Yamaha is still Australia’s #1 brand when it comes to off-road motorcycles ahead of Honda and KTM. The rankings by brand, and their change compared to 2018, can be seen in the table below.
Further tables below show the top tens by each individual category segment. We do not decide which models are in which category, that is decided by the FCAI in conjunction with their industry partners as to how the data is compiled.
2019 Off-Road Motorcycle Sales (Brand) 2019
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Off Road
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Yamaha
10481
11055
-5.2%
Honda
9854
9807
0.5%
KTM
5781
5900
-2.0%
Kawasaki
3650
3567
2.3%
Suzuki
2306
2526
-8.7%
Husqvarna
2226
1986
12.1%
TOTAL
34298
34841
-1.6%
Top Selling Off-Road Motorcycles 2019
Top 10 by Category – Off Road Bikes
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Honda
CRF50F
2052
2159
-5.0%
Yamaha
PW50
1983
1953
1.5%
Honda
CRF110F
1847
1487
24.2%
Kawasaki
KLX110
1613
1246
29.5%
Yamaha
TTR50E
1562
1715
-8.9%
Yamaha
WR450F
1206
1136
6.2%
Yamaha
TTR110E
1102
1048
5.2%
KTM
300EXC
837
1052
-20.4%
Honda
CRF250F
796
0
100%
KTM
500EXC
762
746
2.1%
Top Selling Enduro Motorcycles 2019
Top 10 by Category – Enduro
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Yamaha
WR450F
1206
1136
6.2%
KTM
300EXC
837
1052
-20.4%
KTM
500EXC
762
746
2.1%
KTM
350EXCF
716
620
15.5%
KTM
450EXC
460
400
15.0%
Honda
CRF450L
397
258
53.9%
Yamaha
WR250R
315
306
2.9%
Husqvarna
TE300
314
282
11.3%
Yamaha
WR250F
291
382
-23.8%
Husqvarna
FE350
255
220
15.9%
Top Selling Motocross Motorcycles 2019
Top 10 by Category – Moto Cross
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Yamaha
YZ250F
672
797
-15.7%
Yamaha
YZ450F
642
768
-16.4%
Honda
CRF450R
537
736
-27.0%
Honda
CRF250R
498
587
-15.2%
KTM
85SX
429
461
-6.9%
Kawasaki
KX450
364
512
-28.9%
Kawasaki
KX250
350
418
-16.3%
Yamaha
YZ65
349
349
0.0%
KTM
450SXF
346
381
-9.2%
KTM
50SX
337
313
7.7%
Top Selling Farm Motorcycles 2019
Top 10 by Category – Farm
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Honda
XR190
481
659
-27.0%
Suzuki
TROJAN
448
526
-14.8%
Yamaha
AG200
248
286
-13.3%
Honda
XR150L
175
285
-38.6%
Yamaha
AG125
157
138
13.8%
Kawasaki
Stockman 250
118
160
-26.3%
Suzuki
TF125
52
54
-3.7%
Honda
CTX200
9
20
-55.0%
Yamaha
AG100
3
20
-85.0%
Top Selling Fun Motorcycles 2019
Top 10 by Category – Fun
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Honda
CRF50F
2052
2159
-5.0%
Yamaha
PW50
1983
1953
1.5%
Honda
CRF110F
1847
1487
24.2%
Kawasaki
KLX110
1613
1246
29.5%
Yamaha
TTR50E
1562
1715
-8.9%
Yamaha
TTR110E
1102
1048
5.2%
Honda
CRF125FB
714
644
10.9%
Honda
CRF125F
479
452
6.0%
Kawasaki
KLX140
465
408
14.0%
Yamaha
TTR125E/LWE
423
522
-19.0%
Top Selling Trail Motorcycles 2019
Top 10 by Category – Trail
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Honda
CRF250F
796
0
100%
Honda
CRF230F
727
1095
-33.6%
Suzuki
DR-Z400E
613
793
-22.7%
Honda
CRF250L
603
719
-16.1%
Yamaha
TTR230/A
308
388
-20.6%
Kawasaki
KLX150BF
250
348
-28.2%
Yamaha
XT250
151
151
0.0%
Kawasaki
KLX250S
132
227
-41.9%
Suzuki
DR-Z250
113
203
-44.3%
Suzuki
DR200S
101
97
4.1%
ATV
2019 ATV Sales (Brand)
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
ATV
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Polaris
5119
5443
-6.0%
Honda
3749
4605
-18.6%
Yamaha
3748
3913
-4.2%
BRP Australia
2358
2423
-2.7%
Suzuki
1485
1770
-16.1%
Kawasaki
1447
1413
2.4%
TOTAL
17906
19567
-8.5%
Top Selling ATV’s (Model)
Top 10 by Category – ATVs
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Yamaha
YFM450FB/P
696
697
-0.1%
Polaris
Sportsman 570
613
796
-23.0%
Yamaha
YFM90R
585
717
-18.4%
Honda
TRX420FM
505
593
-14.8%
Honda
TRX500FM
502
561
-10.5%
Honda
TRX250TM
397
737
-46.1%
Yamaha
YFZ50R
369
347
6.3%
Yamaha
YFM700FA
367
326
12.6%
Yamaha
YFM350F
354
466
-24.0%
Polaris
OUTLAW 50
343
357
-3.9%
