BIKE SALES SURGED IN FEBRUARY

February’s MCIA registrations data delivered a clean sweep of good news for the trade. Dealers put plates on a grand total of 4972 machines, up by 24.8%.

Over-50cc scooters led the charge with 37.9% rise to 1383 units. Motorcycles stacked on 22.1% at 3040 units and even the 50cc moped sector joined in by posting a 14.1% improvement to 520 units.

Fastest-growing style category was Custom, adding 40.9% to 331 units. Best-seller was Lexmoto’s ZSB125SK (pictured), taking 13.3% of that slot and indicating how small-capacity products were dominant during the month. Up-to-125cc bikes totalled 2968 units, representing 59.7% of the market and 27% year-on-year growth.

However, over-125cc tackle also boasted a healthy performance, increasing by 21.6% to 2004 units. As usual, Adventure Sport offerings were to the fore. Honda’s CRF1000 Africa Twin took registration laurels for the second month in a row thanks to 66 units out of 632 in a category that expanded by 12.9%. BMW’s R1200GS claimed its regular slice of fame by topping the over-1000cc engine band too.

February is always a slightly aberrant month in terms of brand comparisons because many of them have yet to feed new-season wares into dealers. This tends to confuse both brand and market share rankings.

All the same, Honda maintained hegemony on 903 units, 23.4% up but suffering a minor market share decline from 18.4% to 18.2%. Lexmoto extended its Chinese challenger status from January as runner-up with 597 units. Once again forced back into third spot, Yamaha was well in arrears of that at 550 units, only 6.4% better off against last year and seeing share decline from 13% to 11.1%.

Then the fun starts. KTM was fourth, posting a 39.6% rise to 229 units. Market share for Austria’s finest therefore also rose from 4.1% to 4.6%. Close behind, Piaggio completed the top five, 38.7% up to 226 units and enjoying an approximately similar share improvement.

Big-inch bruisers BMW and Triumph were respectively shuffled down to sixth and seventh-place ignominy for the aforementioned reason of showrooms awaiting their 2016 kit. BMW fell by 11.7% to 215 units while Triumph was 12.1% up at 213 units.

Finally, returning to mopeds in summing up year-to-date numbers, putative 50cc recovery stands at 1.8% up on 1027 units. Scooters have climbed by 32.1% to 2890 units and motorcycles by 17.2% to 6760 units. Overall growth is 18.9% to 10,761 units.  

See February figues in detail

Owing to a processing error, the Manufacturers Top Ten list for January, as printed in the March 2016 issue of BDN, is incorrect.

The correct top ten listing is shown below.

Apologies for the error.