The latest data released by the MCIA (Motorcycle Industry Association) in the UK makes for disappointing reading, even allowing for the Euro 3 inventory pre-registration hand-over.
Motorcycle registrations in March were -11.29 percent (13,818 units) and -15.28 percent in April (9,743 units), which is also behind the 2015 market performance. For the year to date the UK market is -14.64 percent at 31,425 units sold.
Moped sales were -25.82 percent in April (-29.27 percent in March) and are running at -24.08 percent year-to-date (1,974 units).
In total PTW terms the UK was down -15.91 percent in April (10,283 units – the market was -12.68 percent in March) and is running at -15.26 percent year-to-date (33,399 units).
‘Naked’ style bikes remain the most popular in the UK (9,693 units), followed by Adventure Sport models (6,091 units YTD); the scooter market has seen sales drop by 28.4 percent YTD (5,617 units), and the historically dominant Supersport market is down -26.0 percent (3,238 units), with Touring and Sport Touring models down by -16.2 percent and -9.5 percent respectively. The only sector to show growth so far this year in the UK is the Trail/Enduro market, which is +4.1 percent.
In power band terms the only growth seen is above 1000cc with sales of the largest machines +1.9 percent YTD (7,377 units); the combined 651+cc market was worth 16,931 percent of total UK motorcycle sales YTD, which is 50 percent of the total.
The best-selling motorcycle model in the UK in April was Kawasaki’s Z1000 SX; Yamaha’s MT-10 was the best-selling middleweight motorcycle (651-1000cc). BMW’s R 1200 GS tops the Adventure Sport market, with the R 1200 RT the best-selling Touring model.
