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 -23.35% percent for the first eight months at 102,927 units; European imports have been down each month this year so far. They have been in dramatic decline ever since they peaked at 292,000 for the first eight months in 2007.
Exports of Japanese made motorcycles to USA YTD were -23.79% through August at 37,599 units. Total Japanese factory manufactured motorcycle exports worldwide were -20.11% for the YTD at 189,158 units; they peaked at 518,000 in 2007.
Total PTW exports to Europe (motorcycles, scooters and mopeds combined) were -23.82% for the eight months to August 2019 at 112,469 units; -13.42% to USA (64,796 units) and -17.83% worldwide (250,256 units). The peak was seen at 824,000 units in 2001.
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.
Annual 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.
