According to latest Motor Cycle Industry Association data, the UK bike registrations increase rate has certainly become more modest but is still firmly optimistic, with an overall 6.5 per cent rise to 7445 units in October.
The strongest monthly trend was an 18.5 per cent improvement in motorcycles to 4695 units. However, scooters were down by 10.6 per cent to 1782 units and mopeds fell by 6.8 per cent to 968 units.
All specific bike style categories were positive. Touring led the field percentage-wise, up by 50 per cent to 213 units. BMW’s R1200RT topped that particular slot. Naked was second, growing by 25.5 per cent to 1720 units and led by the Honda CBF125M with 156 units. Trail/Enduro completed the podium with a 18.9 per cent gain at 447 units. Yamaha’s WR125R was its best-seller on 37 units.
Interestingly, Custom (plus 17.6 per cent, 649 units) and Adventure Sport (plus 13.3 per cent, 757 units) were both headed up by unlikely Chinese contenders. Respectively, these were the Lexmoto HT125-8 Vixen and Pulse XF125 Adrenaline.
Really good news centred on more profitable large-capacity machines. The 651-1000cc engine band stacked on 15.8 per cent to 1053 units. And that was beaten by over-1000cc tackle, up by 26.3 per cent at 1062 units. Combined together, they accounted for a welcome 45 per cent of October’s entire motorcycle market!
As for market share, Honda continued to rule the roost with 1231 units. Yamaha was runner-up on 930 units and Triumph third thanks to 411 units. Lexmoto (357 units) and Harley-Davidson (354 units) completed the top five.
For the ten months of 2014 to date, total registrations have risen by 9.9 per cent to 90,928 units, declining from eleven per cent at the half-year point. But given that 9178 units were registered in November and December of 2013, zero growth in the final two months of this year would still push annual recovery up through the 100,000-unit watershed.
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Full stats table here >>>