MCIA CEO Tony Campbell couldn’t resist banging his drum about the latest May registrations data, but a welter of exaggeration was involved: “As the market moves firmly into its peak selling season, May’s volumes provide further encouragement, with strong year-on-year growth reflecting continued demand for motorcycles and other vehicles in our sector which we know play a vital role in affordable means of transport for many but also a big passion and pastime for over a million people,” he enthused.
However, a historical glance backwards didn’t really add up. Sure, total May 2026 registrations rose by 14.9% to 11,262, although May 2025 numbers had been distorted downwards by last year’s pre-registration bonanza. So let us remember that May 2022 reached 11,930, May 2023 reached 10,889, and May 2024 reached 11,172, and we arrive at a somewhat different story of weaker demand.
However, sticking with the current May figures, total motorcycles and over-50cc scooters were 15.7% up to 10,880. Mopeds declined by 7.3% to 317, and trikes grew by 16.1% to 65.
In the mature world, with a continued focus on internal combustion, overall registrations grew by 17.1% to 11,007. The raw 0-50cc bottom line fell by 7.9% and amounted to only 257 units, with several unidentified models sharing the honours for being top-seller. The mobility/delivery 51-125cc sector fared much better with a 26.3% gain and volume reaching 3355 units. Some 261 of them were a respectable fleet of Honda PCX 125 scooters. The eighth-litre slot also featured Yamaha WR125R, Zontes ZT125-C2 and Honda CB 125F products.
Higher up the bargain-basement chain, 126-500cc machines stacked on 34.6% to 2345 units. Stars of this particular show were 322 uber-cheap samples of Honda’s GB350S rattling Royal Enfield’s cage (and also, no doubt, bothering Triumph’s 400cc single comfort zone). 501-750cc kit pretty much flatlined, adding just 4.4% at 1352 units. A relatively modest 114-strong squad of Honda’s NC750X topped this pile. The 751-1000cc firmament put on 14.7% to 2468 units and was headed up by 124 Triumph Trident 800 models.
Finally, the premium 1000cc-plus range was surprisingly slim, 3.9% down to 1230 units. Usually dominating this territory, BMW Motorrad only managed to scrape its barrel to register 152 samples of the R1300 GS and a mere 39 representatives of the R1300 RT touring tool.
As for May’s year-on-year top brands performance, demand weakness was clearly to the fore in many instances. Honda’s growth stretched only to an additional 78 bikes in a tally of 2162, while Yamaha managed a total of eight add-ons in a field of 1135. Worse still, Triumph dropped by six to 1008. BMW’s 826-strong headcount featured just 38 fresh recruits. In comparison, Kawasaki and Suzuki did really well, the former adding 161 to claim 636 and the latter benefiting from a 286 boost to hit 547. However, Lexmoto and KTM were both stuck on 82-unit improvements, respectively struggling to tallies of 496 and 439.
Royal Enfield was at the tail-end, registering a cheeky 12 extra units to reach 398. The Voge brand, which effectively didn’t exist in 2025, beat that with 401 registrations.
Five months into 2026, year-to-date volume has grown by 15.8% to 45,210, which hardly justifies Tony Campbell’s “strong year-on-year growth” claim.