According to 2020 figures from European bike industry association ACEM, Britain’s self-isolating mobility bounce in the second half of the year was pretty much reflected all over Europe. But it also acknowledged big surges of underogated Euro 4 preregistrations distorting this picture as December approached.
Taken together, all powered two-wheelers across the largest markets were 4% up. But those with the most apparent annual growth, the Netherlands and Germany on respective 30.3% and 27% rises, were both guilty of preregistered bonanzas. Declines of 5.3% in Italy and 8.8% in Spain were perhaps more realistic.
A total of 923,002 motorcycles and over-50cc scooters were plated in their five strongest markets — France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. This represents a marginal increase of 1.1%. Germany was on top of the pile with 220,304 machines, followed by 218,027 in Italy and 191,231 in France.
Volume in the main moped markets — Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Spain — rose by 13.7% to 287,096. France was leader on 98,592, pursued by the Netherlands with 84,732 and 35,010 in Germany.