According to the latest data released by the motorcycle industry trade association in Italy (ANCMA), March saw motorcycle registrations grow by +6.5 percent (7,795 units) with year-to-date market performance for the first quarter of 2015 a healthy +7 percent (16,366 units).
Last year the Italian market saw +3.3 percent growth for the full year, at 54,532 units.
In total PTW terms the small cc sectors are responding more slowly than motorcycles, with the Italian market down by -8.49 percent in March (16,508 units in total), but the growth seen in January and February means for the year-to-date the first quarter is down by -2.1 percent (35,638 units).
Over 42 percent of the new PTWs registered in Italy so far this year were of greater than 601 cc; and among motorcycle sales 'Naked' style bikes (5,800 units, 35 percent) and Enduro models (5,545 units, 34 percent) were the strongest sellers.
Honda had the top two best selling Scooters in the first quarter in Italy (SH 150 & 125; the Yamaha TMAX 500 was third); the top selling motorcycle was Yamaha's MT-09 Tracer, followed by BMWs R 1200 GS, who were Italy's fourth and fifth best selling PTWs overall, further pointing to the strength of higher value unit sales being seen there and in most of Europe.
