May 2023 Registrations

Registrations retreat again

With inflation still unacceptably high and, therefore, the cost-of-living crisis unabated, May proved to be yet another challenging month for dealers. BDN financial editor Roger Willis reports.

Total numbers were 8.7% down, to 10,889. Motorcycles escaped with the least punishment, falling by just 2.5% to 8302. Scooters incurred a 24.2% loss at 2061, and mopeds plunged by 29% to 435. Trikes offered a flash of positivity, 13.8% up, but that represented only 91 units.

In the petrolhead firmament, where the vast majority of trade activity is focused, the overall headcount was 7.7% lower at 10,493. For what it’s worth, electric bikes sank by 30.2% to a negligible 396 units.

Up-to-125cc mobility and delivery fleet segment sales were 17.5% in arrears at 3670, to a great extent suffering as pre-prepared meal delivery businesses cut back in the face of burdensome inflationary costs eating into their proposition.

The 126-500cc range spanning some mobility and A2 rookies was also rolling backwards, 17% down to 1473. And 501-750cc stuff lost a less painful 4.5% on 1346. Although Royal Enfield provided a spread of best-sellers in these segments – HNTR 350 and Super Meteor 650 models, respectively in the former and latter – its overall monthly volume was notably lower. Inventory glitches in the wake of taking UK operations fully in-house could be an issue.

The high point was the 751-1000cc segment, stacking on 28.9% to 2154. Triumph’s Street Triple RS took best-selling honours but, generally, this is the current hot slot owing to a strong selection of keenly-priced new models from several brands.

Premium over-1000cc products were a disappointment, falling by 10.2% to 1850. However, it’s unlikely BMW Motorrad was bothered. The basic R1250 GS was best-seller, accounting for almost a fifth of BMW’s particularly muscular monthly total.

The manufacturers’ top-ten pecking order was a messy mix of winners and losers. Honda held onto hegemony but flatlined, plating one bike less than it had in May last year. Some 405 PCX125 scooters constituted 19.4% of the brand’s entire sales of 2083 units. Yamaha fared far worse, plunging by 25.2% to 1128. Triumph was also pretty flat, 1.3% down to 1001.

On the other hand, the aforementioned BMW added 28.5% to 875 and headed up a list of double-digit percentage growth achievers. Kawasaki put on 18.4% to 675, presumably having got over its shipment woes. Not far behind, KTM rose by 16.1% to 642. And then Suzuki, replete with attractive and budget-priced new twins in that hot 751-1000cc slot, soared by 43.5% to 505.

Three brands completed the chart. Royal Enfield fell by 19.1% to 471 for a possible reason already covered. Chinese flag carrier Lexmoto plummeted by 42.8% to 330, probably because it’s bereft of inventory. Finally, Ducati was 6.7% down to 321 and hardly worried, given the recent desirability of Bologna’s finest.

For the five months of 2023 to date, total registrations have fallen by 5.2% to 48,759. Motorcycles are actually 1.5% up to 36,751. Scooters are 18.5% down to 9656. Mopeds have dived by 34.6% to 1990. And trikes have grown by 8.4% to 362.

During May, the Powered Two-Wheeler market suffered an overall 8.7% decline, equating to a 5.2% decline year-to-date. Mopeds overall declined 29.0%, with Scooter mopeds registering a 35.8% decrease. Only 435 mopeds were registered in total, compared to the 613 registered in May 2022.

Motorcycles registered a 7.8% market decrease. Year-to-date, this decrease equated to 3.4%. Unspecified motorcycles had the biggest market increase in May, up by 66.7%, with road sport motorcycles (up 4.8%) and competition motorcycles (up 8.9%) also making progress.

Tricycles registered positive market growth in May, increasing 13.8% in total, but May was a poor month for electric PTWs, which decreased by 30.2% with just 395 units sold. However, electric motorcycles ≤35kW and exempt electric PTWs both registered significant market increases, up by 25% and 16.7%  respectively.

ICE PTWs suffered a market decline of 7.7% in total. However, the 751-1000cc sector registered a 28.9% market increase, with 2154 units sold.

Symon Cook, NFDA and NMDA head of business operations, commented: “The motorcycle market in the UK has experienced a slower start to the year than usual. External factors relating to supply have constrained the number of bikes readily available to showrooms, and economic turbulence, with the rise of inflation, has impacted consumer confidence and spending.

“Nevertheless, with the warmer summer months approaching, dealers are optimistic that sales will improve. The spring 2023 edition of the NMDA Dealer Attitude Survey, which provides a comprehensive overview of dealer-manufacturer relationships and their key issues, is now out and provides valuable information on the alliance between dealers and brands.”