UK powered two-wheeler registrations growth maintained its momentum into the second half of 2015 with an overall increase in July of 14% to 11,273 units. Motorcycles were leader of the pack by an impressive margin, 20.8% up at 8079 units. Scooters added 7.8% to 2275 units. Mopeds sadly continued to fade, falling by 15.5% to a mere 919 units.
Strongest style category, percentage-wise, was Adventure Sport with a muscular 28.8% increase to 1513 units. BMW’s new S1000XR dual-sport missile topped both that slot and the 651-1000cc engine band with 168 units out of dealers’ doors. Naked bikes came second and claimed first place in the numbers game with a 27.1% improvement to 3100 units. Supersport was in third spot thanks to a 17.7% rise and 1360 units. However, the latter pair were fronted by tiddlers — respectively Honda’s CB125F and CBR125R. Every single specified category was positive with Custom, Touring and Trail/Enduro also posting double-digit gains.
Over-125cc products captured fractionally more than half of the entire market, although 51-125cc tackle was biggest individual contributor on 4660 units. Higher-value machines in the 651-1000cc range delivered the best growth rate, up by 28.3% to 2447 units.
Honda reinforced its brand rankings hegemony with an annualised 22.3% rise to 1793 units, improving its market share from 14.8% to 15.9%. As usual, Yamaha was runner-up with a 15.9% increase to 1378 units but its share of the action was flat at just over 12%. Star of July’s show had to be Chinese contender Lexmoto which sensationally seized third step of the podium by doubling its head count year-on-year to 776 units. That also represented a 6.9% market share, up from 3.9% a year earlier.
In fourth, BMW Motorrad again relegated Triumph to fifth place, gaining 18.7% at 752 units. Triumph actually suffered an 8.4% decline to 706 units.
Moving on to best and worst of the rest, Suzuki shone in sixth place, having improved by a potent 46.7% to 657 units and beaten Kawasaki. Harley-Davidson shared the dunce’s cap with Triumph, dropping by 7.7% to 417 units down in tenth.
For the seven months of 2015 to date, total registrations are up by 13.1% to 72,238 units. Motorcycles have stacked on 18% at 53,383 units. Scooters have risen by a much more modest 6.9% to 13,590 units. Mopeds are down by 11.4% to 5365 units. Â
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