Europe's biggest markets post huge jump in motorcycle sales for 2019

The motorcycle industry is continuing the trend of recent years in terms of sales after new data revealed three of Europe’s biggest markets posted strong gains year-on-year in 2019.

We’ve already reported on the United Kingdom, which resisted a late year slowdown to end 2019 1.5% higher than it managed a year earlier. However, those gains pale into comparison with the likes of Spain and France, which reported double digit growth, while Italy also saw a solid increase for the sixth year in succession.

France – +15.7%

France was the catalyst for what is expected to be a comfortable year-on-year growth for Europe as a whole after the nation posted a +15.7% sales increase compared with 2018.

Yamaha is the best-selling manufacturer with four models (XMax, MT-07, Tracer 900, TMax) filling out the top ten if you include scooters. The best-selling two-wheeler in France is the Honda Forza 125, but among the big bikes it is the Yamaha MT-07 that comes out on top with 6368 units sold.

The Kawasaki Z 650, Kawasaki Z900, BMW R 1250 GS and Yamaha Tracer 900 make up the top five, followed by the Honda CB 650 R, Honda CB 500 F, BMW R 1250 GS Adventure, BMW R 1250 GT and Suzuki GSX-S filling out the top ten.

Other notes from the final figures is home brand Peugeot Motorcycles – recently purchased by Mahindra – saw a huge 40% rise in sales, while the quirky Piaggio MP3 trike is now the fifth best-selling motorcycle/scooter overall.

Italy – +6.1%

For the sixth year in succession Italy saw sales increase, this time by 6% with the touring segment performing best even if it was offset by a slip in scooter/moped sales.

Nonetheless, scooters/mopeds still account for the top nine positions in the overall sales charts led by market leader Honda with its SH125 followed by the similar SH 150 and SH 300. The Piaggio Beverly 300 and 125 completes the top five.

The best-selling big bike is the BMW R 1250 GS with 4,069 units sold, just holding off the attentions of the Honda Africa Twin which had closed the margin to just 249 motorcycles at the head of the order. However, with the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure being listed separately, together they account for a sizeable market share.

The Benelli TRK range ended the year as the third best-seller, demoting the Yamaha Tracer 900 to fourth – ahead of the second aforementioned BMW R 1250 – the Honda NC 750 X, Yamaha MT-07, Ducati Scrambler 800, Yamaha MT-09 and Kawasaki Z900.

Spain – +11%

Spain has reportedly leapfrogged Germany to become the third biggest motorcycling market in Europe – behind France and Italy – thanks to a sizeable 11% gain in 2019.

This was partly spurred on by a big jump in electric motorcycle sales – 49% - which in turn are driven around just two brands, Scutum (which has a model named 'Silence') and Askoll, as they cover 50% of that market.

Honda is still the market lead with a massive 17.8% market share, comfortably ahead of Yamaha with 12.7% market share. Taiwanese brand Kymco sit third overall from Piaggio and BMW.