International Dealer News IDN 119 June/July 2014 | Page 10

STATZONE German motorcycle registrations up over 13% for first four months of 2014 FOR the first time since September last year, and only the eighth time since January 2012, motorcycle registrations in Germany were down in April. At -3.76 percent (15,412 units) the variance over April 2013 (which was itself over 26 percent up on April 2012) industry analysts are saying that this is likely to be as a result of Easter timing, and that the March market in Germany included some boost as a result of changed Easter timing. For the year to date, German motorcycle registrations are running at 13.07 percent up, on volume of 44,029 units (compared to 38,940 units for the first four GERMANY, YEAR TO DATE 60,000 +13.22% +13 2014 2013 50,000 +13.07% 44,029 38,940 20,000 52,597 UNITS 30,000 59,550 40,000 10,000 PTW PTW months of 2013). The picture in Germany is broadly similar for lower cc models, with total PTW registrations falling by -3.72 percent (21,175 units), but the total for the first four months of the year (59.550 units) shows the total PTW market in Germany running at 13.22 percent up. As previously report in MotoWEEK and International Dealer News, most of Europe’s major markets have now returned to growth in both motorcycle and total PTW terms, but while growth remains low and inflation higher than ECB targets in the Euro zone, it will still take some time for the macro economic recovery to translate into stability. MOTORC MOTORCYCLE R RCYCLE Growth continues in the UK UK: MARCH, APRIL 2014 20,000 2014 MOTORC MOTORCYCLES CYCLE ES TOTAL PTWs LP 9,864 8,497 9,024 MOTORCYCL MOTORCYCLES CYCL LES MARCH years following the 95,000 units sold in 2009. The small cc market in the UK remains low in terms of volume (approximately 3,000 units for +16.09 +18.04 7,645 14,563 12,319 13,567 11,282 10,000 5,000 2013 +18.22 +20.25 15,000 UNITS MOTORCYCLE registrations have continued their upward trend in the UK in April with 18.04 percent growth (9,024 units) compared to April 2013 (7,645 units). April was the tenth month of motorcycle registration growth seen in the last 12 months (July 2013 was only off by -0.51 percent, with February this year down by -11.04 percent due to poor weather). For the year-to-date, the UK is up by 15.97 percent at 29,445 units compared to 25,390 for the first four months of 2013. At the present rate of growth, the UK could see new motorcycle sales edging towards the 100,000 unit mark by the end of this year, if the current trend continues. Last year, the UK motorcycle market grew by 1.16 percent compared to 2012 (81,180 units), having grown by 1.07 percent to 80,251 units in 2012 ‚Äì which means that the UK motorcycle market had been stable for four TOTAL P PTWs APRIL the year-to-date). In total PTW terms, the UK was up by 16.09 percent in April (up by 18.22 percent in March) and is up by 13.66 percent for the year-todate at 32,470 units in total. Japanese export growth slows in April JAPANESE motorcycle manufacturer exports to Europe slowed down in April, with exports of 250cc+ machines up by 1.5 percent (13,847 units) after being up by 19.5 percent (19,179 units) in March. This means that motorcycle exports to Europe by the Big Four Japanese manufacturers have shown growth for 10 INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - JUN/JUL 2014 seven straight months. In 2013 annual 250cc+ exports of 130,455 were down from the 147,377 seen in 2012, but the final three months of last year and the first three months of 2014 have seen strong monthly growth percentages. In total PTW terms, exports to Europe were actually down a little in April, at -1.9 percent (14,292 units), also following six months of strong growth. Total PTW Japanese manufacturer exports to Europe were 147,965 in 2013, and 163,533 in 2012; a long way down from the peak of 663,662 total PTW imports from Japan in 199 䀡