Top Selling Off-Road 4 Wheel SSV(Model)
Top 10 by Category – Off-Road 4 wheel SSV
January – December 2019 compared to January – December 2018
Manufacturer
Model
Total
YTD 2019
YTD 2018
% CHAN
Polaris
ACE 570
195
23
747.8%
Polaris
ACE 500
121
245
-50.6%
Polaris
ACE 150
44
28
57.1%
Polaris
ACE 900
7
3
133.3%
Polaris
ACE 325
1
1
0.0%
What about the other brands….?
It should be noted that some brands are not represented in the official audit figures in relation to motorcycle sales. Brands under the UMI group such as MV Agusta, Royal Enfield and Gas Gas, along with the likes of Sherco, CF Moto, Kymco and SWM which come under the stewardship of Mojo Motorcycles, are not included in the sales figures as these companies choose not to be members of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries.
An educated guesstimate suggests that these brands represent around 10-15 per cent of the whole market, thus the data is formulated from audited figures that cover around 85-90 per cent of the motorcycles sold in Australia.
Along with compiling motorcycles sales data, the FCAI is the primary organisation funded by the motorcycle industry to deal with government agencies. FCAI helped lobby for the Learner Approved Motorcycles Scheme and the Recreational Registration Scheme. They also lobby for exemptions on tightening emissions schemes in relation to motorcycles, and helping to prevent governments trying to restrict or ban the use of ATVs.
Ducati is the latest manufacturer to announce it will take over the direct import of its bikes into Australia from local company NF Importers next year.
It follows a similar announcement by KTM/Husqvarna earlier this year and Harley-Davidson about 15 years ago.
From next year there will be 11 direct importing manufacturers in our market and there could be more to follow.
So what does manufacturer direct importing mean for customers and dealers?
The 70-year-old has more than 40 years’ industry experience and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2012 for his service to motorcycling. (See more career highlights at the end of this article.)
Affect on dealers
“My introduction to the motorcycle industry was at Milledge Brothers. Alex Milledge had a great relationship with his dealers. He was a consistent entity as were his dealers,” Stuart says.
“Policy was straightforward and consistent. His door was open to his dealers and together they did well selling bikes he imported.”
Stuart says that when manufacturers move into direct importing, their policy is “not straightforward and corporate manoeuvres occur regularly”.
“Senior appointments often come from head office without local industry knowledge.
“Their emphasis is mainly on ‘moving iron’,” he says.
“Factories may force their subsidiaries to take numbers local management don’t want.”
Stuart also says there can be a lack of talent among the Australian staff.
“Locals who work for the manufacturers can be an issue as they don’t have any skin in the game and it’s rare to find one who has actually run a successful business,” he says.
“Dealers get frustrated with the constant changes and the regretfully incompetent representatives appointed by incompetent management. It creates havoc for dealers who work under a dictatorial franchise system.”
Stuart says manufacturers do not seem concerned about the business viability of dealers.
“Rarely does return on investment get discussed,” he says.
“Dealers are issued with constant franchise breaches which are used to intimidate and wear down resistance to policy that is often unfair.”
Cheaper bikes?
Pricing motorcycles can be a complex issue for the direct importer, Stuart says.
One of the most vexing points for importers are the tax implications.
He says the tax office in the manufacturer’s home country as well as the export country each want their fair share of the manufacturer’s revenue.
