Motorcycle sales are continuing their slide and even picking up pace with a 14.6% drop in the first quarter of 2019.
It’s the biggest quarterly drop since the slide began in 2017 and cause for concern.
Some of the sales decline could be due to the uncertainty in the economy owing to the impending Federal Election.
According to data released today by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI), 18,438 motorcycles, ATVs and scooters were sold during the first three months of 2019.
That compares with 21,599 for the same period in 2018 when sales were down 13.4% on the previous year. Sales results for the full year of 2018 were down 8.7%.
All categories were affected by the tumbling pace of sales except scooters which were up 29.6% from a low base eroded over the past few years.
Pace leaders and losers
Honda was the overall leader with a 21.8% share of the national market, but a 17.4% drop in sales.
Yamaha was second with a 20.8% share (down 8.4% in sales) and Kawasaki with 11.8% (-6.8%).
Road motorcycles fell 19.2% as Harley-Davidson returned to the lead again with a 19.1% share even though Harley sales continued to plummet 17.8%.
Yamaha was second with 18.2% (down 8% in sales) and Honda with a share of 16.6%, but down a whopping 37.9%.
We suspect this is due to Australia Post not buying postie bikes which for the first time in decades are not in the top 10 bikes.
ROAD BIKES |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Honda | CB125E | 318 | 432 | -26.4% |
| Yamaha | MT07L | 281 | 233 | 20.6% |
| Kawasaki | NINJA 400 | 250 | 139 | 79.9% |
| Yamaha | MT-09 | 189 | 210 | -10.0% |
| Yamaha | YZF-R3A | 189 | 286 | -33.9% |
| Harley-Davidson | FXBRS | 185 | 208 | -11.1% |
| Yamaha | MT03LA | 180 | 202 | -10.9% |
| Honda | CMX500 | 171 | 192 | -10.9% |
| Harley-Davidson | FLFBS | 161 | 107 | 50.5% |
| Honda | GROM | 160 | 193 | -17.1% |
The ATV/SSV category showed a decline of 23.7%.Polaris maintained leadership with a 31.2% share, followed by Honda (19.5%) and Yamaha (18.4%).
Off-road sales fell 9.3%. Yamaha maintained its lead with a 27.8% share over Honda (26.4%) and KTM (18.1%).
Top 10 sales by category
Adventure Touring |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Suzuki | DR650SE | 121 | 139 | -12.9% |
| BMW | R 1250 GS Adventure | 97 | 0 | 100% |
| BMW | R 1250 GS | 85 | 0 | 100% |
| Honda | CRF1000 | 81 | 100 | -19.0% |
| Kawasaki | KLR650 | 70 | 79 | -11.4% |
| Suzuki | DL650 | 65 | 60 | 8.3% |
| Suzuki | DL1000 | 44 | 25 | 76.0% |
| BMW | G 310 GS | 44 | 66 | -33.3% |
| KTM | 1090ADVR | 37 | 54 | -31.5% |
| Husqvarna | 701END | 37 | 50 | -26.0% |
Cruiser |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Harley Davidson | FXBRS | 185 | 208 | -11.1% |
| Honda | CMX500 | 171 | 192 | -10.9% |
| Harley Davidson | FLFBS | 161 | 107 | 50.5% |
| Kawasaki | Vulcan S | 147 | 168 | -12.5% |
| Yamaha | XVS650/A | 140 | 94 | 48.9% |
| Indian Motorcycle | Scout | 96 | 147 | -34.7% |
| Harley Davidson | FLSB | 95 | 68 | 39.7% |
| Harley Davidson | FXFBS | 54 | 63 | -14.3% |
| Harley Davidson | XL883N | 53 | 70 | -24.3% |
| Harley Davidson | FXBB | 52 | 84 | -38.1% |
Naked |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Honda | CB125E | 318 | 432 | -26.4% |
