| Registrations by style (inc. hybrids) | ||||||
| Year to Date | ||||||
| MOPED | May 2026 | May 2025 | % Change | May 2026 | May 2025 | % Change |
| Moped Naked | 29 | 30 | -3.3% | 141 | 149 | -5.4% |
| Moped Other | 50 | 44 | +13.6% | 261 | 229 | +14.0% |
| Moped Scooters | 238 | 268 | -11.2% | 1113 | 1170 | -4.9% |
| Total Mopeds | 317 | 342 | -7.3% | 1515 | 1548 | -2.1% |
| MOTORCYCLE | ||||||
| Adventure | 2732 | 2117 | +29.1% | 10345 | 8287 | +24.8% |
| Competition | 448 | 391 | +14.6% | 2740 | 2167 | +26.4% |
| Custom | 708 | 604 | +17.2% | 2711 | 2407 | +12.6% |
| Modern Classic | 1511 | 1388 | +8.9% | 5169 | 5246 | -1.5% |
| Naked | 2395 | 2155 | +11.1% | 8872 | 7832 | +13.3% |
| Road Sport | 1022 | 832 | +22.8% | 4063 | 3475 | +16.9% |
| Scooter | 1916 | 1731 | +10.7% | 8649 | 6961 | +24.2% |
| Touring | 142 | 167 | -15.0% | 839 | 836 | +0.4% |
| Unspecified | 6 | 17 | -64.7% | 43 | 54 | -20.4% |
| Total Motorcycles | 10880 | 9402 | +15.7% | 43431 | 37265 | +16.5% |
| TRICYCLE | ||||||
| Other | 38 | 28 | +35.7% | 145 | 122 | +18.9% |
| Scooter | 27 | 28 | -3.6% | 119 | 115 | +3.5% |
| Total Tricycles | 65 | 56 | +16.1% | 264 | 237 | +11.4% |
| Total Registrations | 11262 | 9800 | +14.9% | 45210 | 39050 | +15.8% |
| Registrations by capacity (inc. hybrids) | ||||||
| Year to Date | ||||||
| ENGINE BAND | May 2026 | May 2025 | % Change | May 2026 | May 2025 | % Change |
| 0 – 50cc | 257 | 279 | -7.9% | 1238 | 1222 | +1.3% |
| 51 – 125cc | 3355 | 2656 | +36.3% | 13481 | 10379 | +29.9% |
| 126 – 500cc | 2345 | 1742 | +34.6% | 8750 | 7225 | +21.1% |
| 501 – 750cc | 1352 | 1295 | %+4.4% | 5724 | 4739 | +20.8% |
| 751 – 1000cc | 2468 | 2151 | 14.7% | 8719 | 8077 | +7.9% |
| over 1000cc | 1230 | 1280 | -3.9% | 6161 | 6122 | +0.6% |
| Total Registrations | 11007 | 9403 | +17.1% | 44073 | 37764 | +16.7% |
| Top ten brands | ||
| 1 | Honda | 2162 |
| 2 | Yamaha | 1135 |
| 3 | Triumph | 1008 |
| 4 | BMW | 826 |
| 5 | Kawasaki | 636 |
| 6 | Suzuki | 547 |
| 7 | Lexmoto | 496 |
| 8 | KTM | 439 |
| 9 | Voge | 401 |
| 10 | Royal Enfield | 398 |
Dancing around May registrations
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.