“It’s easy for manufacturers to set pricing so they make more profit in their home country than in the subsidiaries countries,” he says.
“But the tax offices are on to this. They compare revenue and tax with like businesses and if they believe there is anything irregular there can be heavy fines.”
Stuart says exchange rates also have a huge impact on retail pricing.
“A weak Australia dollar is great for exporters but bad news for importers,” he says.
“No manufacturer wants to be sitting on piles of obsolete or uncompetitive models, impeding financial competence.”
He says there are many factors influencing retail price and buyers should be wary of manufacturers who get the local release price wrong.
This can result in massive discounting when the model fails to sell at a too-high price.
“This can have a huge impact on resale and trade values,” Stuart says.
Model choice
Australia’s market size also has issues for direct importers on which models to import.
“A great degree of skill is required to pick models that the buyers want and more skill to price it right at introduction,” he says.
“Australia has very little if no influence on model development and currently sits in 32nd place in terms of volume in the world.”
However, he says companies such as Honda which he worked for have been able to use Australia to test new models.
“If they can get it wrong here, there isn’t too much global impact on the company.
“Although it’s not big, Australia is a sophisticated market, so it’s an excellent place to trial things.”
More direct imports?
Will more manufacturers decide to take over their own imports?
“There has to be a tipping point where they show interest,” Stuart says.
Ducati sold less than 2000 last year and the only brand with more sales that is not directly imported is Triumph (2122).
“Triumph would have to be having a look at it,” Stuart says.
“It all comes back to what the parent company is doing and whether they are interested in investing money and staff in Australia.”
Australian motorcycle sales took another 8.1% dive in the third quarter which contributes to a 33-month downturn in the industry.
By comparison, car sales are down 7.9% last month which is the 18th month in a row of decline, according to official data released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
FCAI boss, Toby Weber, who is learning to ride a motorcycle, says the bike and car sales decline is “in line with the broader economic environment in Australia”.
“We have seen many factors, including multiple weather events, Federal and State elections, and tightened lending practices contribute to the overall economic conditions,” he says.
In the nine months this year, 62,898 motorcycles, ATVs and scooters were sold, compared with 68,460 for the same period in 2018.
Honda was the overall leader with a 23.1% share of the national market, followed by Yamaha with 21% and Kawasaki with 10.6%.
Road bikes dive
The biggest drop was in road bikes, which took a 13.8% dive.
Harley-Davidson was the road bike leader again with a 19.6% share, while Honda had 16.8% and Yamaha 16.6%.
Honda used to lead this segment, but as been hit by Australia Post not buying postie bikes, but converting to three-wheeler electric bikes.
Australia Post postie bike electric trike eDV
Across the industry segments, Scooters defied the trend, with a 14.5% climb in sales during the first three quarters.
Honda held a 39.9% scooter share, followed by Vespa with 14.8% and Piaggio with 14.2%.
The ATV/SSV took a 11.3% dive with Polaris the leader on 28.1% share, followed by Honda 22.5% and Yamaha 19.3%.
Off-road category sales fell 2.4%, led by Yamaha 28.1% share, Honda 27.4% and KTM 18.8%.
A 2015 US motorcycle industry study found that the availability of demo rides not only improved customer satisfaction of dealerships but also increased motorcycle sales.
The ninth annual Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index (PSI) US Motorcycle Industry Benchmarking Study found that test rides were offered 63% of the time to mystery shoppers compared with 34% five years earlier.
It also found sales staff encouraged customers to sit on a bike 81% of the time, up from 70%.
A good dealer experience also translated to improved sales, with dealerships ranking in the top quarter selling 22% more motorcycles than dealerships in the bottom quarter.
It found Harley-Davidson, BMW and Ducati the most aggressive in offering test rides.
It is no coincidence that every Pied Piper study for the past decade or more has been led by those same three companies.
Aussie test rides
While there is no equivalent study in Australia, the results are perhaps indicative of strict global manufacturer training standards of dealer staff and attitudes to offering demo rides.
The lack of demo rides is one of the biggest complaints about dealerships we receive at MotorBikeWriter.com.
But many of these are for popular new models where demand outstrips supply and every bike that comes into the dealership is already sold.
Perhaps the most aggressive brands offering test rides in Australia are Harley-Davidson, BMW and Indian.
