COMMENT: What shape will this recession have? .......................................................................Page 4
AIMExpo: Now a dealer only show, in January 2021 ......................................................................................................................................Page 8
Galfer: "Back to the Brake" from the Barcelona manufacturer...............................................................................................................Page 10
Piaggio: Q1 unit sales -9.7%, 76,400 units worldwide........................................................................................................................................Page 20-21
Motorcycles -33.3% January -
April in key European markets
JUNE/JULY ’20
ISSUE #155
STATZONE 6-7
➠
The following statement,
issued by ACEM,
the Brussels based
international motorcycle
industry trade association in May
addresses some of the issues
that will affect the motorcycle
market's chances of seeing the
economic damage done so far
mitigated by a return of
consumer demand.
"Hit by an unprecedented decline in
vehicle registrations due to the
COVID-19 outbreak, Europe's
motorcycle industry calls for support
from the EC.
"Motorcycle registrations across
Europe dropped steeply in March and
April. With dealerships having been
closed and economies grappling with
the impacts of lockdown, commercial
activity has been virtually paralysed.
"Total registrations in the five largest
motorcycle markets (France, Germany,
Italy, Spain and the UK) fell by -39.6%
in March 2020 and deteriorated even
further in April when combined
registrations in the largest markets fell
by -74.9%.
"The moped segment was equally
impacted. The largest European
moped markets (Belgium, France,
Germany, Italy, the Netherlands,
Poland and Spain) fell by -37.9% in
March 2020 on a year-on-year basis.
In April moped registrations in the
same markets decreased -55.1%.
"Due to the seasonal nature of the
market, with sales concentrated in the
spring, the timing of the outbreak has
200,794
units YTD
placed European motorcycle
dealerships under extreme financial
pressure. Dealers are now holding an
excess of Euro 4 inventory, which may
become unsellable due to the
regulatory changes."
Antonio Perlot, ACEM Secretary
General, said: "It is already clear that
2020 will be a very difficult year for the
sector, with extraordinary disruptions
on the activity of manufacturers,
dealerships and suppliers.
"Europe's motorcycle industry
welcomes the various economy-wide
support measures that European
national governments and the EU
Commission have put in place, but
the PTW industry has an
important additional request -
for the Commission to extend
the period in which Euro 4
vehicles can be sold, to avoid
dealers being left with hundreds of
thousands of unsellable vehicles."
There is no doubt that such an
outcome would guarantee that the
long, dark economic shadow that
COVID-19 is going to cast across the
economies of Europe would have an
extended and catastrophic impact on
the motorcycle industry. One that
could last long and go deep.
Perlot concluded: "ACEM and its
members are working together with
EU and national administrations to
find a solution to the problem of
hundreds of thousands of Euro 4
excess inventory. This will require
reviewing relevant legislation to
ensure that motorcycle dealerships
across Europe can recover from the
effect of the COVID-19 crisis as soon
as possible."
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