German Motorcycle Registrations -11.90% 2021
While most of Europe's 'Big Five' major markets (Italy, France, Spain, UK) are showing PTW registration growth in 2021, Germany is the exception.
Data from the IVM, the motorcycle industry trade association in Germany, shows 2021 full year new motorcycle registrations having been down in Germany by -11.90% (116,407 units). This is up compared to the pre-pandemic levels seen in Germany in 2019 (113,039 units), but down against 2020 (132,126) as a result of what appeared at the time to be a disproportionately strong German market recovery surge in the second half of 2020.
In total PTW terms, the German market was -9.71% (197,540 units) compared to 218,778 units in 2020 and 165,311 units in 2019. For context though, 2021 has remained a "good year" for the German market - in motorcycle sales terms, 2021 was the third strongest year since before the 2008-2010 financial crisis and was the second best since then in total PTW terms.
Harley-Davidson was sixth in market share terms in Germany in 2021 with 7,889 units sold for a 6.78% market share, -28.54% down (by unit volume) on a 2020 market share that included Sportster sales.
Harley's top-sellers in 2021 in Germany were the Street Bob 114 in 36th spot (950 units sold); the Sport Glide in 36th spot (878 units sold) and the Breakout 114 in 42nd spot (804 units sold in Germany in 2021).
Indian Motorcycle were in 14th spot in market share terms in Germany in 2021 with 1,730 units sold for a 1.49% market share - which was -12% down in volume terms compared to 2020. No Indian Motorcycle models yet appear in the Top 50 German Top-Sellers list, but it is likely the Scout variants were its best sellers, followed by the FTRs - both ranges of which are being assembled for the European market at a Polaris ATV/UTV factory in Poland.
BMW remained motorcycle (and overall) market share leader with 26,699 motorcycle units sold for a 22.94% market share - BMW had seven models in the top twenty-five best sellers in 2021.
Honda was second (12.42% share/14,459 units sold), KTM third (11.74% share, 13,664 units), Kawasaki fourth (10.47% share, 12,191 units) and Yamaha fifth (7.5% share, 8,730 units).
Unsurprisingly, the top selling model was BMW's R 1250 GS (9,377 units sold), followed by the Kawasaki Z900 and Z650 in second and third, Yamaha MT-07 in fourth, just ahead of Honda's CRF 1000L Africa Twin in fifth.
For the record - the 2020 full year saw the German motorcycle market grow by +16.89% with 132,126 units sold (theoretically) compared to 2019 at 113,039 units. However, that apparent 16.89% growth in the worst pandemic-hit year was distorted in the final quarter of 2020 by the rush to pre-register unsold Euro 4 models before the December 31st final extended deadline for doing so - all units registered since January 1st, 2021 have been Euro 5 compliant machines.