Harley not only offers test rides to licensed riders, but also offers a static ride to unlicensed riders with their Jump Start program.
It’s rare for any dealer to offer test rides of off-road or adventure bikes because of the risk of damage, but BMW even hosts annual GS demo ride days around the country.
And Indian throws in free fuel and accommodation on their weekend demo ride offers!
We only have our own experiences and anecdotes of readers to go on, but it seems Japanese brands are the worst at allowing test rides.
Maybe that has to do with complacency because they are the four biggest sellers.
Sales trends
But with their sales down between 6.8-17.4% in the first quarter, they need to pick up their act.
It may cost more to have demo bikes available, but the results speak for themselves.
The motorcycle industry grapples with this basic sales technique.
Some dealers just see the cost of bike depreciation, fuel and staff time to take riders on escorted demo rides, rather than looking at long-term customer goodwill.
It also requires the manufacturers or importers to back them up with demo bikes and allow them to later sell them at a discount.
Riders see buying a bike as a lottery unless they can actually throw a leg over and feel the bike.
They need to evaluate the ergonomics for their body size, hear the noises, test the power and handling, and even feel the heat from the engine.
Have you ever been denied a demo ride? What did you do? Did you go elsewhere and buy the same bike or another brand? Leave your comments below.
A 2015 US motorcycle industry study found that the availability of demo rides not only improved customer satisfaction of dealerships but also increased motorcycle sales.
The ninth annual Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index (PSI) US Motorcycle Industry Benchmarking Study found that test rides were offered 63% of the time to mystery shoppers compared with 34% five years earlier.
It also found sales staff encouraged customers to sit on a bike 81% of the time, up from 70%.
A good dealer experience also translated to improved sales, with dealerships ranking in the top quarter selling 22% more motorcycles than dealerships in the bottom quarter.
It found Harley-Davidson, BMW and Ducati the most aggressive in offering test rides.
It is no coincidence that every Pied Piper study for the past decade or more has been led by those same three companies.
Aussie test rides
While there is no equivalent study in Australia, the results are perhaps indicative of strict global manufacturer training standards of dealer staff and attitudes to offering demo rides.
The lack of demo rides is one of the biggest complaints about dealerships we receive at MotorBikeWriter.com.
But many of these are for popular new models where demand outstrips supply and every bike that comes into the dealership is already sold.
Perhaps the most aggressive brands offering test rides in Australia are Harley-Davidson, BMW and Indian.
Harley not only offers test rides to licensed riders, but also offers a static ride to unlicensed riders with their Jump Start program.
It’s rare for any dealer to offer test rides of off-road or adventure bikes because of the risk of damage, but BMW even hosts annual GS demo ride days around the country.
And Indian throws in free fuel and accommodation on their weekend demo ride offers!
We only have our own experiences and anecdotes of readers to go on, but it seems Japanese brands are the worst at allowing test rides.
Maybe that has to do with complacency because they are the four biggest sellers.
Sales trends
But with their sales down between 6.8-17.4% in the first quarter, they need to pick up their act.
It may cost more to have demo bikes available, but the results speak for themselves.
The motorcycle industry grapples with this basic sales technique.
Some dealers just see the cost of bike depreciation, fuel and staff time to take riders on escorted demo rides, rather than looking at long-term customer goodwill.
It also requires the manufacturers or importers to back them up with demo bikes and allow them to later sell them at a discount.
Riders see buying a bike as a lottery unless they can actually throw a leg over and feel the bike.
They need to evaluate the ergonomics for their body size, hear the noises, test the power and handling, and even feel the heat from the engine.
Have you ever been denied a demo ride? What did you do? Did you go elsewhere and buy the same bike or another brand? Leave your comments below.
Now, we’re not talking about the regret people feel when they get out of motorcycling altogether. This is usually brought on by marriage, the arrival of kids, financial woes or simply getting too old to ride any more.
We are talking about the regret you can feel when you have sold a bike to buy another.
You will go through a honeymoon period with your new bike, loving all the extra power, tech, comfort, etc that it offers.
Some of it can be tied up in buyer’s regret if they think they made the wrong decision. Then, they convince themselves that they should never have sold.
Even if you love your new bike there could be some time down the road where you develop a tinge of regret that you sold your old bike.
It could be a physical feature that is missing from your new bike or it could just be the intrinsic value it held because of the places and adventures it took you on.
