June 2020 Registrations

UK 

07/07/2020

There is no doubt that the self-isolation appeal of scooters and generally smaller or budget-priced motorcycles for commuting delivered a welcome boost, as dealers as got back into full swing during June. BDN financial editor Roger Willis crunched the numbers.

According to MCIA data for the month, total registrations improved by 14.8% to 13,361. Scooters stacked on a splendid 46.6% to 2625 and mopeds were 38.8% up to 730. Even trikes managed to climb into three figures, rising by 40.5% to 111. Some 9895 motorcycles represented a 7% increase.

Capacity classes underlined this health-conscious and economical ride-to-work story. The 51-125cc sector grew by 46.6% to 4881 and 126-650cc machines gained 11% to 2547. However, larger products struggled for a similar degree of traction. The 651-1000cc band fell by 9.3% to 2646 and over-1000cc bikes were 1.6% lower at 2469.

Best-sellers in various style definitions and engine bands highlighted the same message. Honda’s PCX125 led both the scooter and eighth-litre slots, 51.9% up. Cheap Chinese 125cc contenders starred in the Custom and Supersport categories. Respectively, the Keeway Superlight added an impressive 113.6% and Lexmoto’s LXR125 put on 51.9%.

Keenly-priced bigger bikes did well too. Royal Enfield’s Interceptor 650 took both Naked and 126-650cc laurels, with volume rising by 54.3%. The Kawasaki 1000SX topped Sport/Tour, surging by 71.6%. And the Triumph Tiger 900 emerged heading up 651-1000cc stuff, based on incentivised desirability.

Being fair to BMW, its 1250GS Adventure fronted an otherwise muted premium-price charge in the over-1000cc firmament and Adventure Sport style category, posting a useful 24.5% volume hike. BMW’s R1250RT put on 19.4% to claim the Touring trophy as well.

Brand rankings concealed understandable seduction by price, whether through budget listing in the first place or rampant discount deals to kickstart the market again. Honda ran away with it as usual but volume was 6.4% down to 1992. Distant runner-up Yamaha on 1295 flaunted a 15.7% hike. Triumph completed the podium, plating only 13 fewer bikes on 1282 while sliding slightly by 3.2%.

Then we reach the stellar performance of Lexmoto in fourth, with 1224 machines plated — an amazing 97.7% advance on June last year. BMW completed the top five, albeit retreating by 10.2% to 1036.

KTM’s remarkably fluid pricing policy earned sixth spot, 32.4% up to 842. Kawasaki held station on seventh, a negligible 0.3% down equating to just two bikes at 728. Suzuki did better in eighth, improving by 22.1% to 663. Royal Enfield followed on 393, more than half of which were its Interceptor 650 headline act. Ducati finished tenth, losing 17.5% to 392 but probably trousering at least three times the turnover of India’s finest. Harley-Davidson, backstop on last June’s equivalent chart, was nowhere to be seen.

And now for the bad news. For the six months of 2020 to date, registrations have fallen by 25.7% to 44,206. Motorcycles are 29.5% in arrears at 32,299. Scooters are 12.6% lower on 9102. Mopeds have dropped by 14.2% to 2461. And trikes have lost 8.8% on 344. There’s a lot of catching-up to do, given stock availability is a looming shadow…

UK 

08/07/2020