Primarily driven by a 31.2 per cent collapse in the moped market to 1000 units and shrinking 125cc sales, July figures from the Motorcycle Industry Association show an overall 5.3 per cent decline to 8681 units.
Over-50cc scooters are also in arrears to the tune of 11 per cent at 1812 units but that means motorcycles are actually up by 3.2 per cent to 5869 units. Smaller-capacity commuter machines are the troublesome area, with the 0-50cc and 51-125cc engine bands both in negative territory but virtually everything bigger than that is pretty healthy.
Best news is Adventure Sport, where both BMW and Triumph are making hay while the sun shines. This style category is up by a muscular 30.5 per cent for the month to 1272 units. BMW’s new R1200GS ruled the July roost with 165 units. It can also now claim to be Britain’s best-selling over-125cc bike in the first half of 2013 with 1025 units. With its other models in this bracket, BMW now has a 30 per cent share of the Adventure Sport market.
Honda had leading monthly tally with 1508 units, followed by Yamaha on 978 units and Triumph completed the podium thanks to 835 units. BMW and Piaggio rounded out the top five with, respectively, 486 and 479 units.
For the year to date, total registrations are down by 5.3 per cent to 57,327 units. Motorcycles and over-50cc scooters have lost 2.7 per cent and the moped slot has taken a 22.8 per cent hammering at 6098 units.
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