Europe: ACEM stats for the 'Big Five' European national markets (Italy, France, Spain, Germany and the UK) show motorcycle registrations for the first nine months of 2021 rising by +10.6% compared to the same period of 2020, totalling 792,819 units. Almost all the main national markets registered volume gains in 2021 compared to the same period in 2020, with Italy showing the biggest increase (+27.9%). UK, Spain and France also performed well (+13.5%, +8.7% and +8.5% increases respectively) with only Germany declining, by -4.9% YTD. Compared to the first nine months of 2019, the 'Big Five' were +8.2% compared to the 732,594 new units registered for the January to September period in 2019.
Italy: New motorcycle registrations for September were +2.31% at 8,911 units, +4.02% for October (6,758 units) and -2.21% for November at 4,901 units. For the YTD (Jan - Nov 2021), Italian registrations are heavily up on the year-ago period at +28.14% (115,442 units), and compared to 96,158 units in 2019. This compares to 98,917 units for the first 11 months of 2019 and 94,108 for the 2020 period. In total PYW terms, the Italian market was +24.43% YTD at 262,572 units. The top-selling motorcycle is the Benelli TRK 502/X (6,455 units YTD), with the R 1250 GS next with 3,894 units sold, Honda's Africa Twin third on 2,877 units, with Yamaha's Tracer 9 fourth (2,873 units). Total scooter sales for the period were +21.67% (147,131 units).
UK: New motorcycle registrations in the UK for the YTD period to November 2021 were +12.76% at 100,919 units, having actually been down for seven of the 11 months of 2021 so far. In monthly terms, the UK had a spectacular November, with registrations +24.30% at 6,690 units. The UK market is now ahead of the sales levels seen in 2019 and 2020. In fact, this has already been the best year in the UK since 2016. In total PTW terms, the UK was +12.11% at 107,470 new model registrations in total. 'Nakeds' remain the largest motorcycle segment, accounting for 23,281 units YTD. The UK scooter market accounted for 24,869 units. The best-selling model in November was the Royal Enfield Meteor 350 and Honda was overall market share leader.
Germany: New motorcycle registrations in Germany in September, October and November were all down, with seven of the 11 months YTD being down on 2020. For the first 11 months registrations have been -7.33% at 109,329 units compared to 117,329 for the year-ago period, but they remain modestly up over 2019 (108,404 units). In total PTW terms, the German market is -5.80% YTD at 183,652 units. The best-selling models are the R 1250 GS (9,045 units sold YTD), the Kawasaki Z 900 (3,929 units) and Z 650 (2,701), Yamaha MT-07 and Honda Africa Twin. No surprise that BMW remains share leader in its home market (23.35% share, 25,525 units sold YTD) with five models in the top 20 sellers.
Spain: New motorcycle registrations in Spain for the first 11 months of the year were +7.16% at 152,893 units, having been up by +21.21% in November. While the YTD in Spain is up compared to 2020, it remains behind the same period of 2019 by around 12,000 units. In total PTW terms, the Spanish market was +4.31% YTD, with 168,967 new units registered. Some 1,247 electric units were sold in Spain in November, which was 116.9% up on November 2020. Scooters were up +40.1% (7,027 units) in November.
Japanese Exports: Exports of Japanese made motorcycles to Europe (250 cc and larger) have been continuing to be up on 2020 (and 2019). They were 48.75% up on the first ten months of 2020 at 150,619 units. In total PTW terms, Japanese factory exports were +47.56% YTD at 166,411 units. Japanese brand PTW exports to USA were +70.96% for the first ten months at 104,353 units. In total PTW terms, Japanese factory exports worldwide were +49.64% for the first ten months at 363,883 units - which is up on 2019 and 2020.
USA: The MIC (Irvine, California) is reporting new retail motorcycle and scooter sales for the first nine months of 2021 in USA as up by +9.5%. The data is gathered by the MIC from 14 leading manufacturers and distributors in the U.S. (MIC Retail Sales Reporting System).
