Market reports – Good results for a long month of February –

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Good results for a long month of February

Market reports - Good results for a long month of February -

Admittedly, 2008 is a leap year, and in terms of number of working days, February was longer in 2008 than in 2007. Nevertheless, the results of the French motorcycle market (+ 19.7% in 125 and + 27.8% in gross displacement) remain really satisfactory !

February had 29 days in 2008 … Of which 22 working days against 21 last year! Thus, the increase in sales of motorcycles (motorized two-wheelers of 125 cc and more) is not only due to any coincidence of the calendar, on the contrary !

In 125, last month’s sales went well and there is just one registration less than in January (read). Or exactly 6,707 units, which represents a 19.7% increase in sales compared to February 2007.

Like Yamaha with its Xmax which continues to dominate the king sector of GT scooters, Kawasaki continues to flood the mid-displacement roadster market with its Z750 and ER-6…

The large cube market is also showing an impressive increase of 27.8% (9,313 units!). We note in particular the good performances of Honda (+ 92.7%) and Gilera (+ 526%), without forgetting the R1200GS from BMW and the Street Triple from Triumph.

Market 125: 6,707 units (+ 19.7%)

After a slight slump in January, Yamaha raised the bar in February and managed a 19% market share thanks to its 1,275 registrations. Her Xmax continues to post record sales (651 units) while her Majesty is struggling (167)…

Over the first two months, the tuning forks brand has therefore regained its 2007 sales level (2,426 against 2,375) but is still losing ground in terms of PDM. The French n ° 1 represents only 18% of the 125 market in France against a little more than 20% last year.

Piaggio remains 2nd with 959 immats in February, but it is not the Italian who grabs shares in Yam ‘since he shows a drop in sales of 5.1% compared to February 2007. However, the success of its revolutionary MP3 is confirmed with 222 new sales. On the other hand, the XEvo joins the peloton of the best sales of scooters in France with 281 units sold..

But the pace of the X8 and X9 last year is still not found … Sales of the new "GT medium" X7 are slow to take off: with 86 units last month, the scooter is in 50th place in sales by models, all displacements combined…

While waiting for the "X" to wake up, Piaggio suffers: -4% over the first two months of the year and a PDM which drops by 3 points! On the contrary, Honda seems determined to make its return to business….

Third manufacturer on the French 125 market, the world number one continues its recovery and is now behind Piaggio with 911 sales in February. This represents a 35.2% increase in sales, well above the 19.7% posted by the overall market.

In addition to the usual S-Wing (325 sales) and Varadero (310), we note last month the return of the CBR125R in the top 15 with 121 registration cards. Credited last year with 37 sales, the little sportswoman makes Honda smile … and perhaps Yamaha, which has just reinvested in the small sports center with the YZF-R125 (read) !

Behind the top three, Suzuki is continuing its way with its now proven Burgman (354 sales). The Japanese manufacturer closed the month of February with a slight increase of 3.9%, which enabled it to limit its fall in January: -1.3% at the end of the first two months.

In market share, Suzuki has therefore accumulated 5.81% since the start of the year and remains ahead of Peugeot, which had a hectic month of February to say the least (read our box).

Peugeot Motocycles disengages…

While the Satelis 125 are selling well in dealerships, the situation is far from being as rosy on the production site side….

Thus the employees of the factories of Mandeure (Doubs) and Dannemarie (Haut-Rhin) went off work for several hours last February, in order to challenge "a loss of break time and a questioning of 17 days of RTT out of 22 currently".

For its part, the management affirmed "want to increase the actual work to 35 hours per week on annual average compared to 30 to 32 today and regain its competitiveness". Work more to be able to continue earning as much, the debate remains open … But the factories too, for now !

Especially since according to Frederic Bart, the press and public relations manager of Peugeot Motocycles, "given the available stocks, Peugeot sales were not affected by the strike of February 20 of 220 employees out of 1,100".

Sales of the Satelis remain satisfactory: with 320 units sold (standard and compressed versions), the French scooter is ranked 4th best-selling of the 125. Over the two months cumulative, the Lion de Sochaux is close to the 5% mark-up … To follow closely !

For its part, MBK once again saw its registrations progress more than those of the market in general (+ 18.4%). With 322 immats (including 176 Skycruiser, the twin of the Xmax), the second French manufacturer is behind Peugeot and remains ahead of the strong brand of the moment: Sym !

Again appearing in the top 15 – after the intrusions of small 125 a bit "exotic" in January – the Sym GTS (128 immats) represents the spearhead of the Korean brand. It proves that the concept "comfort at low price" seduces some French "scooters".

Although in the "mini price" niche, the Chinese Yiying is undoubtedly the best placed: the replenishment of YY 125 once again illustrates the interest that some users have in what many still consider to be "disposable scooters"…

However, no Chinese appear at the bottom of the table. Taiwanese Kymco (+ 17.7%) is riding the general increase in the market, while Korean Daelim is increasing its sales (+ 10.6%) but not its PDM.

