According to Brussels based ACEM, the international motorcycle industry trade association for Europe, the 'Big Five' motorcycle markets there that account for some 80% of total motorcycle registrations annually (Italy, France, Spain, Germany and UK) saw 950,400 new motorcycle registrations in 2022 - a slight decrease of around 0.1% over 2021. Italy was the largest market, up by +0.7% at 271,380 units; Germany was essentially flat at +0.1% (199,400 units); France was down by -6.6% at 193,350 units; Spain was up by 6.3% at 176,960 units, with the UK in fifth spot among the 'majors' at +1.9% (109,300 units).
For the first two months of 2023, H-D was in fifth spot in market share terms in Germany with 907 units sold YTD for a 5.94%. Not surprisingly, BMW remains the dominant market share leader in its home market with a 29.71% share and nine models in the top 20 best sellers there - the R 1250 GS is 'top dog'. Harley's best sellers were the Low Rider ST, Street Bob 114 and Sport Glide.
For the first two months of 2023, Japanese made motorcycle exports to USA totaled 11,808 units YTD (+14.72% over the year ago). Annual worldwide Japanese made motorcycle and moped exports (all PTW) fell off a cliff in 2009 to 583,879 from over one million in 2008, having peaked at 1,641 million units in 2000. They have continued to decline most years since then. Most recently they were 463,123 units in 2017; 456,758 in 2018; 396,379 in 2019; 311,998 in 2020, but significantly up in 2021 (for the first time since 2017) at 437,042 units (+40.08%), and again in 2022 at 486,813 units (+11.39%). American motorcycle imports from the Japanese factories were +73.37% for the full year 2021 at 74,429 units - ahead of 2019 (59,320) and 2020 (42,931) - and were +14.29% for 2022 (at 85,062 units - the highest since before 2015). The highest number for U.S. imports from the Japanese factories recorded in the ACEM data based International Dealer News Statistical Archive was 313,183 units in 2002.
The latest available ZIV data for Quad/ATV and three-wheeler sales in Germany show 2022 sales of 1,565 Quads (+95.87%), with some 95% of those in the sub 300 cc class. Sales of ATVs totaled 20,278 ATVs (-15.39%); 4,335 three-wheelers were sold (+6.43%), with Piaggio's MP3 the market share leader (36.19% of sales,) followed by BRP/Can-Am, Peugeot, Yamaha and Rewaco.
Global BMW Motorrad unit sales grew by 4.4% in 2022 to 202,895 units. However, sales in Europe were down slightly (-0.3%/110,788 units), with sales of 24,129 units in Germany representing a -7.1% home market unit decline. The French market took 21,223 units in 2022 (+6.7%), while Italy was -2.3% (15,668 units) and Spain was -0.9% (12,502 units). North, Central and South American sales were +14.4% (45,775 units), of which 17,690 were in USA (+10.4%). BMW only introduced two completely new models in 2022 - the CE 04 electric scooter, which has not sold well yet, and a Roadster styled M1000 iteration.
KTM parent company PIERER Mobility has added more detail to the provisional FY2022 results it published in January, confirming a year of extraordinary growth with group revenues of € 2,437m (+19%) and unit sales of 375,492 motorcycles (+13%), of which 268,575 were KTM branded units, 75,266 were Husqvarna and 31,651 were GasGas models. In addition, 118,465 E-bicycles and bicycles (+15%) were sold. EBIT was € 235m (+22%) and EBITDA was € 381m (+15%). The group spent € 268m on "growth initiatives" in 2022, which included the continuing construction of its new 14,000 sq m (150,000 sq ft) North American HQ campus at Murietta, Georgia - a $53m total investment. The year also saw a 25.1% equity investment in MV Agusta and the takeover of European distribution for KTM's Chinese sales and production partner CFMoto.
In Germany in 2022, Zero was the electric motorcycle market share leader, but with just 357 units sold for a +32.2% increase, we are still talking ultra-low volumes at this stage. Vmoto was in second place in market share terms, followed by KTM, Tinbot and Electric Motion. NIU was the electric scooter market share leader (1,390 units/+171.0%) ahead of Scutum, Horwin, BMW and Piaggio.
Ducati has confirmed that 2022 saw it break the € 1bn revenue barrier for the first time in its history (+24%), selling 61,562 units (+3.6%) - the first time it has broken the 60k unit volume mark - and had 821 dealerships worldwide for another record.
