UK Motorcycle sales recovery gathers pace, sales up 31% in August

Motorcycle sales in the UK get another huge boost in August 2020 with sales a taking a huge 31.2% leap ovet the same period in 2019

Yamaha Tenere 700

The strong recovery of the motorcycle industry following the end of 2020’s protracted lockdown period continued into August with sales climbing more than 30% compared with the same period in 2019.

Following on from similarly buoyant returns to the black in both June and July, the third of the summer months continued the momentum with 9,087 PTWs (powered two wheelers) being shifted over the course of the month.

That’s compared with 6,924 units in 2019, totalling a huge 31.2% boost year-on-year, according to the Motorcycles Industry Association (MCIA).

All categories enjoyed sizeable gains over 2019, notably the Adventure Sport (+31.1%), Naked motorcycles (+34.4%) and Touring motorcycles (+43.6%) sectors.

The strong return to form means the industry is unlikely to suffer such a huge gulf in end of year sales.

Indeed, even the MCIA predicted sales could be as much as 25% down over the 12 month period, but while the deficit come the end of May stood at 35.5% year-on-year, this has already been slimmed down to 11.7%.

What was the UK’s best-selling motorcycles of August 2020?

No great surprises as Honda continued to consolidate its dominant #1 position in the sales charts, the Japanese firm shifting 1,598 PTWs and having the best-selling model of the month in the Honda PCX 125 scooter.

Yamaha maintained its customary second place spot behind Honda with 881 sales in August 2020, its most eye-catching performer being the Yamaha Tenere 700, which topped the charts in the Adventure Sport class.

Lexmoto ended the month the third best selling brand, ahead of Kawasaki - helped by the Ninja 1000 SX holding firm at the top of the Sport Touring sector - KTM and BMW, the overseas brands getting the better of Britain’s Triumph Motorcycles on home soil.

Suzuki held down eighth overall, with Piaggio and Harley-Davidson rounding out the top ten.

CATEGORYHIGHEST SELLING NEW REGISTRATIONSAug 2020
SCOOTER (MOPED)Lexmoto ECHO 5070
OTHER (MOPED)Lexmoto ASPIRE 50 TD 50 Q-246
SCOOTERHonda PCX 125237
ADVENTURE SPORTYamaha Tenere 70085
CUSTOMHonda CMX 500 Rebel75
NAKEDHonda CB 125F168
SPORT/TOURKawasaki Ninja 1000 SX71
SUPERSPORTLexmoto LXR 125 SY 125-10105
TOURINGYamaha FJR 1300 AE28
TRAIL/ENDUROKTM 690 Enduro R30

RANKMAJOR BRANDSAug 2020
1Honda1,598
2Yamaha881
7Triumph705
3Lexmoto614
6BMW550
5KTM462
4Kawasaki445
8Suzuki376
9Piaggio348
10Harley-Davidson269