The latest data released by the British motorcycle industry trade association (the MCIA) shows the UK motorcycle market up by +12.3 percent for December last year (3,984 units) and +11.7 percent for 2014 at 90,6734 units (compared to 81,180 units in 2013).
This was the fifth year that motorcycle sales were up in the UK since the 94,929 units sold in 2009.
In total PTW terms, the UK was +10.2 percent in 2014 at 101,277 units - also its best year since 2009 (111,510 units).
The fastest growing sectors in the UK in 2014 were the 651-1000cc market, at +18.3 percent, and the 1,000cc+ market at +13.7 percent.
Speaking about the year ahead, UK motorcycle industry association Managing Director Steve Kenwood said: “We estimate that around 110,000 units will be sold in the UK during 2015, which is a similar growth rate to the one we enjoyed in 2014, some +10%.
“We see the long-term trend for motorcycle use in the UK rising steadily. The latest update to figures from the Government here in the UK shows that the number of motorcycles, scooters and mopeds on the road [the total 'bike park' in the UK] is at its highest for five years (1.2m PTWs), with twice as many on the road as there were in 1994."
However, not all the trend data for the UK is positive yet. The latest available data for the total distance travelled by motorcycles in the UK (2012) shows it at 4.6 billion km compared to 5.1 billion km in 2009, and the number of motorcycle test passes are put at 45,000 for 2012/13 compared to 70,000 for 2008/09. It is hoped that the 'bike park' and distance ridden figures will start to rise once the increases in new model registrations start to trickle down, but the issue of new rider access is as much of a worry in the UK as it is elsewhere.
In other UK market news, the MCIA's annual "Motorcycle Live" expo at the UK's NEC (National Exhibition Centre) near Birmingham in November saw attendance up by 10 percent compared to 2013.
The MCIA has also announced that the show date for 2015 will be one week later in the calendar than usual, from 28th November to 6th December.
This is due to the one week later date being used for the 'Milan' Show this year (EICMA), which has been delayed because Milan is staging Expo 2015 from May 1st to October 31st - the latest International Exhibitions Bureau (BIE) sanctioned "Universal Exhibition" (aka World Trade Fair).
The last such 'Expo' was held at Shanghai in 2010; after Milan in 2015 the next city to host it will be Dubai in 2020.
Expo 2015 will use the full 200 acre site of the 10 year old award-winning Massimiliano Fuskas designed Fiera Milano Rho exhibition centre, where EICMA is staged. Some 140 plus countries are set to exhibit, and over 20m visitors are expected during the 6 months the event is open to the public.
Rather more visitors than attend either Motorcycle Live or EICMA, but given the macro- economic roller coaster that the motorcycle industry has endured in the past decade, both the MCIA and ANCMA have every reason to be pleased with their most recent show attendances!
www.motorcyclelive.co.uk
