New motorcycle sales show signs of life
UK bikes sales are on the mend thanks in large part to scooters and two motorcycle segments.
New vehicle registrations are showing signs of life in the motorcycle segment, following a productive month of September for the UK.
A slow start to the year for new bike sales was met with a somewhat disastrous month of June, as numbers were down by 18 per cent compared to the same month in 2024. Year-to-date figures weren’t any prettier as motorcycle sales were down by 20.1 per cent from June 2024 through to the same month this year.
However, there have been some steady rises in motorcycle sales since, with September being one of those better months. Numbers posted by the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA), which collects data from mopeds, scooters, motorcycles and other specific vehicle types within the wider L-Category sector, shows that September was a good month for scooters in particular.
Scooter sales closed at a positive 1.5 per cent compared to the same month last year, while motorcycle sales were only down by 3 per cent. Being in a negative state compared to a number from the previous year might not sound all that great, but that’s a much lower deficit than some other months have produced so far this year.
In terms of the best performing motorcycle segments compared to September 2024, the ADV category was the clear and obvious standout. New adventure bike sales were up 21 per cent, while the sportbike category, which the MCIA refers to as “road sport” was also up by 8 per cent.
Excitingly for the bike market, these numbers across the entire motorcycle segment could continue to grow in the coming months as many brands will be unveiling new 2026 models at shows like EICMA and Motorcycle Live, both of which take place in November.
Speaking about the positive change in motorcycle sale numbers, Tony Campbell, CEO of MCIA, said:
“September has shown some excellent signs of recovery given the challenging year we have seen thus far. 2025 continues to be a tough trading environment for the retailers where consumer confidence remains low and margins are under continual pressure.
“Quarter 4 will be crucial for the sector where we hope the much-rumoured tax rises will be avoided in the November budget as this will only cause further harm to the economy. So far, this Government’s pledge to grow the economy is proving more difficult than they first thought but we are not seeing any signs that taxing their way-out strategy will change.
“We will continue to lobby hard on the rider license review and early in 2026 MCIA will be proposing to the Government, a sector specific growth package, designed to encourage the take up of Mopeds and Motorcycles to support the net zero goals.”
Quotes courtesy of the MCIA.
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After graduating with a sports journalism degree, Robert joined Crash.net to lead the WorldSBK coverage in 2021, while also providing MotoGP coverage. Fulfilling that role for over three years, Robert was able to put his knowledge about all things racing to the test.
