Motorcycle sales are now in a two-year slump in Australia and it’s time to ask what can be done about it.
While it’s good news in the short term for customers with bike companies likely to offer discounts and dealers ready to do dealers, it is not good for the industry and customers in the long term.
It could mean fewer models, less floor stock to choose from, no demo models and distributors for minor brands closing down.
So, we are asking you what can be done about the situation. Leave your comments in the box at the end of this article.
Official figures
The official 2018 figures from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries shows that sales of road and off-road motorcycles, scooters and all-terrain vehicles are down 8.7% to 95,080.
This is not quite as big a drop as the massive -9.3% last year, which was the first full-year negative result since the GFC.
Honda was the top brand with 22,735 sales, down 5.9% and a 23.9% market share. Yamaha was second with 21,145 (-1.1%, 22.2% share), Kawasaki (9376, -6.1%, 9.9% share), Suzuki (7557, -6.1% 7.9%) and Harley-Davidson (7019, -21.2%, 7.4%).
Usually the most stable category is road bikes, but they are down 9.%.
Harley-Davidson and Honda tied for leader of the road bikes pack, ahead of Yamaha and Kawasaki.
Husqvarna, Indian, Suzuki and Yamaha all had increased sales in 2018 compared with 2017.
Automotive slump
The slump is not contained to motorcycles. New vehicle sales dropped 3%, including a 14.9% drop in December.
Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) Chief Executive Tony Weber blames the automotive slowdown on a slowing housing market, tightening of money lending and the drought.
These effects are being felt throughout the motorcycle industry, but are particularly noticeable in Motorcycle Holdings which owns TeamMoto.
They went public in May 2016 with a share price of $2.80 and hit a high of almost $5 but are now trading at $1.80.
Motorcycle sales were increasing until the GFC hit in 2009. They had been slowly recovering until the first quarter of 2017.
It should be noted that 22 manufacturers are not included in the official Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries figures.
They are Norton, Hyosung, VMoto, Benelli, Bimota, Bollini, CFMoto, Confederate, Daelim, EBR, Kymco, Laro, Megelli, Mercury, MV Agusta, PGO, Royal Enfield, SWM, SYM, TGB, Ural and Viper.
These are mainly small-volume importers and the market figures still show a massive slide in sales.
2018 motorcycle sales
| Top 10 Overall – Excludes ATVs | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Honda | CRF50F | 2159 | 2361 | -8.6% |
| Yamaha | PW50 | 1953 | 1845 | 5.9% |
| Yamaha | TTR50E | 1715 | 1833 | -6.4% |
| Honda | CRF110F | 1487 | 1494 | -0.5% |
| Kawasaki | KLX110 | 1246 | 1457 | -14.5% |
| Yamaha | WR450F | 1136 | 1335 | -14.9% |
| Honda | CB125E | 1113 | 701 | 58.8% |
| Honda | CRF230F | 1095 | 1173 | -6.6% |
| Kawasaki | NINJA 400 | 1089 | 0 | 100% |
| KTM | 300EXC | 1052 | 610 | 72.5% |
| Top 10 by Category – Road Bikes | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Honda | CB125E | 1113 | 701 | 58.8% |
| Kawasaki | NINJA 400 | 1089 | 0 | 100% |
| Yamaha | MT07L | 1002 | 1032 | -2.9% |
| Harley Davidson | XG500 | 944 | 1182 | -20.1% |
| Harley Davidson | FXBRS | 794 | 203 | 291.1% |
| Honda | CMX500 | 746 | 595 | 25.4% |
| Yamaha | MT-09 | 738 | 799 | -7.6% |
| Honda | GROM | 715 | 1086 | -34.2% |
| Yamaha | YZF-R3A | 712 | 945 | -24.7% |
| Honda | NBC110 | 687 | 1447 | -52.5% |
| Top 10 by Category – Adventure Touring | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Suzuki | DR650SE | 574 | 488 | 17.6% |
| Honda | CRF1000 | 573 | 753 | -23.9% |
| BMW | R 1200 GS Adventure | 374 | 307 | 21.8% |
| BMW | R 1200 GS | 344 | 472 | -27.1% |
| Kawasaki | KLR650 | 257 | 303 | -15.2% |
| Honda | CB500XA | 248 | 274 | -9.5% |
| BMW | G 310 GS | 224 | 48 | 366.7% |
