According to the latest data released by the motorcycle industry trade association in Italy (ANCMA), the total PTW market in Italy finished 2014 at + 1.4 percent (156,046 units) after monthly fluctuations that made it uncertain right up to December as to whether or not the Italian market would emerge with growth after seeing registrations collapse dramatically since the start of the global economic downturn.
Having shown -16.1 percent (5,723 units) in November 2014, the Italian market trend recovered to be up 8.8 percent in December (4,294 units). As reported by Ducati, 2014 was a disappointing year for the Italian brand in its home market, despite posting record sales worldwide - not a single Ducati model made it into the Top 20 sellers in Italy last year.
Indeed, 16 of the top 20 sellers were scooter models, with Honda's SH 150, 300 and 125 in first, second and third place respectively (with 8,457, 6,498 and 5,632 units).
BMW's R 1200 GS was the seventh best selling model in Italy last year (3,521 units) with the Honda NC 700/750 X tenth (2,590 units); BMW's R 1200 GS Adventure 19th (1,852 units): Yamaha's MT-07 20th (1,776 units).
Motorcycles did better than small cc machines in Italy in 2014, +3.3 at 54,532 units compared to 52,795 in 2013. The 1000cc sector was +15.1 percent at 18,509 units compared to 16,083 in 2013.
The largest PTW sector in Italy was the 251-500cc market, which was +3.7 percent at 38,510 units; the sub-125cc market was second largest at 37,388 units (+1.3 percent).
In terms of motorcycle styles, the biggest winner was the naked bike sector at +16.6 percent (18,008 units) and the Enduro bike market at +7.3 percent (18,786 units). The Custom market was level at 5,868 units for the year, but the big losers were the Sportbike sector at -24 percent (3,388 units) and the Supermotard market at -22 percent (2,591 units).