It can also be regret about the amount of time you spent customising it and getting it suited to your style. After all, you never recoup that time and expense when you sell.
Some riders sell because they want to move to a different type of riding. A typical example is going from sportsbikes to adventure bikes, then they miss the track days! (Or vice versa.)
My collection of regrets
My sons-in-law with my bikes on the rare occasion I had more than one at a time
On several occasions motorcycle and car collectors have told me they became a collector simply because they never sold anything.
If you think about it, you may have quite a collection now if you had never sold a bike.
But economics, garage space and an abrasive spouse usually means selling a bike is inevitable and can lead to regret.
I probably suffer seller’s regret more than a lot of other riders because I am tempted by so many new bikes I get to road-test.
For example, in the past 20 years, I have owned 19 bikes! Most of the time I only have one in the garage at any one time.
Consequently, I have left behind a trail of gems that could have been the makings of a great motorcycle collection.
Perhaps my two biggest seller regrets are a BMW HP2 Enduro and a Ducati GT1000. The latter was rare and appreciated in value while the latter had been customised to a high standard and you always lose money on accessories.
Why oh why did I sell the Ducati GT1000?
How to avoid seller’s regret
Here is a list of things you can do to avoid that feeling of regret when you inevitably sell your motorcycle for an upgrade:
Don’t sell it. Find a reason to put it aside. Maybe de-register and un-insure it until such time as you want to ride it again;
Sell it to a friend or relative who will let you periodically ride it again, even if it’s just to remind yourself how much better your new bike is;
Take lots of photos of your bike before you sell it. They are good for nostalgia, but also to remind you of the bike’s shortcomings. For example, if it leaks, get photos of the oil on the garage floor;
Never join a maker or model club as you will then have the extra regret of leaving behind club mates when you move to another make or model. However, if it’s an upgrade to the latest model, you may still be able to stay in the club.
Stay in touch with the person you sell the bike to in case seller’s regret is so great you need to buy the bike back. (I still have the phone numbers of the riders who bought the HP2 and GT1000!)
Which bike do you regret selling and why? Leave your comments below.
Half of all new Harley-Davidson motorcycles are bought by riders aged up to 34 years, female and ethnically diverse, says CEO and president Matt Levatich.
His claims came in the announcement of the 2019 first-quarter results which show global sales down 3.8% to 49,151. Revenue was down $US1.38b (10.2%) and net income down $US127.9m.
Matt says of the 278,000 new buyers of Harley-Davidson motorcycles in the US last year, half were either under 34, female or ethnically diverse.
“This group is the most diverse across age, ethnicity and gender in all the years we’ve tracked this data,” he says.
“These results continued into 2019. Of the total U.S. new retail sales in Q1, the mix of 18 to 34-year olds was up 2.6 percentage points and the number of young people participating in Riding Academy and taking test rides was also up over last year.”
Harley’s Riding Academy
He also says “young adults” also comprise a quarter of the “initial interest” in the electric LiveWire which is due in September in the US and Europe at $US29,990 (about $A42,500).
It will arrive in Australia late next year.
Harley-Davidson Livewire
Trade wars
Matt says the company faced several sales hurdles in the past year, “including the impact of the ongoing trade wars”.
The trade wars started when President Donald Trump erroneously complained about 100% tariffs on Harleys into India.
It has since escalated into hiked tariffs on Harleys into Europe and China and higher US tariffs on imported steel and aluminium. Harley has not put a figure on the increased cost of raw materials but Polaris last year said it cost them $30m.
“The tariff mitigation we realised allowed more competitive pricing and access to more customers,” Matt says.
“As a result, we saw Q1 retail sales in emerging ASEAN markets increase by 126%.
“We plan to supply China from Thailand by the end of the year, further leveraging the value of this aspect of our strategy.”
The 10 ASEAN members are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Harley-Davidson Australia spokesman Keith Waddell says the company has confirmed to them that “motorcycles for Australia will not be assembled in Thailand”.
The love of motorcycle ownership could be replaced by the love of riding with an increase in ride sharing and rental expected in the next 10 years at the expense of motorcycle sales.
A Fact.MR report has surprisingly found that increased traffic congestion and population is discouraging people from buying motorcycles. Perhaps they are finding it too dangerous to ride.
They also say millennials, who are estimated to hold the largest share in global demographics, prefer to share and buy or even ride motorcycles.