| Suzuki | DL650 | 216 | 189 | 14.3% |
| Triumph | Tiger 800 XC | 182 | 167 | 9.0% |
| KTM | 1090ADVR | 166 | 190 | -12.6% |
| Top 10 by Category – Cruiser | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Harley Davidson | XG500 | 944 | 1182 | -20.1% |
| Harley Davidson | FXBRS | 794 | 203 | 291.1% |
| Honda | CMX500 | 746 | 595 | 25.4% |
| Kawasaki | Vulcan S | 670 | 590 | 13.6% |
| Yamaha | XVS650/A | 515 | 488 | 5.5% |
| Indian Motorcycle | Scout | 496 | 383 | 29.5% |
| Harley Davidson | FXBB | 491 | 109 | 350.5% |
| Harley Davidson | FLFBS | 453 | 162 | 179.6% |
| Harley Davidson | FLSB | 312 | 19 | 1,542.1% |
| Harley Davidson | FXFBS | 264 | 115 | 129.6% |
| Top 10 by Category – Naked | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Honda | CB125E | 1113 | 701 | 58.8% |
| Yamaha | MT07L | 1002 | 1032 | -2.9% |
| Yamaha | MT-09 | 738 | 799 | -7.6% |
| Honda | GROM | 715 | 1086 | -34.2% |
| Yamaha | MT03LA | 616 | 445 | 38.4% |
| Kawasaki | Z900RS | 393 | 50 | 686.0% |
| KTM | 390DUKE | 356 | 361 | -1.4% |
| Yamaha | XSR700LA | 318 | 188 | 69.1% |
| Honda | Monkey | 266 | 0 | 100% |
| Triumph | STR TRIPLE R | 259 | 219 | 18.3% |
| Top 10 by Category – Sport Touring | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Yamaha | YZF-R3A | 712 | 945 | -24.7% |
| Honda | CBR650FL | 331 | 320 | 3.4% |
| Kawasaki | Ninja 300 | 314 | 1017 | -69.1% |
| Kawasaki | Ninja 650L | 304 | 451 | -32.6% |
| Suzuki | GSX250R | 164 | 73 | 124.7% |
| Yamaha | MT09TRA | 161 | 127 | 26.8% |
| BMW | S 1000 XR | 149 | 118 | 26.3% |
| Kawasaki | Ninja 1000 | 148 | 207 | -28.5% |
| BMW | R 1200 RS | 135 | 123 | 9.8% |
| Suzuki | GSX-S125 | 130 | 0 | 100% |
| Top 10 by Category – Super Sport | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Kawasaki | NINJA 400 | 1089 | 0 | 100% |
| Honda | CBR500R | 618 | 996 | -38.0% |
| Honda | CBR300R | 387 | 273 | 41.8% |
| BMW | S 1000 RR | 283 | 295 | -4.1% |
| KTM | RC390 | 254 | 285 | -10.9% |
| Suzuki | GSX-R750 | 212 | 145 | 46.2% |
| Ducati | 959 Panigale | 156 | 264 | -40.9% |
| Yamaha | YZF-R1 | 151 | 160 | -5.6% |
| Ducati | Panigale V4 | 130 | 0 | 100% |
| Suzuki | GSX-R1000 | 124 | 269 | -53.9% |
| Top 10 by Category – Touring | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Harley Davidson | FLHXS | 272 | 352 | -22.7% |
| BMW | R 1200 RT | 163 | 119 | 37.0% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHTK | 143 | 221 | -35.3% |
| Honda | GL1800 | 119 | 55 | 116.4% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHRXS | 119 | 114 | 4.4% |
| Harley Davidson | FLTRXS | 118 | 130 | -9.2% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHTCUTG | 117 | 35 | 234.3% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHX | 109 | 28 | 289.3% |
| Yamaha | FJR1300 | 108 | 76 | 42.1% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHXSE | 95 | 33 | 187.9% |
| Top 10 by Category – LAMS Approved | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Yamaha | WR450F | 1136 | 1335 | -14.9% |
| Honda | CB125E | 1113 | 701 | 58.8% |
| Kawasaki | NINJA 400 | 1089 | 0 | 100% |
| KTM | 300EXC | 1052 | 610 | 72.5% |
| Yamaha | MT07L | 1002 | 1032 | -2.9% |
| Harley Davidson | XG500 | 944 | 1182 | -20.1% |
| Suzuki | DR-Z400E | 793 | 800 | -0.9% |
| Honda | CMX500 | 746 | 595 | 25.4% |
| KTM | 500EXC | 746 | 680 | 9.7% |
| Honda | CRF250L | 719 | 820 | -12.3% |
| Top 10 by Category – Scooters | ||||
| January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2018 | YTD 2017 | % CHAN | ||
| Honda | NSC110 | 597 | 310 | 92.6% |
| Suzuki | ADDRESS | 495 | 346 | 43.1% |
| Vespa | GTS 300 | 389 | 249 | 56.2% |
| Piaggio | Fly 150 | 309 | 306 | 1.0% |
| Honda | WW150 | 295 | 230 | 28.3% |
| Piaggio | ZIP 50 | 244 | 269 | -9.3% |
| Vespa | PRIMAVERA 150 | 236 | 187 | 26.2% |
| Honda | MW110 | 207 | 186 | 11.3% |
| Yamaha | XMAX300 | 169 | 39 | 333.3% |
| Yamaha | GPD150A | 126 | 0 | 100% |
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com