UK - motorcycles -0.88% to June
The latest available data from the MCIA (the motorcycle industry trade association in the UK) show the poor start to the motorcycle market in the UK in 2023 having recovered somewhat to be essentially flat for the YTD at -0.88% (59,339 units).
January had been reported at -7.07% (5,380 units) and February at -4.31% (4,503), with March at +6.99% (16,804 units - due to a lower-than-expected spike in new registrations due to the plate code change in the UK - the first of two such idiosyncrasies in the UK each year) and -11.96% for April.
Given the economic circumstances in the UK, these are probably as good a set of results as could be expected - even so it was still the fourth best first half market performance in the UK since before 2009.
The small (and rapidly shrinking) UK moped market was -32.82% (just 2,475 units YTD). Total new PTW registrations in the UK were -2.73% for the YTD in the UK at 61,814 units so far, but still the third best first half in the UK since before 2009.
Within that number, 1,924 new electric powertrain units were registered in the UK in the first six months of 2023 (-46.4% down from the 3,590 electric units registered in the first six months of 2022). The UK scooter market was -14.6% YTD (2,826 units).
Total scooter sales in UK YTD were 14,319 units
(-17.3% YTD) - the best seller in June 2023 was the Yamaha Tricity 300. 12,078 ADV models were registered YTD (-1.5%), with the BMW R 1250 GS the best seller in June. Naked-style motorcycles are the largest and fastest growing single sector - worth 14,1457 units YTD in the UK and up by +11.2%. Brand share leader in June 2023 in the UK was Honda (2,382 units), followed by Yamaha, Triumph, BMW and Suzuki.
For the record: the UK motorcycle market was +2.01% for the full year 2022 at 108,510 units - the highest since 2016 and second-best since before 2009. However, growth evaporated in the second half of 2022 with five out the six months negative; two of those months were greater than -11% down, and that negative trend has clearly continued into 2023 so far. Total new PTW registrations in the UK in 2022 were +1.95% for the full year at 115,633 units.
