Positive news from Sweden where the market growth seen in 2014 has continued for the fist six months of 2014.
According to the latest data released by the motorcycle industry trade association in Sweden (McRF) motorcycle sales were up by 11.8 percent at 6,174 units, with small cc PTWs (mopeds etc) up by +21.7 percent at 5,442 units.
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| Managing Director of the McRF in Sweden |
For June motorcycle registrations were +13 percent at 1,119 units; with small cc PTWs (mopeds etc) +32.4 percent at 1,393 units.
Per Johansson, the Managing Director of NcRF puts the turnaround in Sweden down to several factors. "Low interest rates, high employment and, not least, pent-up need to trade-up. Many have waited a year to trade-up but now decided to acquire a better and more modern motorcycle".
He especially cites the safety standards of new vehicles as being a big motivator with consumers. "The technological developments in the past five years mean a lot for safety - there have been big advances in brakes and lights for example, to name just two important drivers of improved safety and improved public perception of two-wheel safety".
Motorcycle registrations in Sweden 'bottomed-out' in 2012 at some 7,000 units; they grew in 2013 (approx 7,300 units) and 2014 saw the market recover to around 8,100 new motorcycle registrations.The total number of motorcycles registered in Sweden (the "motorcycle parc") continued to grow throughout the downturn and that maybe the delayed-spend factor that Johansson is referencing - from around 285,000 units in 2007 it had reached over 315,000 by the end of last year.
The top selling models in Sweden last year were the BMW R 1200 GS & R 1200 GS Adventure in top place, the Yamaha MT-09 second, the Kawasaki Z800 & Z800e third, Kawasaki ER6n & ER6F fourth with Yamaha's MT-07 fifth.
Street bikes took 29 percent of the market in Sweden last year; Adventure bikes second at 18 percent (the KTM 1190 Adventure and 1190 Adventure R and 690 SMC and 690 Enduro were the sixth and seventh best sellers in Sweden in 2014); custom style motorcycles (principally Harley-Davidsons) took 12 percent of the market, equal with scooters, with off-roaders accounting for 11 percent and tourers 8 percent.
Some 34 percent of the bikes sold in Sweden in 2014 were over 1,000 cc; with 19 percent 751-1,000cc and 15 percent between 601 and 750cc.
Sweden's principal motorcycle expo, MC Massan, will be staged in Gothenburg next year, January 28th-31st (it alternates between there and Stockholm).
