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The Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency Figures Say

UK SALES DROP 13% IN APRIL

16 May 2006

Latest figures from the MCI show that new bike registrations fell by 13% during April 2006.

Mopeds and moped scooters under 50cc dropped by 21%, with 1487 units registered, against 1,893 in April 2005, despite some of the highest fuel prices ever recorded across the UK.

Some 2,681 scooters of all sizes were registered at DVLA, which is down 21%, whilst motorcycles fell by 13%. Apart from scooters, the big falls were in the Touring and Trail/Enduro classes, with Super sports dropping 13%.

Total two wheeler registrations were 10,480, down from 12,005 in April 2005.

According to the MCI some 103 `Unspecified' two wheelers were registered in April, up 45%.

Top selling motorcycle so far in 2006 is the Yamaha R6, with 872 units sold. The CBR1000RR is 2nd on 849, then the GSXR750 is 3rd, on 784 units. Top selling tourer is the BMW R1200GS and the CG125 Honda is top commuter motorbike.

Chinese made bikes are gaining ground; The 3rd best selling 50cc scooter in the UK is the Baotian BT50, the 4th best selling moped is the Kinroad XT50, whilst the Better BT125 was 3rd best selling custom 125 in the first 5 months of 2006.

insidebikes.com comment;

It looks likely that 2006 will see more sales in the sub £1000 sector to low budget commuters, whilst more established motorcycle brands struggle to sell high volumes overall, as buyers `cherry pick' what they perceive to be the models least likely to depreciate greatly in the next 18 months.

Apart from bikes like the Daytona 675, the BMW F800 range and most Harleys, big motorbikes need discounts and `sweeteners' to sell them this Spring - but all this discounting, and `wheeler-dealing' simply destroys PX values for the future.

Wider economic factors like fuel price hikes, rising job losses - especially in the public sector - and the exodus of house equity into overseas property will also probably play a big part in reducing the UK big bike market by around 12%-15% in the next 12 months.

Fact is, over 600cc motorcycles are luxury goods to most people, and one of the first purchases to be deferred when the household finances look a bit weak, or older riders decide to take redundancy, move abroad and slash their mortgage debt.

There are no `quick fixes' to the underlying problems in the UK new bike market. But stopping the blatant discounting and stockpiling of `last year's models' would be a start. Bikers are sick of losing £3000-£4000 in 18 months of ownership.

The industry could also do much more in pushing the sub 125cc commuter market to millions who are struggling to pay £1 per litre to get to work. Why are large companies like Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki or Peugeot seemingly incapable of placing commuter bike advertising on TV in the UK? Where are the `green' politicians, rock stars or movie actors, on 120mpg scooters in the mainstream/celeb press?

It's as if the big motorcycle brands actually want to lose their commuter market to the Chinese. They don't seem bothered at all. But that head-in-the-sand thinking is exactly the same poor marketing strategy which finished off the old British bike industry


Source: insidebikes.com