The official UK registration figures for new motorcycles and scooters during November 2005, have just released the by The MCI. Overall, the sales of new bike, moped and scooter registrations are all down by 4%. Scooter and moped sales have fallen sharply by 25% and 53% respectively, with motorcycle sales rising 'allegedly' to counteract the trend in decreasing moped and scooter sales.
As sales of illegal minibikes and quads are skyrocketing, it's not surprising that moped sales are collapsing so dramatically. However, the MCI claim that supersports category registrations were up by at least 11% in November of this year, is highly unlikely. This is for one simple reason, the MCI class the Honda CBR125R as a sportsbike, which it obviously is not, it's a learner bike. Minus those 2600 odd CBR125 `sales' and things look extremely different. Astonishingly 2653 units of the CBR125R has sold so far in 2005.
Also, check out sales of BMW's R1200GS, 1871 have so far registered in 2005 and now it's the 5th best selling two wheeler on the UK bike market. It just goes to show how a Hollywood celeb adventure and a cracking TV series can shift nearly two thousand expensive new bikes. For this year, another popular off-road bike for 2005 has been the Yamaha WR450F. The top custom favourite has been the Harley FXS, the best selling tourer is the R1200RT, whilst the best selling sportbike this year has been the Suzuki GSXR1000, only just ahead of the Honda CBR1000RR.
It has been BMW who have emerged as the grand winner in 2005 bike market considereing the UK market is so weak right now. BMW sales have rocketed regardless of what the official registration figures might say. Their factory have introduced some new and exciting new models so critically needed, BMW bikes are holding their re-sale value too. Discounting bikes damages values in the long run, which sends customers' hard earned cash elsewhere - a lesson that some others in the motorcycle trade are still finding hard to learn. With very few genuinely exciting or innovative models coming from the Japanese makes for 2006, especially in the non-supersport area, it looks as if the likes of BMW, KTM, Triump and the Chinese brands, will be the ones to watch grow in the UK next year.