Ride sharing growth
However, these factors are expected to contribute to a growth in motorcycle sales to rental services such as the new Scooti “taxi” ride sharing service which recently started in Melbourne, as well as motorcycle tour companies
The report suggests these sharing services are bolstered by the development of sophisticated technologies such as data analytics, Internet of Things and the growth of automated vehicles.
Motorcycle manufacturers are not oblivious to the changes and are investing heavily in the industry.
Yamaha has invested US$150m ($A210m) in Grab, a bike rental service operational in Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia.
They plan to develop affordable motorcycles available for rental purposes.
BMW has also launched its own bike rental service in Germany, France, and Austria. If successful, the Bavarian company plans to expand its services around the globe.
The popularity of overseas motorcycle tours is also driving the demand for rental sports bikes, cruisers, and adventure bikes, the Fact.MR report says.
“A significant increase in recreational activities coupled with the development of lightweight and high-performance motorcycle suitable for different terrains is also fuelling the sales of adventure and touring motorcycles,” it says.
Electric damper
Harley’s coming electric bicycle
The report also claims the acceleration and handling capabilities of many new e-bikes (electric bicycles) is so similar to many small bikes and scooters, they are expected to cannibalise motorcycle sales.
The report says many e-bikes have value-added features such as ABS, superior suspension, and fat tyres for better grip and handling.
The availability of affordable e-bike models will also sabotage more expensive electric motorcycles, the report says.
Australia’s Motorcycle Market (which includes the ATV/SSV and scooter market), overall fell 8.7 per cent in 2018, with total sales for the full calendar year of 95,080.
That 2018 total is down from the total of 104,111 achieved in 2017. That 2017 total in itself was well down from what had been a pretty strong 2016, a year that saw overall sales of 114,783. That 2016 result was the fifth highest sales result in history, and the strongest year for the industry since 2009.
A drop of almost 20,000 units since 2016 though has been a hefty blow for the industry, and one that in some part, according to many industry insiders, has been affected by the clampdown in lending rules that has taken place throughout Australia in the wake of the Banking Royal Commission. We covered many other reasons that might contribute towards the turndown in this recent well received editorial (Link).
Overall figures, comprising all sectors, road, off-road, ATV and scooter, put Honda as #1 despite a 5.9 per cent drop for Big Red. Honda were 9 per cent down on road sales, 2 per cent down off-road, 17.3 per cent down in ATV sales but achieved an impressive 48.4 per cent boost in their scooter sales. Overall, Honda have a 23.9 per cent share of the market.
Yamaha enjoy 22.2 per cent of the overall market and almost matched their 2017 results, only 1.1 per cent down compared to that calendar year. Yamaha picked up 2.5 per cent on road, were down a marginal 0.6 per cent off-road. Like Honda, Yamaha took a hefty hit to their ATV sales which were down 11.2 per cent, but benefitted from a strong surge in scooter sales.
Behind those two titans Kawasaki was a distant third with 9,376 sales (9.9% share), followed by Suzuki (7,557 sales and 7.9% market share). Kawasaki are down 6.1 per cent while Suzuki took a 16.1 per cent hit in sales, primarily due to a 32.9 per cent drop in off-road sales for the Hamamatsu based brand.
Harley-Davidson (7,019 sales and 7.4% market share) rounded out the top five after suffering a 21.2 per cent drop in sales.
2018 Motorcycle Sales Figures Overall figures inclusive of Road, Off-Road, Scooter and ATV
COMPARISON REPORT
January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017
Manufacturer
Total
YTD 2018
YTD 2017
% CHAN
Honda
22735
24166
-5.9%
Yamaha
21145
21387
-1.1%
Kawasaki
9376
9986
-6.1%
Suzuki
7557
9012
-16.1%
KTM
7497
7590
-1.2%
Harley Davidson
7019
8903
-21.2%
Polaris
5443
6583
-17.3%
BMW
2922
3029
-3.5%
BRP Australia
2423
2416
0.3%
Husqvarna
2251
2647
-15.0%
Triumph
2122
2301
-7.8%
Ducati
1512
1968
-23.2%
Vespa
884
840
5.2%
Piaggio
863
1016
-15.1%
Indian Motorcycle
836
769
8.7%
Aprilia
334
436
-23.4%
Moto Guzzi
125
146
-14.4%
Victory Motorcycle
36
284
-87.3%
Other
0
632
-100.0%
TOTAL
95080
104111
-8.7%
2018 Motorcycle Sales Figures Road Only
In 2018 the road bike sector comprised 38.2 per cent of overall sales volume while the off-road contingent amounted to 36.6 per cent. Road bike sales were down 9.6 per cent while off-road was down 6.8 per cent.
