Market reports – Motorcycle and scooter market 2011: the glass half full? – The glass half full or half empty?

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Motorcycle and scooter market 2011: the glass half full ?

Market reports - Motorcycle and scooter market 2011: the glass half full? - The glass half full or half empty?

The motorcycle market in France shows a general decline of -6.7% in 2011, but the year was very different for sales of 125 scooters or large motorcycles … Figures, graphs and analysis: MNC takes stock complete French market.

The glass half full or half empty ?

The French motorcycle and scooter market ended 2011 with a slight slide of three small percent (2.6% to be completely exact) compared to December 2010 (read our). The bikers and scooter riders who rushed en masse into the alleys of the have obviously not yet invaded the concessions…

The month of December 2011 was in the image – and even a caricature – of this year: extremely contrasted! Sales of 125 cc have indeed fallen by -21.5% compared to December 2010, while those of "+ 125" climbed by + 16.6%.

Contrasting months of December and 2011

Note, however, that several new medium and large engines were entering dealerships (,, or to name a few) and have undoubtedly boosted the number of registrations in the sector as a whole..

This twelfth month is therefore not catastrophic, but we expected better from him: in addition to the great return of the Salon to the Porte de Versailles, several factors gave hope for an even happier Christmas for the motorized two-wheeler….

The temperatures in December 2011, for example, were extremely mild. Likewise, Christmas Eve fell on Saturday nights, thus avoiding bridges – and other hangovers at work! Finally, the snow that had interrupted traffic for several days last year was absent this year.

We note, however, that the rain did not spare us in December, which may partially explain the fall – it happened so quickly in the wet … – 125. But suddenly, the bar will be lower for the December 2012 !

2011 market: 173,096 registrations (-6.7%)

Over the whole of 2011, motorcycle registrations (motorcycles and scooters "over 50 cc") reached a total of 173,096 units. That is 12,513 fewer registrations than in 2010 and a decline of -6.7% on a comparable number of working days (253 in 2011, 254 in 2010).

The market therefore continues to retract and is now equalizing (if we include the registrations of Piaggio’s "tricycles for large") the scores for 2004. However, 2011 had started very well, especially for large cars….

At the end of the first half of the year, MNC noted a general decline limited to -1.9%, with a reversal in the trend of recent years: large cubes now acted as the market locomotive with an increase of + 5.9% , while the 125 cc weighed it down by -12.3% (read our).

The market suddenly collapsed this summer, but the trends for small and large engines continued. From September, the large cubes resurfaced and even flew at the end of the course. The 125, on the other hand, were no longer going to come out of the water, stuck at the level of -20% compared to a small year 2010.

Big cubes take over

In reality, the 125’s drop in shape is anything but surprising. It must be remembered first of all that registrations in this sector literally exploded between 2006 and 2008, reaching a peak of 117,858 units in 2007.

Since then, motorists tired of traffic jams and 10 liters per 100 km of their sedan are less and less likely to come to dealerships. The financial, economic, then social crises have passed through this and we think twice before investing in a new vehicle, even practical and economical in use..

It should also be remembered that the sudden drop in sector 125 in 2009 was due to the appearance of the clever MP3 LT ("tricycles", not "motorcycles"). However, these imposing competitors have undergone major updates this year … Thus, the switch to 300 and 500 cc and the arrival of the Yourban 300 version enabled them to maintain their sales volumes: another 10,815 this year !

Certainly much more expensive to buy, the MP3 LT (and Yourban 300) are also more secure, powerful, statutory and even more "trendy" than a 125 scooter. All these advantages have enabled them to avoid the " economic plague "of the 125 in 2011: compulsory training of 7 hours !

The 125 held back by training, the MP3s still there !

Because this year, more than the weather or the crisis, it is the new legislation that has slowed down the activity of sector 125, in particular by limiting the number of new entrants. The least expensive vehicles have undoubtedly been the most affected, the price of training representing a relatively huge additional sum to pay (one third of the price of a low-cost scooter) !

Beyond the financial cost, the time and investment that this training entails have diverted customers from the 125 cc, in particular to the benefit of the 50 cc: the moped market shows an increase of 3% in 2011, with a total of 125 294 registrations.

The atmosphere was much more festive on the side of the "over 125". We will remember that in 2011, the passion for motorcycles – the real one! – has eclipsed its utilitarian aspect. The "generalist" – and Japanese – brands have also lost ground to the "specialists" – and Westerners -, representing only 56.5% of sales of large cubes (over 125 cc) against 71.85% il five years ago !

There is little more than in terms of medium-displacement roadsters – the bulk of the market, it is true – and maxi scooters that the Japanese stranglehold remains. Because among maxi roadsters, superbikes or supersports, trails (more and more road) and road, Europeans are now ultra competitive.

The Americans reign supreme in the custom segment. Taking full advantage of the ever more virulent road repression in France, the "quiet" Harley-Davidson are selling like hot cakes: between 8,000 and 29,000 € each, bakers are happy !

The contrasts between manufacturers are particularly striking: all cylinders combined (125 cc and beyond), the four Japanese brands still form the leading quartet but barely bite more than half of the market: 50.9% to be precise, and not including MP3 LT.

Piaggio, with its "wide track" three-wheelers, is once again claiming third place in the "scratch" classification this year! The Italian manufacturer could even claim first place on the market for "125 cc and equivalent vehicles not requiring the A license".

The Japanese more than ever under pressure

Excluding MP3 LT (it was a wise choice for Piaggio to differentiate itself with its "tricycles", but the MNC reports focus on the statistics of "motorcycles"), BMW precisely steals Piaggio its 5th place in the general classification.

Here again, given the average basket of the Behème consumer, we can estimate that the "glass" of the French motorcycle market is half full rather than half empty! And as regards the Bavarian firm, it can consider that its pint is overflowing abundantly: the Germans for the first time exceed the bar of 10,000 registrations in France (read).

The same goes for the Americans from Milwaukee (8778 for Harley-Davidson, 7th), the British from Hinckley (6729 for Triumph, 9th), the Austrians from Mattighofen (6123 for KTM, 10th) and the Italians from Bologna (4128 for Ducati, 11th), or even Mandello del Lario (1028 for Moto Guzzi, 20th).

First French, Peugeot, paid the price for the dynamism of Harley-Davidson and lost one place in the standings. Eighth with 7,018 registrations, the Franche-Comte manufacturer – according to the latest news … – has however held up better than its competitors in the 125 cc field thanks to its Tweet and Citystar.

This year, the 125 scooter specialists have seen red – or rather purple on the MNC charts: Piaggio, Kymco, Sym, Daelim, MBK and Gilera have experienced double-digit sales growth … but in the wrong way, Sadly ! As for the Chinese Jonway, he completely disappeared from the Top 20.

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