It was not long before the Italian Aprilia (158 sales) was replaced by the Chinese Jonway (also 158)! The manufacturer of Noale holds its 10th monthly place only at its best ranking in the cumulative two months, and certainly not at the drop in sales of 22.2% compared to February 2007…

During this same month of February 2008, the group of "others" (+ 34.2%) consisted in the order of Yiying (152 immats), Sky Team (131), CF Moto (106), Hyosung ( 74), KTM (72), Gilera (62), Keeway (57), Derbi (48), Jinlun (45), Baotian (43), Shineray (38), Revatto (37), Kinroad (37) and Zhongneng ( 36).

Market over 125: 9,313 units (+ 27.8%)

The month of February was particularly hectic for the large cube market! Between the start and end of great promotions, arrivals or expectations in dealerships for the 2008 models and confirmation of the good health of the 2007 models, sales of large-displacement increased by 27.8% compared to last year.

In the first two months, 17,291 motorcycles "over 125 cc" were registered, which represents an overall increase of 22.3%. The 2007 sales record had better behave…

First in the monthly sales rankings, Honda achieved the main performance for the month of February 2008: with 1,721 immats, the world No. 1 totaled 18.48% of net sales and posted an impressive increase of 61.6% in sales compared to february 2007.

It must be said that last year, the Hornet sold only 157 copies, against 451 this year! Proof that about this new 600, what put off the French bikers was more the price – largely lowered since – than the look !

Third best seller of the last month, the little hornet CB600F is well supported by the CBF600 – not to be confused! -, which totaled 270 immates. As for the new Transalp and the CBF1000, they are not to be outdone with 156 and 149 sales respectively. Could the winged brand regain strength in France? Overall in any case, Honda takes 3rd place at Kawasaki: 2,793 sales against 2,788 !

In second place we find Yamaha, which failed to match its 2007 score: 1,596 sales last month against 1,626 in February 2007. However, its best sellers – Fazer 600 (353 immats), Tmax (261) and FZ1 (164) – more or less keep their rhythm…

It is therefore elsewhere that we must seek the causes of this decline in sales. We therefore note for example that the R1, launched last year at the same time (275 sales), naturally did not have the same success this year (92). However, the new R6 sold in 109 copies does not allow Yam ‘to fill this void in the "sport" segment … Will the R125 be able to do so? ?

Ranked at the top of sales by model, the Z750 and ER-6 – respectively 583 and 498 immats – allow Kawasaki to keep its 3rd place in the monthly ranking by manufacturer with 1,524 sales in total. This corresponds to an impressive increase in sales of 92.7%, largely facilitated, it should be remembered, by the shortage of "Z" at the beginning of last year..

All in all, the gaps between the four Japanese keep getting smaller! Indeed, like Yamaha, Suzuki was the victim last month of stagnant sales (-1.1%). Against very fit Honda and Kawasaki, it did not take more to fall to 4th monthly place and lose more than 4.6% of PDM…

After having effectively celebrated the end of the year, the Bandit 650 is back at a calmer sales rate with 391 copies sold. Second Suz ‘in the top 15 sales (211), the GSR struggles to boost Suzuki sales. To this end, the manufacturer innovates and offers "family vacation"to the future buyers of GSR, V-Strom 650 and B-King! Review of the operation in early August, in the Site review…

To set off on a mop, BMW is offering a tool that won over 168 French people in February: the R 1200 GS. Even if it remains in the lot of older models, the success of the new GS is concrete. It is even ahead of the R 1200 RT (147) that French bikers usually prefer, and largely explains the 46.3% increase in German sales last month..

The Bavarian brand will also soon be offering new small GS 650 and 800. In this configuration, will the twin-cylinder 800 tempt bikers more than the F 800 S and ST? Response in the next reports and in a test of the two 2008 novelties, coming soon on Site !

Behind, despite a strong increase in sales of 66.2% compared to February 2007, Harley-Davidson remains behind the new French n ° 6: Triumph! The Hinckley firm has sold 493 motorcycles (including 178 Street Triple) and acquires 5.29% of PDM in France.

Over the first two months, Triumph therefore totals more than 5% of French PDM (5.11% exactly) ahead of Harley-Davidson (4.34%), KTM (3.93%) and Ducati (2.18%) , which delivered its very first 1098 R to France last month !

Finally, note the appearance last month of a third Italian: Gilera! With its 119 scooters sold, the small brand of Arcore (in the bosom of Piaggio since 1969) is granted 1.28% of PDM. After trying to dethrone the TMax with its Nexus 500, Gilera is offering the GP800 this year, whose site trial is unfortunately suspended by Piaggio…

Gilera’s best seller in February 2008, the GP800 won over 74 bikers: it remains far from the best seller Yam ‘(as a reminder, 261 sales), but the Burgman 650 (106 sales) and the Silver Wing 400 (90) are. much less !

As for the "other" manufacturers, they generally experienced a rather chilly month of February (-5.2%), with in order: Piaggio (100 motorcycles of "more than 125 cc"), Beta (75) , Aprilia (71), Gas Gas (67), Moto Guzzi (53), Buell (52), Husqvarna (51), HM (49), Peugeot (42) Scorpa (37), Sherco (27), MV (24 ), Montesa (14), Kymco (13), and TM (12). And at the same time, SIDAM has registered a Voxan Roadster.

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