The collapse of Superbike Factory earlier this year has left the company and its creditors facing substantial financial losses. According to figures released by administrators KR8 Advisory, the used bike chain owed £27.8m at the time of insolvency. The business posted pre-tax losses of £19.1m in 2024 and a further £11.7m in unpublished 2025 accounts.
At its peak, Superbike Factory operated six bricks-and-mortar showrooms alongside an online platform, generating £94m in turnover and selling 17,000 bikes annually, making it Europe’s largest used bike retailer. The business went into administration on 20 July, resulting in the loss of 270 jobs.
Administrators are now working through the aftermath. The company’s finance provider, DF Capital, is owed £11.9m and is currently repossessing motorcycles held under retention of title. The Enact private equity firm, which invested in Superbike Factory in 2023, is owed £14.2m and will receive an unquantified distribution. HMRC is owed £2.2m, while unsecured creditors, including trade suppliers, staff and customers, are owed £5.3m.
In a report to creditors, the joint administrators said: “Despite continued growth, the trading performance of the business had suffered for an extended period while the UK used motorcycle market underwent a prolonged period of normalisation after the Covid pandemic. This is in part attributed to higher borrowing costs and the increased cost of consumer finance weighing on discretionary spending, while softer used motorcycle values, increased competition and slower stock turnover placed increasing pressure on dealers’ margins and working capital.
“More recently, continuing uncertainty surrounding the FCA’s review of historic motor finance commission arrangements added further complexity to an already difficult trading environment. In addition, higher employment costs, including increases in employers’ National Insurance contributions, further increased operating costs across the sector.”
Trade and creditor enquiries regarding the administration should be directed to [email protected].