The latest data released by the MCIA (Motorcycle Industry Association) in the UK still makes for disappointing reading, even allowing for the Euro 3 inventory pre-registration cross-over.
Motorcycle registrations in June were down by -13.19 percent (at 11,450 units) and were -9.64 percent in May (10,264 units). On a year to date basis, the UK market is -13.41 percent (53,137 units YTD compared to 61,363 for the first six months of 2016).
Moped sales were -28.01 percent in June and are running at -24.86 percent year-to-date (3,113 units).
In total PTW terms the UK was down -14.09 percent in June (12,059 units in total; -10.48 percent/10,792 units in May) and the UK market is running at -14.13 percent year-to-date (56,250 units YTD compared to 65,506 for the first six months of 2016).
‘Naked’ style bikes remain the most popular in the UK (16,843 units YTD, which is relative growth compared to other styles of bike at -6.5 percent in a market that is down -13.41 percent overall), followed by Adventure Sport models (10,267 units YTD, down by only -3.6 percent); the UK scooter market has seen sales drop by -25.8 percent YTD (9,483 units) and the historically dominant Supersport market is down -22.9 percent (5,668 units YTD), with custom style bikes down -18.7 percent YTD (4,477 units) and Trail/Enduro now the sixth largest sector in the UK and only down by -4.7 percent (3,106 units YTD). Touring and Sport Touring models are down by -5.5 and -16.9 percent respectively.
In power band terms, the loss is below 650cc with 651-1000cc and 1000cc+ registrations modestly up at +1.4 and +1.8 percent respectively.
The best-selling bike in June was the Triumph Bobber (272 units), followed by the BMW R 1200 GS (258 units); Honda was overall market share leader in June (motorcycles and scooters), having sold 2,309 units, followed by Yamaha (1,550), Triumph (1,325), BMW (1,297), with Suzuki (829 units) moving ahead of Kawasaki (702).
The MCIA reports that the total number of road registered motorcycles in use has continued to grow with 1.27 million registered in total in 2017 and 37,900 motorcycle tests passed in the UK last year (24,500 in 2016).
UK motorcycle registrations were +13.52 percent in 2016 (118,990 units), a fifth straight year of growth for the UK market and the best annual market performance since before 2008; in total PTW terms the UK market was +11.86 percent for 2016 at 127,702 units – a third straight year of growth and also the highest annual market performance since before 2008.
