Market reports – A three-speed two-wheeler market –

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A three-speed two-wheel market

Market reports - A three-speed two-wheeler market -

In June, the two-wheeler market revealed three facets: the hyper active 125 increased their sales by 29% with a phenomenal breakthrough of the Satelis, the big cubes slowed down by 10.8% and the Chinese invaded the supermarkets ! Balance sheet.

This month we note a slight slowdown in the motorized two-wheeler market: + 4.4% compared to last year against + 20.7% in May. Nothing alarming, however, since the market situation is experiencing some mitigating circumstances…

Starting with a wobbly comparison with a month of June 2005 boosted by the hasty registration of many models that do not meet the Euro1 standard (read our). In addition, if the large cubes show a marked decrease in results (-10.8%), the 125 at the same time achieve excellent results with an increase of 25.3% !

Small-displacement cars therefore sold better than large-displacement cars, with 14,837 sales of 125 and less, respectively, against 14,502 sales of large-displacement cars. In the first quarter, the 125 cc thus recorded a record increase of 29% (-0.8% in 2005) when the larger displacements were content with a timid + 2.9%.

The performance of the month therefore logically comes from a 125 … And we can already hear the Lion roar with pleasure because the Satelis 125 4V – by that mean 4 valves against the 2 valve version of the Compressor (read and) – s ” installed for this month of June 2006 at the top of the scratch all cylinders combined !

The only two-wheeler to exceed 1,000 sales, the new Sochaux scooter continues its ascent and aims for an orbit rather high than low, like its illustrious ancestor the SV 125.

Market 125

Again ahead of Suzuki in the monthly ranking, Peugeot is now 4th in 2006 cumulative! With 7.99% of market share this month, the French manufacturer is still far from having achieved its bet (+ 10% of PDM compared to 2005 in the medium term) but its new Satelis Compressor should help it in this sense, pending the release in 2007 of Geopolis (read).

Peugeot thus signs a remarkable and noticeable new progression of … 164.1% compared to last year (!) And 110.6% over the whole of the first six months. The Satelis 125, which sold 1,037 copies, gains four places in the cumulative classification and should experience a particularly sunny summer !

Much better in terms of volume (2,931 sales), Yamaha still follows the general market trend with a 26.3% increase in sales for the month of June. The tuning forks brand seems to have gained the upper hand over its former direct competitor Piaggio (+ 2.2%), although the duel continues between their best sellers: the Xmax and the X8 are respectively 2nd and 3rd in sales this month – this.

Note also the good result of the XT125X (370 sales), which manages to climb to the 10th place of a top sales of small displacement largely dominated by scooters. Ideal for getting your hands on – or rather the glove – this little Supermot ‘achieves encouraging results, just like the Honda CBR 125R (334 sales). Proof, if it were needed, that real young bikers still exist !

Former number one in the sector, Honda, places only three models in the top 15 against five for Yamaha. However, its Pantheon is having a good month against the Piaggio X9, Yamaha Majesty and Suzuki Burgman, which allows the Japanese giant to slightly increase its sales level from last year (+ 3.1%).

At the end of the semester, the world number one retains its second position with 17.83% of market share against 20.54% for Yamaha and 17.12% for Piaggio.

MBK has seen its pace drop since the start of the year: no real concern for the moment since the second French on the 125 market remains far ahead of its pursuers. With 3,027 sales in the first six months, MBK still increased its results by 53.3% compared to those of 2005.

Of course, Suzuki and Aprilia fell respectively by 3.4% and 2.6% in June, but MBK must nevertheless apply not to erode its progress too much because behind, the competitors are working double, or even more !

Thus Kymco (+ 26% with 1,845 sales), Sym (+ 168.7% with 954 sales) but above all Daelim (+ 158.6% with 1,751 sales) continue their ascent and together represent 8.53% of the market at the end of the first semester, against less than 6% last year over the same period … To be watched closely !

Finally, this month we note the exceptional result of the YY100 large-wheeled scooter from Chinese Jonway. Behind this stroke of brilliance could be found a "giant" of mass distribution, responsible for registering 608 vehicles before distributing them in its supermarkets. Unfortunately, no information about this offer has yet filtered.

A type of operation that two-wheeler professionals deeply deplore, and more particularly distributors of "emerging brands". "It hurts the whole profession", deplores Franck Javos of SIMA, importer of several Asian brands:"anyone is able to go to China, buy containers there and empty them on the run in France! Only if behind there is no service … It’s a method of thugs who take people for idiots !"

The same goes for SIDAM, which distributes a Jonway YY 50, the Rally 50, via the Italian brand Moto Zeta in particular. Pierre Laurent-Chauvet is even all the more surprised that "the Italians would not be aware of the approval of a YY100 in Europe !", while the YY 125 would be approved…

However, Chinese products are not to be underestimated: "in ten years, or even less, they will be ahead !", forecasts Franck Javos back from Canton:"it’s amazing there !‘, testifies the Frenchman, "you find cars equivalent to the 307 for $ 3,500 (around € 2,750) !"