| Yamaha | MT07L | 281 | 233 | 20.6% |
| Yamaha | MT-09 | 189 | 210 | -10.0% |
| Yamaha | MT03LA | 180 | 202 | -10.9% |
| Honda | GROM | 160 | 193 | -17.1% |
| Yamaha | XSR700LA | 99 | 77 | 28.6% |
| Kawasaki | Z900RS | 92 | 126 | -27.0% |
| KTM | 390DUKE | 78 | 71 | 9.9% |
| Honda | Monkey | 62 | 0 | 100% |
| Yamaha | MT10 | 58 | 74 | -21.6% |
Sport Touring |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Yamaha | YZF-R3A | 189 | 286 | -33.9% |
| Kawasaki | Ninja 650L | 95 | 86 | 10.5% |
| Yamaha | MT09TRA | 57 | 31 | 83.9% |
| Honda | CBR650FL | 43 | 69 | -37.7% |
| Kawasaki | VERSYS-X 300 | 41 | 42 | -2.4% |
| Suzuki | GSX-S125 | 40 | 18 | 122.2% |
| Kawasaki | Ninja 1000 | 35 | 43 | -18.6% |
| Suzuki | GSX-R125 | 34 | 15 | 126.7% |
| Yamaha | MT07TRL | 33 | 18 | 83.3% |
| Suzuki | GSX250R | 26 | 40 | -35.0% |
Super Sport |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Kawasaki | NINJA 400 | 250 | 139 | 79.9% |
| Honda | CBR500R | 82 | 186 | -55.9% |
| Honda | CBR1000RR | 67 | 35 | 91.4% |
| Ducati | Superbike | 58 | 0 | 100% |
| Honda | CBR600RR | 45 | 24 | 87.5% |
| KTM | RC390 | 39 | 58 | -32.8% |
| Yamaha | YZF-R1 | 37 | 32 | 15.6% |
| Kawasaki | Z400 | 36 | 0 | 100% |
| Suzuki | GSX-R750 | 35 | 17 | 105.9% |
| Kawasaki | Ninja ZX-6R | 32 | 11 | 190.9% |
Touring |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Harley Davidson | FLHXS | 112 | 54 | 107.4% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHTK | 66 | 34 | 94.1% |
| Harley Davidson | FLTRXS | 47 | 21 | 123.8% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHTCUTG | 43 | 36 | 19.4% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHRXS | 41 | 37 | 10.8% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHX | 30 | 33 | -9.1% |
| Harley Davidson | FLHXSE | 29 | 23 | 26.1% |
| BMW | R 1250 RT | 29 | 0 | 100% |
| Indian Motorcycle | Chieftain | 19 | 12 | 58.3% |
| Harley Davidson | FLTRX | 18 | 5 | 260.0% |
LAMS Approved |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Yamaha | WR450F | 332 | 183 | 81.4% |
| Honda | CB125E | 318 | 432 | -26.4% |
| Yamaha | MT07L | 281 | 233 | 20.6% |
| Honda | NSC110 | 270 | 105 | 157.1% |
| Kawasaki | NINJA 400 | 250 | 139 | 79.9% |
| Yamaha | YZF-R3A | 189 | 286 | -33.9% |
| Yamaha | MT03LA | 180 | 202 | -10.9% |
| Suzuki | ADDRESS | 177 | 48 | 268.8% |
| Honda | CMX500 | 171 | 192 | -10.9% |
| Honda | GROM | 160 | 193 | -17.1% |
Scooters |
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| January – March 2019 compared with 2018 | ||||
| Manufacturer | Model | Total | ||
| YTD 2019 | YTD 2018 | % CHAN | ||
| Honda | NSC110 | 270 | 105 | 157.1% |
| Suzuki | ADDRESS | 177 | 48 | 268.8% |
| Vespa | GTS 300 | 111 | 86 | 29.1% |
| Piaggio | Fly 150 | 89 | 120 | -25.8% |
| Honda | MW110 | 72 | 45 | 60.0% |
| Honda | WW150 | 69 | 70 | -1.4% |
| Yamaha | XMAX300 | 69 | 40 | 72.5% |
| Vespa | PRIMAVERA 150 | 61 | 60 | 1.7% |
| Honda | C125A | 47 | 0 | 100% |
| Piaggio | ZIP 50 | 45 | 73 | -38.4% |
FCAI members
It should be noted that 22 manufacturers are not included in the official FCAI figures.
They are mainly small-volume importers 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.
Source: MotorbikeWriter.com