International Dealer News IDN 154 April/May 2020 | Page 6

THE BRADLEY REPORT
STAT
ATTACK
ANESDOR (Spain) has so far
been the only trade
association to release
registration figures for March
that demonstrate the effects
of the global pandemic as this
edition of IDN went to press.
Most others reported positive
figures for the first two
months of the year. A selected
summary follows …
UK
Data from the MCIA indicates
that new motorcycle
registration growth in the UK
continued in 2020 with 9,963
units sold in Jan and Feb
(+2.80%). PTW sales were
+3.32%, with 10,744 units
sold. The largest single market
sector in the UK remains
'Naked' style bikes, with 3,180
units sold (+19.0%). Honda
was again the market share
leader in the UK in Feb (1,124
units), followed by Yamaha
(591 units), then Lexmoto,
continuing to pull up trees in
the UK market, with 425 units
sold.
ITALY
ANCMA data shows that the Italian
motorcycle market was off to a
good start, growing by +8.33% in
Jan and Feb (15,674 units). Total
PTW sales were +9.98% (32,756
units). Scooter registrations were
+11.54%, with Honda's Italian
made SH 150/300/125 range
accounting for 3,442 of the 17,082
units sold. The top selling
motorcycle in Italy for the year so
far was the BMW R 1250 GS (637
units), followed by Honda's 'Africa
Twin' (610 units).
POLAND
New motorcycle registrations
were +32.15% for Jan and Feb
combined (1,788 units), with
PTWs at +31.06% (3,300
units). Added to the used units
getting a first registration in
Poland (an important
additional part of the market
there), total new and pre-
owned registrations were
+33.28% (10,124 units). Total
new and pre-owned PTW
registrations were +34.50%
(2,608 units). This represents
the fourteenth month of
increased registrations in
Poland.
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A special round-up of manufacturer and industry news
<<< Continued from cover
crisis. The motorcycle sector is ready to
work with all policy makers to achieve
this aim, protecting the 300,000 jobs
linked to this industry."
Stefan Pierer, ACEM President and CEO
of KTM AG, added: "The COVID-19
crisis will test our ability to cope
simultaneously with a major health and
economic crisis. ACEM members are
fully cooperating with authorities to
slow the spread of COVID-19. We take
IDN spoke with ACEM's Secretary
General Antonio Perlot, and
asked him to further detail the
organisation's policy positions as
they affect the EU response to
the impact that the Covid-19
emergency is undoubtedly
having, and will continue to have,
on all aspects of the motorcycle
industry in Europe.
Does ACEM officially demand a
postponement of the sell-off of
Euro 4 motorcycles?
Yes, this is correct. Our main concern
relates to the seasonal nature of the
motorcycle market, where the bulk of
sales are made between March and July.
All manufacturers' and dealers' stocks
are full, with little hope to absorb them
by the end of the year. We also expect
disruptions in the development and
manufacturing of Euro 4 and Euro 5
vehicles.
Type approval authorities, technical
services, engineering, R&D centres, parts
suppliers, logistics and manufacturing
plants have either stopped activities or
are operating at a very low level. Since
the end date for Euro 4 is set for
31/12/2020 by legislation, ACEM
requests a one-year extension to be able
to sell Euro 4 stock vehicles as a first
immediate measure to support the
sector. The industry is closely monitoring
the evolution of the situation and is
ready to engage with policy makers
should additional measures be
necessary.
And if so, do you/does ACEM
already have signals from the
European Commission if they are
willing to do so or not?
For the moment the European
Commission is working on an extensive
assessment of all industries' disruptions.
This concerns the motorcycle industry,
but also many other segments of the
automotive sector.
We are in constant discussions with the
Commission at a technical and the
INTERNATIONAL DEALER NEWS - APRIL/MAY 2020
ACEM Secretary General Antonio
Perlot: "Public health and safety is
the number one priority."
highest political level to give them the
most accurate picture of the situation.
We understand that the member states
have been called upon to give feedback
to the Commission, and from the latest
information we gathered, many of them
do support our request.
In general, what other steps
could or should the EC take to
ease the impact of Covid-19 on
the European motorcycle
industry?
For the moment our main concern, on
the economic side, is to deal with the
Euro 4 stock in light of the Euro 4 end
date at the end of this year. We must
understand that crisis situations are by
their very nature very dynamic, hence
the need to constantly assess the
economic situation of our
manufacturers, but also of the entire
chain of operators working with us:
importers, dealers, parts manufacturers,
logistic centres, technical centres,
registration authorities, type approval
authorities etc.
We know that the European
Commission is looking after us and does
its utmost to support the sector in these
difficult times. Let's work together,
assess the evolution of the situation, and
think of all possible measures that can
stabilise the market for the benefit of all,
citizens, consumers and market
operators. One step at a time.
care that our employees and partners
are safe, and count on policy makers to
find solutions in the challenging weeks
and months that are ahead of us in
order to break the wave that may
otherwise hit the sector.”
Continued from back page >>>
Motorcycle Championship (IDM)
rounds, finishing at Hockenheim
on September 27; an M
Performance Parts accessories
range for the new BMW S 1000
RR - similar to the offer
available for BMW M
automobiles; confirmation of a
global debut for the new R 18
'Big Boxer' cruiser on April 3
2020 through BMW's social
media channels, and a win for
the team from South Africa in
the seventh BMW Motorrad
International GS Trophy, the
2020 Oceania F 850 GS edition,
over eight days and 2,500 km of
the North and South islands of
New Zealand. The event saw
some 22 international teams,
with participants from over 40
countries.
In financial terms, BMW
Motorrad recorded solid growth
in 2019, with a total of 175,162
BMW motorcycles and maxi-
scooters delivered to customers
(2018: 165,566 units; +5.8%).
Segment revenues increased to
€ 2,368m (2018: € 2,173m;
+9.0%). Profit before financial
results improved to € 194m
(2018: € 175m; +10.9%). The
EBIT margin for the segment
finished at 8.2% (2018: 8.1%)
and therefore within the target
range of 8 to 10%. Profit before
tax amounted to € 187m (2018:
€ 169m; +10.7%).