Germany: motorcycles -7.11% to August
While most of Europe's 'Big Five' major markets (Italy, France, UK and Spain) showed motorcycle and PTW registration growth in 2021, Germany was the primary exception at -11.90% for motorcycles and
-9.71% for total PTWs.
The current year started strongly in Germany, with some good results, but, as predicted by IDN in the last two editions, a downward trend has set in with registrations at -27.39% (11,198 units) in June, -21.95% (10,394 units) in July and, according to the latest data available from the IVM (the motorcycle trade association in Germany) a somewhat less dramatic -7.96% decline (9,817 units) for August.
For the first eight months of 2022 motorcycle registrations were -7.11% at 88,581 units - the worst since 2017.
In total PTW terms the German market is essentially flat with new registrations for the first eight months of 2022 running at -0.03% (159,756 units) - though that is still the second best for the first eight months of the year in Germany since before 2009 and only some 4,250 units lower than the 2020 record.
The top selling motorcycle in Germany YTD was the BMW R 1250 GS with 7,084 units sold for an 8.00% share of the total market - remarkable for a single model - and way ahead of the Kawasaki Z900 in second (3,107 units). Followed by the Yamaha MT-07 and Tenere 700, Honda CRF 100 Africa Twin and CB 650 R Neo Sports Café, Kawasaki Z650, Suzuki SV 650, Honda CMX 500 Rebel and KTM 890 Duke in 10th spot.
With seven models in the top 30 bestsellers, it is no surprise that BMW is (again) the runaway market share leader in its home market with a 21.56% share (19,098 total units sold YTD). Honda is a distant second with a 11.26% share (9,970 units), followed by Kawasaki (11.10%/9,833 units), Yamaha (8.29%/7,347 units) and KTM fifth (8.23%/7,289 units). The top ten sees Harley-Davidson in sixth followed by Ducati, Triumph, Suzuki and Royal Enfield 10th (3.25% share/2,883 units sold YTD).
For the record - motorcycle registrations for the 2021 full year in Germany were -11.90% (116,407 units) with total PTWs at -9.71% (197,540 units) against 218,778 units in 2020 and 165,311 units in 2019. In 2020 the German motorcycle market grew by +16.89% (132,126 compared to a Euro 4/5 transition distorted 113,039 in 2019).