Delayed in flooding the French market (read), products from the Middle Empire could certainly make waves. But they will have to rely on a real network of professionals, have an after-sales service worthy of the name and carry out careful work on their image. In competition for example, like Zongshen world endurance champion in 2002 (on GSX-R 1000, sic) and regularly entered in GP 250 events (on Aprilia, re-sic)…

Large engine market

Suzuki is driving the point home this month, selling 148 more vehicles than Yamaha. Over the first half of the year, Suz ‘is therefore slowly but surely increasing its lead over the French number two (21.23% market share against 20.03%) thanks to its four more or less dressed roadsters: Bandit 650 (737 sales and 2nd best seller of the month), GSR (485 sales, 6th), SV 650S (239 sales, 11th) and SV 650 (233 sales, 12th).

But Suzuki seems to be profiting more from Yam’s downturn rather than expanding its own sales. Admittedly, sales of Suz ‘fell this month less than the overall market for large cubes (-1.3% against -10.8%), but cumulatively, Suzuki barely manages to keep up with the general trend. (2.3% compared to 2.9% of the market) … What the tuning forks brand does not accomplish.

Some Yamaha do not demerit, however, like the FZ1 which ranked 4th in sales in June 2006 with 535 copies sold. But overall sales of the brand plummet by 24.4%, representing the biggest fall behind that of KTM (-25.9%).

We note, for example, that the MT03 only sold 74 units this month, only seven more than the MT01. As for the Derbi Mulhacen, which uses the same Minarelli engine as the Yam and offers the same philosophy of easy and fun motorcycles, it has only sold ten copies. Would French bikers ask for more watts ?

Finally, the relative weakness of the two leaders benefits the other two Japanese: Honda and Kawasaki. The first signs a 13.9% increase in sales and thus exceeds the 11,000 vehicles sold in the first half of 2006, while it did not exceed 10,000 in 2005..

However, Honda does not dominate the top 15 sales: only two models – the Hornet (380 sales) and the Deauville (275) – are in the middle of the ranking, the CBF1000 so vigorous in May having disappeared in favor of a certain Kawasaki…

Because the Japanese outsider achieves once again the best progress of the head group with + 25.3% compared to June 2005 and accounts for 15.27% of market share in the first half. The Greens are still enjoying their tireless Z750 (885 sales) but see their ER-6 suddenly lose its second place: 607 sales against 706 last month, when those of the Bandit and FZ1 increased by 33 and 125 copies respectively..

Fortunately, to compensate for this drop in form, the release of the ZZR 1400 (soon to be tested on Moto-Net) comes at the right time: with 180 monsters already released on French roads, Kawa keeps smiling … But for how much of time ?

In fifth position, BMW is continuing its ups and downs: with -11.3% in June 2006, the German does not confirm its improvement in May. Its R 1200 RT (267 sales) and its R 1200 GS (166) are faithful to the position, but the small F800S supposed to lend a hand has some "ignition" problems..

After 89 sales in May, the small twin has only sold 45 copies this month. The "sleeping licenses"which the Bavarian dreams of (read) are very hard to wake up … Note that some F800STs have already been distributed (21 to be exact) and could be unearthed this summer, even if the official arrival in concessions is scheduled for September 16.

Unlike BMW, Harley-Davidson confirms its recent progress (+ 11.1%), which allows it to be above the market average at the end of this first half of 2006: + 3.7% with 2,540 sales. Its XL 1200s are doing well (130 sales for all models) while the Street Bob has conquered 74 bikers again. The idea of ​​winding hair – almost – in the wind during this heat wave has gained ground !

And meanwhile, the battle continues among the Europeans! Triumph and Ducati are wheel to wheel and achieve almost the same sales figures and the same increases: respectively 461 and 454 sales with increases of 14.1% and 13.8%. Sign if it were necessary that their "targets" are relatively close! The Bologna manufacturer benefits from the successful launch of its "mini" Mostro 695 (121 sales) while that of Hinckley benefits from its charismatic Speed ​​Triple (146 sales) but also from its new Supersport queen, the Daytona 675 (94 sales ).

Aprilia now brings up the rear alone with 176 sales against 89 for Gas Gas. The Spanish brand, like KTM, is somewhat the victim of its inflated results last year by the registration of stocks of "Euro 1" motorcycles.

Finally, the results are very satisfactory for Moto Guzzi (111 sales), Buell (99) and MV (25), but less brilliant at the end of the ranking for Husqvarna (17 motorcycles sold), Moto Morini (7 Corsaro sold, read), Voxan (also 7 sales) and Benelli (4).

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