Market reports – The 125s slow down and the big cubes accelerate –

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The 125s brake and the big cubes accelerate

Market reports - The 125s slow down and the big cubes accelerate -

The market trend observed in July tends to be confirmed in August: with the rather bad weather conditions of summer 2007, 125 customers are scarce while holders of A license remain loyal to the post…. Review and analyzes.

With 18,073 machines registered in August, the French motorcycle market (motorized two-wheelers over 50 cc) almost equaled the score for the excellent month of August 2006 (18,159 vehicles, read).

In July, the category of more than 125cc had already distinguished itself by signing a better increase in sales than the 125 (read). But last month, the big cars have driven the point home, their registrations close to those of their little sisters: 8,742 against 9,331 !

Thus, the sales of large cubes increased by 5.1% while those of 125cc fell by 5.2%. Over the first eight months, the small displacement saw their rate of growth compared to 2006 fall below the 7% mark (81,695 units), while that of the more than 125 (89,315 units) approached 2%..

Could it finally be that the sales of new "more than 125cc" vehicles are ahead of those of the 125s again this year (read)? The bets are open !

Market 125: 9,331 units (-5.2%)

The gloomy weather in August – especially in Paris, stronghold of the 125 … – seems to have cooled French users! Compared to August 2006, nearly 500 buyers did not come to the dealership, no doubt preferring to take advantage of protection – even heating! – from their car.

Sales of 125s therefore fell by 5.2% and the manufacturers most severely affected were the Japanese: Yamaha and Honda plunged 24.7% while Suzuki limited the breakage with a decline of 15.8%! In comparison, Piaggio’s drop (-5.9%) seems reasonable and MBK’s 7.9% rise unexpected.

Once again, the brands that are doing well are Sym (+ 130.4%), Sky Team (+ 66.7%) and “others” (+ 35.4%). This last category includes Keeway (230 registrations), Aprilia (198), JMStar (196), Hyosung (132), Gilera (107), Yiying (105), Jonway (101), KTM (73), Jinlun (72), Revatto (64), etc.

While Yamaha totaled a quarter of French sales last year, the tuning forks brand only represented a fifth in August 2006. And if its Xmax continues to stand alone in the classification by models (of which it occupies the first place with 787 registrations), the rest of the range – especially YBR and Majesty – is less resistant to summer bad weather…

Second manufacturer in France, Piaggio is taking advantage of its XEvo, which is still in the launch phase to limit breakage: with 1,332 sales instead of 1,416 last year, its August 2007 is less catastrophic than its direct competitors.

This allows the Italian – the big absentee from the next two-wheeled World Cup – to relaunch in the ranking of cumulative sales: with 14,070 scooters sold since the beginning of January, Piaggio is back on Yamaha and its 15,670 vehicles sold! Behind, Honda has a total of 10,400 125cc two-wheelers, including 1,137 last month.

Handicapped in France by the late arrival of his S-Wing, the world number one struggles to attract fans of classy scooters. They have resolutely turned to the Xmax, which benefits from the excellent image of its big brother the Tmax, star of "French" maxiscoots.

Fortunately for Honda, the Varadero is still resisting the invasion of scooters: last month, this bike sold 373 copies, placing third best seller in 125cc, just ahead of the Yamaha YBR and its 305 registrations..

Suzuki maintains its fourth place in the constructors’ table with its Burgman, which finally had a good August: 531 sales for the spearhead Suz against 787 for that of Yam. Our most loyal readers will have noted of themselves that the gap is narrowing compared to July (672 against 1,128, read) !

With 447 sales, Sym climbed to fifth place. Its success is in particular due to that of its GTS, which totaled 220 registrations in August. Overall, however, the Taiwanese manufacturer remains 7th behind the two French Peugeot and MBK … For how long ?

Last month, MBK (439 sales, or + 7.9% compared to August 2006) even allowed itself to beat Peugeot Motocycles (388 sales, or -29.1%). The Sochaux Lion indeed suffers from the sudden shortness of sales of its Satelis (258), and especially of its "Kompressed" version (56) … A shame !

