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Japan- exports to Europe to August + 19.39 %
After two years of positive trends, and the distorted statistics at the end of 2024( due to pre-Euro 5 + inventory being preregistered before the December 31st, 2024 deadline), at this stage in 2025 it looks like European OE importers and distributors, and their dealers, are continuing to take higher levels of new unit inventory than might have been expected- especially at this time of year. The latest available data from JAMA( the automotive trade association in Japan, which includes representation of motorcycle manufacturers among its membership) shows total 250 cc + motorcycle exports to Europe up by + 19.39 % at 155,900 units for the first eight months of the year. A huge + 126.84 % spoke in August( 16,453 units) was the largest number for that month since 1999. There was likely an exceptional one-off shipping factor at play. As a result, total PTW exports to Europe also increased unexpectedly by + 17.78 % at
163,243 units YTD. Most relatively low displacement Japanese inventory for Europe is sourced from elsewhere or made here in Europe. The monthly export numbers have varied wildly- January was + 29.11 %( 20, 835 units) with February + 18.67 %( 25,206) despite the unsold ' pre-reg ' units that were sitting on showroom floors or in warehouses around Europe. March was + 1.16 % with May-13.44 %, before the + 126.84‘ blip’ in September. Is there another regulatory change upcoming? Regardless of the fluctuations, it would appear that there is real growth in Europe, at least where sales( or registrations at least) of Japanese made units are concerned, and there is evidence of this in the financial reports filed so far this year by the ' Big Four '. Total Japanese ' Big Four ' 250 + cc factory exports to the USA were + 4.54 % for the period from January to August at 63,567 units. Total worldwide YTD exports of 250 cc + motorcycles from the Ja7panese ' Big Four ' home factories were + 16.83 % at 282,829 units. Global total PTW unit exports were + 12.65 % at 330,283 units YTD.
300,000
225,000
150,000
75,000
Japanese exports to August
2024
130,575
2025
+ 19.39 %
155,900
MOTORCYCLE EXPORTS TO EUROPE
242,081
+ 16.83 %
282,829
WORLDWIDE MOTORCYCLE EXPORTS
Germany- January to August-25.93 %
The latest data from the German motorcycle industry association( IVM) show motorcycle registrations for the period to August 2025 following the same trend as that seen elsewhere with the decline in new model registrations slowing, but, in Germany ' s case, stabilising through the summer at a disappointing-25.93 % YTD( 78,245 units). Registrations were down by-21.47 % in May( 11,583 units),-18.18 % in June( 10,768 units), an improved-8.08 %( 12,095 units) in July, but-25.78 %( 8,233 units) in August. For the record, registrations were recorded as-51.15 % in January,-46.28 % in February,-33.56 % in March, and-20.16 %( 13,782 units) in April. It is to be hoped that, as seen elsewhere, the holiday month of August will not be representative of the final four months of the year in Germany. At present the best that can be said is that the trend that appeared to be headed back towards some kind of equilibrium has stalled. Total PTW registrations to August in Germany were-25.31 % at 127,297 units YTD. The traditional top seller- the BMW R 1300 GS-
150,000
100,000
50,000
German registrations to August
170,426
-25.31 %
127,297
PTW
105,643
2024 2025
-25.93 %
78,245
MOTORCYCLE
remains top of the pile in Germany with 6,457 units sold YTD for an 8.24 % market share. The Z900 is second( 3,818 units / 4.88 % share), with the CBR 650 R third( 1,929 units sold for a 2.47 % share). The MT-07 is fourth, followed by the CB 1000 Hornet, CB 750 Hornet, MT-09, BMW F 900 R, Ninja
650 and BMW F 800 GS in 10th spot( 1,040 units sold for a 1.28 % share). With 11 models in the list of 50 best-sellers in Germany, it ' s no surprise that BMW remains top dog in its home market, with a 21.37 % market share( 16,719 units). What is a surprise though is just how much closer Honda are in second spot now, with a 20.72 % market share with 16,213 registered YTD. Kawasaki( 15.42 %/ 12,066 units) is in third followed by Yamaha fourth( 7.44 %/ 5,824 unit) and Triumph in fifth with a 6.66 % share on 5,214 units sold. They are followed by Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Suzuki, Aprilia and KTM tenth. In electric light motorcycles Zero remains ahead, with a 13.53 % share( 249 units registered YTD). It is followed by Vmoto( 4.95 %/ 91 units), Kawasaki( 3.04 % share, 56 units), Bombardier( CAN AM) with 2.12 % share / 39 units, and Electric Motion in fifth( 23 units / 1.25 % share). A total of 1,840 electric light motorcycles were registered between January and August, up from 1,029 units for the year ago period.
UK- registrations to September-14.92 %
As elsewhere in Europe, the latest new motorcycle registration data available from the Motorcycle Industry Association( MCIA) in the UK( January- September 2025) show the UK motorcycle market still( presumably) suffering from the 2024 Q4 ' prereg ' Euro 5 + side effects with new motorcycle registrations down by-14.92 % at 72,996 units. Based on reports elsewhere( anecdotal and otherwise) there can be no doubt that the UK market will be down for the 2025 full year, even allowing for the ' pre-reg ' issues. July registrations were down by ' just '-2.51 % at 8,547 units, but they had been-13.73 %,-11.99 % and-18.27 % in April, May and
June respectively. August was down by-10.23 %( 6,439 units) with September down by-1.65 %( 10,788). While it may be tempting to see a trend at play here, September is one of the two months a year when the 6-month new registration plate cycle traditionally triggers a spike in new unit registrations- a strange and idiosyncratically British phenomena. It ' s difficult to estimate how much the Q4 2024 ' prereg ' issue is affecting the UK market still, but our analysis suggested that Q4, 2025 saw some 8,000 to 10,000 units distorting the year end registration data in the UK. This would mean that, by now, the
90,000
60,000
30,000
UK Registrations to September
89,817
-15.14 %
PTW
76,220
2024
85,798
2025
-14.92 %
72,996
MOTORCYCLE
market should be largely out from under that shadow, so what we are seeing is evidence of genuine 2025 UK market decline. www. idnmag. com INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS- NOVEMBER / DECMEBER 2025 25