘Summer Power Deals’, businesses say sales are bouncing back.

“We’ve been very busy,” James Metcalfe from KTM dealer AMS Motorcycles of Tewkesbury told MCN. “Our sales recently have been as good if not better than we’d expect in the peak of summer.”

The ‘Summer Power Deals’ scheme was introduced in early June and saw £2400 slashed off KTM’s 1290 Adventure S and R along with £1600 off the 790 Adventure R, £1500 off the 790 Duke and 790 Adventure and £500 off the 125 Duke and 390 Duke.

“The reaction has been positive,” added Metcalfe. “We’ve sold singles or multiples on all those models since it’s come out. It’s definitely given us a kick start.”

And KTM aren’t the only ones: Harley-Davidson have announced a £1500 deposit contribution to PCP sales of some of their top-of-the-range bikes while American rivals Indian have 0% on their FTR1200 and £1700 top-up on trade-ins against their big twins.

Elsewhere, Suzuki have just announced a full £1000 off the RM-Z250 and 450 MXers while Honda’s ‘Back to Work’ campaign, as introduced in early May, sees £1000 off the new Africa Twin, £500 off the CB500 family and NC750X and £200 off some 125s.

Yamaha, meanwhile, have extended their low-rate finance scheme and added the Ténéré 700; Kawasaki have a range of offers including 0% finance; Ducati are offering the Scrambler 62 and 800s on 0% and a £1000 accessories voucher with the Multistrada 1260 and Panigale V4, while Triumph also offer accessory vouchers, deposit contributions and cheap finance on some models. Plus, the likes of BMW and Suzuki say more offers are on the horizon.

Surrey Honda dealer Doble told MCN the combination of buyers with spare cash and sunny weather has resulted in better sales figures than last year and that commuters and scooters have done well.

“I think we bucked the trend because we carried on operating on a remote basis scooping up where other dealers weren’t answering their calls,” said director Paul Styles. “The commuter element has been really strong and the Honda campaign helps with that. We’ve seen a huge rise in scooter sales. Having said that, I sold six Gold Wings through lockdown, too.

“I’m really looking forward to the future – as long as there aren’t any stocking problems!”

Used motorbike sales increase

Used motorcycle sales are booming as bikers emerge from the lockdown, eager to make the most of the great weather or simply to get from A to B without using public transport.

Paul Coulter, Marketing Director at SuperBike Factory, the UK’s largest used retailer, said: “Trade has more than bounced back in the last few weeks. We’re doing extremely well, it’s very, very strong.

“Since showrooms have been allowed to open we’ve had a release of pent-up demand coupled with good weather and I also think there’s a demand for bikes which is new this year purely because of the coronavirus – people not wanting to commute on trains or buses or the underground…

“I think the main thing is the good weather, the clear roads and people wanting to enjoy the experience. Motorcycle riding is the perfect social distancing way to experience travel.

“We’re significantly up on last year but we’re also a different animal to last year so it’s very difficult to compare. Our showroom could hold 700 bikes last year, now it’s 1000, so it’s a very, very different environment, plus there’s a different website, there’s a different way of transacting and so on.

“The future’s looking really good. We’re really optimistic. We’re only a couple of weeks in, but the trajectory we’re on is following where we were pre- lockdown.”

MCN has seen a huge rise in traffic to the Bikes For Sale section of motorcyclenews.com, too. Visits were up 44.8% in April, compared to April 2019, 21.3% in May and a healthy 31% up in the first half of June, compared to the same period last year.

---

Good news! New bike registrations grow by 1.5% in 2019

First published on 8 January 2020 by Dan Sutherland

Figures released this morning by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) have shown a 1.5% increase in bike sales across 2019.

A total of 107,408 motorcycles, scooters and Powered Light Vehicles (lightweight scooters, motorcycles, tricycles and quadricycles, usually with zero or low-emission power) were registered in 2019, which is up from 105,816 in the previous year.

Although this overall increase has been a continual trend since the financial crisis, the areas of growth in these latest stats can only be seen amongst low-capacity machines.

In the 0-50cc category, sales increased from 5640 to 6764, representing largest boost at 19.9%. The second biggest change came amongst 126-650cc bikes, which jumped up by 12.2% from 20,016 to 22,451.

The only other category of growth was 51-125cc machines, which are up by 0.2%, going from 33,790 sales to 33,874. Bikes from 651-1000cc are down by 7.9%, with machines over 1000cc also losing 0.3%.

Speaking about the findings, MCIA Communications Manager, Nick Broomhall said: “With many retail markets reporting a downturn for 2019, it’s great to see that the stats for the Powered Two Wheeler world show a growth of 1.5% against 2018, with 107,408 new bikes and scooters registered last year.

“21,068 bikes over 1000cc found new homes with bike fans, while an increase in the number of smaller capacity machines registered, shows that more and more people are getting the message that PTWs are an important solution to traffic congestion and air quality problems.”

Despite registrations being down on larger capacity machines, a number of bigger bikes actually appear as top 10 UK best sellers for last year, with BMW’s R1250GS and R1250GS Adventure taking third and fourth spot respectively with a total sales figure of 3600 units combined.

The overall best-seller was Honda’s PCX125, which amassed 2840 sales. Finishing behind that was the Yamaha NMAX 125, with 1924 bikes leaving showrooms last year. The full list can be found below.

	Model	Registrations	Market share
1	Honda PCX 125	2840	2.6%
2	Yamaha NMAX 125	1924	1.8%
3	BMW R1250GS	1827	1.7%
4	BMW R1250GS Adventure	1773	1.7%
5	Honda CB125F	1572	1.5%
6	Honda Vision 110	1546	1.4%
7	Royal Enfield Interceptor 650	1472	1.4%
8	Honda CRF1000L Africa Twin	1276	1.2%
9	Honda CB125R	1106	1%
10	Yamaha MT-07	1037	1%