The latest data release by JAMA, the automotive trade association that includes representation of Japanese motorcycle manufacturers among its membership, shows exports of Japanese made motorcycles of 250cc+ to Europe in December at +31.17 percent (22,397 units) but at -3.65 percent (151,715 units) for the whole of 2015.
Although down on 2014 (157,462 units), it remains an improvement on 2012 (147,377) and 2013 (130,455), but comparison with 2007 (420,601 units) and 2008 (326,176) shows just how badly the recession hit and changed the Japanese motorcycle manufacturer dynamic in Europe.
The increasing number of units being made by the Japanese brands elsewhere in Asia, the US and South/Central America goes some way to explaining the data, though the majority of higher value larger displacement machines are still made in Japan with their overseas factories primarily engaged in making and selling scooters and smaller capacity units in 'emerging' markets (where import tariffs are high) and in making ATV/UTV units - especially in the United States, where demand for such machines is strongest.
In total PTW export terms (all capacities of powered two wheelers), Europe received 23,981 units in December, up by +28.85 percent over December 2014 and 170,746 units for the whole of 2015, which is down by -2.16 percent over 2014.
The US market continues to be even more problematic for the Japanese manufacturers than Europe has been, with 250cc+ exports of Japanese made units -38.23 percent in December (7.740 units) and -33.77 percent for 2015 (79.942 units). That represents a dramatic decline in the past 10 years; in 2006 America received 436,874 250cc+ units from the Japanese factories, 331,978 in 2007 and 265,198 in 2008 - with a massive drop to 126,602 in 2009.
Total PTW exports worldwide were 417,709 units in 2015, which is down by -10.28 percent compared to 2014.
Total worldwide Japanese manufacturer motorcycle production (domestic Japanese and 'international' production combined) is on the increase though, with this year's annual total expected to be higher than the 597,058 units produced by them in 2014 (563,309 units in 2013). However, in 2007 for example, prior to the global economic downturn, the Japanese manufacturers were producing more than double that figure at 1,676,097 units worldwide.
