The latest data released by the MCIA in the UK (Motorcycle Industry Association) shows new motorcycle registrations in March down by -10.45 percent (8,724 units) despite having been up by +6.67 percent in March at 14,737 units; they are tracking at +2.09 percent for the YTD at 32,079 units.
The UK market was reported at -18.52 percent at 96,943 units for 2017. However, because of the Euro 3/Euro 4 carry-over effects, the UK trade association is on record as thinking that, in reality, the market was essentially flat in 2017 at between -2.5 and + 2.5 percent.
Total PTW registrations were -11.55 percent in April (9,095 units) and are +0.46 percent for the YTD (33,551 units). Moped registrations are -25.5 percent YTD (1,472 units).
‘Naked’ style bikes remain the most popular in the UK at 9,851 units for the year to date; Adventure Sports models are the second most popular with 6,039 units sold YTD; 5,971 Scooters have been sold far in 2018; 2,847 custom style machines and 2,790 Supersports models.
Honda was the top selling brand in the UK in April (1,562 units sold), followed by Yamaha, Triumph, BMW, Kawasaki, KTM, H-D, Suzuki and Ducati.
The top-selling Adventure Sport model in April was the BMW R 1200 GS Adventure; leading Sport/Tourer was the Kawasaki Z1000 SX, and the top selling Tourer was the BMW R 1200 RT.
The MCIA reports that the total number of road registered motorcycles in use has continued to grow, with the latest available figures (2016) putting the market at 1.27m units with 4.6 billion km/2.8 billion miles estimated to have been ridden in the UK in 2016. The number of motorcycle tests being passed has continued to grow with 2016/17 put at 40,600, up from 37,500 in 2014/16, 34,5000 in 2014/15 and just 30,500 in 2013/14.