However, these figures do not surprise those responsible for the brand: "they are in line with our forecasts, Satelis remaining third in sales for the year and August cumulative behind the X-Max and the Burgman 125 but ahead of the MP3 and the X9", Frederic Bart, press and public relations manager at Peugeot Motocycles told Site..

"The decline from July can be explained by three factors", continues Frederic Bart questioned by Site:"August is traditionally low with many points of sale closed (-40% on average), the arrival of new competitors with the implementation of promotional campaigns, and the lack of steam for the novelty effect for Satelis who turns one and a half".

But Peugeot is not the only manufacturer to show a drop in sales of more than 20%: registrations of Daelim and Kymco fell by 22.6% and 22.2% respectively, the two brands thus falling below the bar. 3% market share. Competition is tough in 125 !

Market over 125: 8,742 units (+ 5.1%)

The over 125 market has had a better summer than that of small cars, its customers being perhaps less sensitive to the vagaries of weather conditions. However, it is clear that the Japanese brands – the same as in 125 – stalled in August..

Only Kawasaki posted an increase in sales compared to August 2006 (+ 33.5%) and took the opportunity not only to take second place among manufacturers (with 1,587 registrations) behind Suzuki (1,883) and ahead of Yamaha. (1,560) and Honda (1,091), but also and above all third place in the aggregate of the first eight months! "This 3rd place is a historic result for us", underlines Kawasaki France to Site.

At the origin of this good performance, we find inevitably the Z750 (766 registrations) which continues to outrageously dominate the market of "more than 125" but also the ER-6: the sparkling twin is ranked second best seller with 424 copies registered.

Third best seller in France last month, the Fazer 600 failed to keep Yamaha at its 2006 level: the tuning fork saw its August sales fall by 11.6% and its market share fall below the 18% mark.

Suzuki, which ends the month of August with a drop in registrations of "only" 4.6%, therefore manages to widen a slight gap in the cumulative amount of the first eight months: 18,947 sales for Suz against 17,381 for Yamaha. Nothing is done yet !

In fourth place, Honda suffered a decrease comparable to that of Yam: -10.3% compared to August 2006. Like the S-Wing in 125 GT scooters, the Hornet 600 has not yet managed to play at the forefront. by making only 282 sales.

The world number one can on the other hand be satisfied with the results of his CBF 1000: the "road not so wise as that" (read) is placed in front of the Yam FZ1 and the Kawa Z1000 by taking the lead of "more than 750cc".

A first place usually occupied by the BMW R1200 RT, which fell in August to 12th place with 125 sales. After an excellent month of July, BMW ends a satisfactory month of August: 436 registrations and + 10.1% compared to August 2006. But other Europeans are making even more progress !

KTM and Triumph, in particular, posted exceptional increases of + 41.6% and + 61.9% respectively in August! The Daytona 675 thus climbs to eleventh place in the classification by model with 128 sales, overtaking the Suzuki GSX-R1000 (114) and the Yamaha R1 (111)! But it also and above all suggests, beyond these performances, good scores to come from its sister, the Street Triple !

Harley-Davidson sales increase by 22.8% and allow the American manufacturer to approach 5% monthly market share, or as much as BMW !

Piaggio, in the maxiscooters sector, recorded a further increase in its registrations with + 39.3% compared to August 2006. Finally, not all scooter users fear the rain. !

With four additional sales in August 2007 compared to August 2006, Ducati posted a timid + 1.9%: like the three Japanese manufacturers (Suzuki, Yamaha and Honda) -, the Italian did not follow the trend general market.

The "other brands" either do not manage to reach the 5% overall increase in more than 125. In August 2007, Gilera sold 84 "more 125cc" (including 47 Fuoco, the "sporty" MP3 ), Aprilia 63, Guzzi 61, Gas Gas 53, Peugeot 44, Buell 42, Beta, 36, MV 25, Sherco and HM 21, Kymco 18, Scorpa 14, Sym 13, Benelli 12 and Husqvarna, Enfield and Voxan 10.

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