After modest growth seen in the final quarter of 2018, the latest data released by JAMA (the automotive trade association in Japan, which includes representation of motorcycle manufacturers among its membership) shows exports of Japanese made motorcycles to Europe continuing to decline in 2019, by -20.14% for the year to April at 71,758 units.
Exports of Japanese made motorcycles to USA YTD were -9.47 through April at 23,300 units. Total Japanese factory manufactured motorcycle exports worldwide were -15.58 percent for the YTD at 123,203 units.
Total PTW exports to Europe (motorcycles, scooters and mopeds combined) were -21.64% for the first four months of 2019 (73,5009 units); down -4.86% YTD to the USA and worldwide down -15.60% at 148,120 units.
The increasing number of units being made by Japanese manufacturers elsewhere in Asia, the US and South/Central America goes some way to providing historical context for the data, though the majority of higher value larger displacement Japanese brand machines, especially those being sold in Europe, are still made in Japan.
Their overseas factories are 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.
Japanese made motorcycle and moped (all PTW) exports fell off a cliff in 2009 to 583,879 from over 1m in 2008 and have continued to decline most years since then (463,123 units in 2017, 456,758 units in 2018); they peaked at 1,641m units in 2000.
