Germany 2025 - full year motorcycle sales -36.02%
According to the latest data from the German motorcycle industry association (IVM), motorcycle registrations for the full year 2025 were -36.02% compared to 2024 at 97,699 units. This is the lowest since 2014.
This shocking decline represents the effects that the end-of-year 2024 Euro 5+ pre-registrations had on the statistical market performance in 2025, and it reflects the deeper than widely acknowledged decline in the wider German economy in the past 24-36 months.
Motorcycle registrations in October 2025 were -36.15% (5,431 units), -72.07% in November (3,149 units) and -86.21% in December 2025 as the German market lapped the distorted 2024 Q4 data. Not one single month in 2025 showed growth but the Q4 2025 collapse in sales is unlike anything seen in any market before - not even at the height of the 2007-2009 Global Financial Crises and 'Great Recession' that it triggered.
In total PTW terms the German market was -35.50% with a total of 161,744 units registered.
As expected, the BMW R 1300 GS closed out the year as the top-selling motorcycle in Germany with 8,097 units sold for an 8.29% market share. The Kawasaki Z900 was second (4,536 units/4.64% share), with the Z650 in third (2,219 units for a 2.273% share). Honda's CB 1000 Hornet was fourth (2,069 units, 2.12% share) with the CBR 650 R fifth (2,065 units, 2.11% share). They were followed by the Yamaha MT-07 in sixth, the Honda CB 750 Hornet, the Yamaha MT-09, the BMW F 900 R and their F 800 GS in tenth spot.
With 11 models in the list of 50 best-sellers in Germany, it's no surprise that BMW remains top dog in its home market, with an increased market share of 21.84% but with 7,245 fewer units sold than 2024 at 21,336.
Honda closed the gap on BMW, now only slightly behind with a 20.30 % market share (19,571 units).
Kawasaki is third with a 14.51% share (14,177 units); Yamaha fourth (7.24% share, 7,069 units) and Triumph is fifth with a 6.25% market share on 6,105 units sold. Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, KTM and Aprilia completed the top 10 brands in Germany in 2025.
In the electric (light) motorcycles segment, Zero Motorcycles (now a Dutch globally headquartered American manufacturer) remains ahead, with a reduced 11.77% share (288 units registered - the top-seller was the DS). This was followed by Vmoto (108 units/4.41% share), Kawasaki (68 units, 2.78% share), Livewire - somewhat boosted no doubt by its 'Twist & Go' promotions are now up to fourth spot (66 units sold for a 2.70% share) and ahead of Bombardier (Can-Am) in fifth with 42 units sold for a 1.72% share.
These are the top 5 brands in a German electric motorcycle market that was said to be worth 2,447 units in total in 2025, an increase of 41% over the 1,733 units reported as registered in 2024.
The total electric scooter market in Germany was larger, at 3,865 units, but that was down by -7.5% on the 4,179 units sold in 2024. NIU is the market share leader, followed by BMW, SEAT, Horwin and Scutum.
