After an unexpectedly sharp dip in UK powered two-wheeler registrations growth during March, April’s data from the MCIA flagged up a welcome return to upbeat normality.
The fourth month of 2016 marginally exceeded last year’s improvement with an overall 11.6% rise to 12,343 units. Scooters led the way, 14.6% up to 2165 units. Motorcycles increased by 12.4% to 9335 units. Only 50cc machines let the side down, shrinking yet again by 8.7% to 728 units, the latest MCIA stats reveal.
However, growth was far more evenly spread through style categories than in April 2015, with the two biggest — Adventure Sport and Naked — somewhat subdued.Â
The former put on 15.6%, against 27% a year earlier. Honda’s Africa Twin retained best-seller status in that slot, while BMW’s R1200GS Adventure variant claimed laurels in the over-1000cc engine band. Naked bikes were 11.5% up, compared with a 33.7% surge 12 months ago.
Custom was a notable star performer, beating an 8.4% monthly improvement last year with 14.2% this April. Harley’s 883 Sportster ruled that particular roost, claiming a tenth of the total.
As for brand rankings and market share, all the leading players posted volume increases. Honda hegemony was inevitably assured but its share dropped at tad, from 17.3% to 17.1%. Yamaha was runner-up, increasing share from 13.9% to 14%. Triumph took third spot again, although its share slid from 7.8% to 7.7%.
Chinese contender Lexmoto jumped up from sixth in 2015 to fourth this April, growing share from 5.1% to 7%. BMW Motorrad therefore slipped from fourth to fifth and incidentally also suffered a share decline from 7.1% to 6.5%.
Among the rest of the top ten capable of year-on-year comparisons, volume improvements were across the board but market share movements mixed. Kawasaki and KTM were share losers while Harley-Davidson and Suzuki grabbed more. The latter’s recovery was strongest, up from 3.2% to 4.5%.
In the fourth months of 2016 to date, total registrations have risen by 8.8% to 39,738 units. (YTD figures at this point last year were 11.5% up.) Motorcycles have added 8.3% to 28,972 units. Scooters are 16.5% up at 7842 units. Mopeds are 4.2% down on 2600 units.
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