The powered two-wheeler market across 21 European countries monitored by bike industry organisation ACEM fell by 18.2 per cent in April, to 140,285 units. Year-to-date sales for the four months of 2013 now stand at 369,130 units, a 19.7 per cent decline. Within that, motorcycles and scooters are down by 15.4 per cent and the moped sector by 24.3 per cent.
ACEM attributes bad news in April to a delay in the usual seasonal spike caused by ongoing cold and rainy weather and widespread youth unemployment throughout much of Europe, the latter particularly impacting entry-level sales.
However, compared to the first quarter, ACEM points out that the magnitude of this retreat is ameliorating. Germany was able to halve a 16 per cent loss accumulated until March to 7.4 per cent down for the four months. Similarly, Austria recovered from a staggering 25 per cent down to 8.8 per cent in arrears. The UK stuck at a ten per cent drop from the quarter to the end of April.
Elsewhere, the falls were worse — France by 18.3 per cent, Poland by 21.8 per cent, Holland by 22.1 per cent, Italy by 31.2 per cent, Spain by 15.6 per cent and Greece by 32.6 per cent.