Honda’s CB125E (1113 sales – up 58.5 per cent) commuter motorcycle is Australia’s top selling road-bike ahead of Kawasaki’s Ninja 400 (1089 sales – new model), Yamaha’s MT07L (1002 sales – down 2.9 per cent) and Harley Davidson’s XG500 Street (944 sales – down 20.1 per cent). Harley-Davidson and Honda tied for top spot in road bike sales with 7019 units each.
Yamaha was next best on 5702 ahead of Kawasaki at 4396 and BMW on 2835.
Suzuki were sixth on road bike sales ahead of Triumph, KTM and Ducati while Indian rounded out the roadbike top ten for brands with an 8.7 up-tick in sales for the American cruiser specialist.
Ducati were down a hefty 23.2 per cent which saw them shuffled behind KTM on road bike sales volume.
January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017
Manufacturer
Road
YTD 2018
YTD 2017
% CHAN
Harley Davidson
7019
8903
-21.2%
Honda
7019
7717
-9.0%
Yamaha
5702
5564
2.5%
Kawasaki
4396
4516
-2.7%
BMW
2835
2927
-3.1%
Suzuki
2686
2591
3.7%
Triumph
2122
2301
-7.8%
KTM
1597
1758
-9.2%
Ducati
1512
1968
-23.2%
Indian Motorcycle
836
769
8.7%
Husqvarna
265
186
42.5%
Aprilia
194
196
-1.0%
Moto Guzzi
125
146
-14.4%
Victory Motorcycle
36
284
-87.3%
Other
0
370
-100.0%
TOTAL
36344
40196
-9.6%
2018 Motorcycle Sales Figures Off-Road Only
Kids bikes dominate the off-road charts with Honda’s CRF50F officially the biggest selling motorcycle in Australia with 2159 lucky kids receiving one in 2018, that number down 8.6 per cent though on the 2361 kids that scored one in 2017.
Yamaha’s PW50 was Australia’s second biggest selling off-roader at 1953 sales (up 5.9 per cent), and its TT-R50E sibling also strong at 1715 sales (down 6.4 per cent). That duo helped Yamaha to cement its position as Australia’s #1 off-road brand ahead of Honda.
KTM’s off-road sales picked up slightly to strengthen their third place position on the back of some stellar performances for their expansive EXC range in the enduro sector. KTM were the only manufacturer not to go backwards in regard to off-road sales.
January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017
Manufacturer
Off Road
YTD 2018
YTD 2017
% CHAN
Yamaha
11055
11122
-0.6%
Honda
9807
10004
-2.0%
KTM
5900
5832
1.2%
Kawasaki
3567
4013
-11.1%
Suzuki
2526
3762
-32.9%
Husqvarna
1986
2461
-19.3%
Other
0
185
-100.0%
TOTAL
34841
37379
-6.8%
2018 Motorcycle Sales Figures ATV Only
The ATV/SSV market took another hefty 13.7 per cent whack to the bottom line but still comprises 20.6 of the overall sales volume. The Polaris Sporstman 570 the biggest seller despite a 29.6 per cent drop in volume and Polaris remain the biggest selling ATV brand ahead of Honda and Yamaha.
January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017
Manufacturer
ATV
YTD 2018
YTD 2017
% CHAN
Polaris
5443
6583
-17.3%
Honda
4605
5566
-17.3%
Yamaha
3913
4407
-11.2%
BRP Australia
2423
2416
0.3%
Suzuki
1770
2255
-21.5%
Kawasaki
1413
1457
-3.0%
TOTAL
19567
22684
-13.7%
2018 Motorcycle Sales Figures Scooter Only
While only a slender 4.6 per cent of total sales, scooters, after some hefty downturns in recent years, have bucked that trend and are 12.4 per cent stronger than they were in 2017. Honda’s NSC110 leads the way with 597 sales ahead of Suzuki’s Address.
Honda extended their lead over Vespa as Australia’s most favoured scooter manufacturer.
January – December 2018 compared to January – December 2017