Total UK powered two-wheeler registrations in June increased by 6.9% to 14,137 units, according to MCIA data. Scooters posted by far the best performance with a 17.3% improvement to 2709 units. Motorcycles were 5.1% up at 10,481 units. Mopeds were flat on 846 units — a 0.1% rise representing just one extra machine sold.
However, the devil was in motorcycle sector detail. Among higher-volume style categories boasting four digits, Naked bike leadership of 14.3% growth to 4292 units was heavily dependent on the arrival of a single new product in showrooms. Some 266 examples of Yamaha’s MT-10 accounted for almost exactly half of that growth and many of those would have been dealer demonstrators.
Elsewhere, advances were either weak or non-existent. Supersport put on just 2.6% at 1607 units and the usually muscular Adventure Sport slot was stagnant on 2113 registrations — a gestural 0.1% up thanks to three additional bikes plated. Custom declined slightly by 1.1% to 1124 units, Harley-Davidson’s 883 Sportster stalwart maintaining best-seller status.
Large-capacity products clearly took the brunt of consumer reluctance to spend with the vigour we have come to expect. The 651-1000cc band flat-lined, down by 0.8% at 3370 units despite that MT-10 debut. Better news could be found in a 20.2% climb for the 126-650cc band to 2208 units and 9.9% to the good for 51-125cc tiddlers on 4789 units. Taken together with the scooter surge, perhaps we’re seeing harbingers of a bias towards sober commuting needs rather than leisure.
As for top-five brand rankings and market share fluctuations, Honda maintained traditional leadership but volume was 0.4% down at 2061 units and its share declined from 15.6% to 14.6%. Yamaha did much better in second spot, closing the gap with 18.1% growth to 1852 units and improving share from 11.9% to 13.1%. Triumph, armed with the fresh Bonneville range, moved up into third thanks to a 10.9% volume increase to 1374 units. Its share grew from 9.4% to 9.7%. BMW Motorrad numbers, on the other hand, fell by 12% to 1148 units and share was down from 9.9% to 8.1%. Suzuki made the most progress though, as registrations rocketed 27.3% upwards to 1099 units, boosting share from 6.5% to 7.8%.
Completing the top ten, Lexmoto’s Chinese wares claimed sixth with a 52.4% volume leap. Kawasaki in seventh was 13.9% up, Piaggio put on 13.4% in eighth and Harley-Davidson in ninth added 4.7%. Ducati was worst loser, as the Italian flag-carrier’s registrations plunging by 18.5%.
For the first half of 2016, overall registrations are 7.4% up to 66,009 units. Motorcycles have grown by 7.2% to 48,574 units. Scooters rose by 12.9% at 12,789 units. Mopeds are 4.6% down to 4143 units.