The latest data released by the motorcycle industry trade association in the UK (MCIA) shows new motorcycle registrations there for September at +10.28 percent (12,372 units - the best September figure since 2008) and +15.02 percent for the year-to-date (86,485 - the best first nine months the UK has seen for seven years).
In total PTW terms September was +7.32 percent (13,536 units) and is +12.27 percent for the year-to-date (93,725 units). Moped sales are still down in the UK, as they are in most other main European markets (-12.7 percent/8,289 units YTD).
The 'Naked' style (+28.3 percent/19,733 units YTD) and Adventure Tour sectors (+24.6 percent/11,359 units) are the strongest growth markets in the UK, with Sports/Tour and traditional Touring models the primary sectors that are losing sales so far this year (-7.0 percent and -12.7 percent respectively).
In displacement terms the fastest growing part of the market in the UK is the 'middleweight' 651 - 1000cc market - +26.5 percent YTD. Total scooter sales in the UK (24,723 units YTD) are basically 'flat' at -0.7 percent.
Honda were market share leaders in the UK in September, selling 2,457 units; followed by Yamaha, BMW, Lexmoto, Triumph, Suzuki, Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, Piaggio and Ducati.
The UK 'bike park' is now said to stand at 1.2 million units - a figure that has remained largely static since 2011; 34,600 people passed the motorcycle rider test in the UK in 2014/15 - which is some 4,000 more than in the previous 12 months; the MCIA says that some 4.6 billion km (2.8 billion miles) were ridden on two wheels on the roads of the UK in 2014 - a figure that has remained largely static since 2011.
