Monthly reviews – 2018 motorcycle and scooter market: successful first half for France – Page 2 – First half of 2018: 91,520 immates

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Motorcycle and scooter market 2018: successful first half for France

Monthly reviews - 2018 motorcycle and scooter market: successful first half for France - Page 2 - First half of 2018: 91,520 immates

The first half of 2018 went well for the French motorcycle market: in six months, 91,520 registrations were recorded (+ 6.7%). The 125 cc accelerated well, but the big engines stood out with their best score of the last ten years… Balance sheet !

Page 2 – First semester 2018: 91,520 immates

The MNC Premium readers – who, as everyone knows, are much more fortunate than others – know that compared to the winter 2016-2017 exceptionally dry from a weather point of view but only slightly positive for the motorcycle market (+ 0.9%), winter 2017-2018 was marked by severe weather … and a brilliant increase in sales of motorcycles and scooters of "125 cc and more": + 8.8% !

In spring 2018, "the months of March, April and May were rich in significant meteorological events: abundant precipitation (…), late episodes of snow in the plains, lack of sunshine, numerous thunderstorms, but also peaks of heat accompanied by a very generous sun on the northern half ", summarizes Meteo France.

At the same time, "on average over France and over the spring, the excess rainfall exceeded 20%", against -15% over the same period in 2017 … Add to that the violent storms of June (read page 1 of this report) and you get a rather tense "climate" 2018 for sellers of motorized two-wheelers…

But as at the start of the year, French customers have misled forecasts over the past three months, taking advantage of the slightest light to go to the dealership and buy a new frame. Over the whole of the first half of 2018, moreover, 91,520 motorized two-wheelers over 50 cc (MNC does not study cyclos, sorry) were registered..

Compared to the first half of 2017 and its 63,035 immates, the market therefore recorded an increase of + 6.7% generated for – a small – half by the 125 cc (2705 machines more than last year) and for – a bigger – half by those of "more than 125 cc" (+3025 immates Vs 1st semester 2017).

As sales of motorcycles and maxiscooters are still significantly higher (more than double), the increase is proportionally more impressive for the 125 cc (+ 11.9%) than for their big sisters (+ 4.8%). But in absolute terms, the French continue to prefer large engines !

Bikers were particularly fond of large cubes: with 66,060 registrations recorded by the French administration, the first half of 2018 is the most prolific of the last ten years! We have to go back to the first half of 2008 to find a higher score (70,085 immates). It was just before the global crisis…

Falling like the big cubes in the bottom of the wave in 2013, the 125 do not manage to take off again: with 25,460 registrations, their first half of 2018 is certainly in the high average of the last five years, but clearly below the results recorded every six months in 2006, 2007 and 2008 (around 59,000).

Monthly reviews - 2018 motorcycle and scooter market: successful first half for France - Page 2 - First half of 2018: 91,520 immates

Last year, the entry into force of Euro4 on January 1 had somewhat altered the reality: according to the International Chamber of Automobile and Motorcycle Trade Unions (CSIAM), around 4,500 registrations of Euro3 motorcycles and scooters had been anticipated, thus inflating the statistics for the end of 2016 and reducing those for the beginning of 2017.

In 2018, the market is back on a sound footing: it is no longer a question for certain brands or dealers to liquidate the latest Euro3 models in the form of "zero km" opportunities, potentially much more interesting than the brand new and full Euro4 novelties. rate.

This year, only the product counts … Is the brand new model worth it (additional cost) compared to the previous one already owned by the biker or scooter rider? Is this machine more efficient, less expensive or / and more beautiful than another offered by the competition? ?

By broadening the problem, other questions emerge. Is this scooter a solution for city dwellers rather than a problem for the city? (Obvious answer) Does this bike allow you to have fun, forget about traffic jams and hide radars? (Again, easy).

By always buying as many 125 cc and always more large cubes, the French answer these two questions in the affirmative. The holding of the Mondial de la moto next October – on the sidelines of the Auto one – will offer even more visibility to our favorite means of transport or adored passion, sometimes both..

Yamaha is number one in France in sales of motorcycles and scooters of "125 cc and more" since Site studies the motorcycle market (2004). Since the Motorcycle Journal of the Net even exists (1999!). And the firm is in tune in the first half of 2018 … Its market share stands again at 19.6%.

Like Yam, Honda has sold a little more motorcycles in the last six months than in the first half of 2017. But the Tokyo Reds’ rise is limited to + 2.5% (Vs + 6.4% for the Blues from Iwata). The world number one thus lets slip a few tenths of PDM (16.4% in all) but remains solid second in France.

For the fourth year in a row, BMW is on the podium after the first half of the year. For lack of 125 cc or "big scooter" with three-wheelers, and despite an electric C Evolution which connects many French people (B or A / A2 license depending on the version), the Germans cannot hope to reach the volumes of the first two.

Like BMW (-4.2%), Kawasaki saw its sales decline during this first half of the year (-3.2%) and thus lost one point in market share (9.3%) . For the record, the Akashi Greens were neck and neck with the propeller mark in the first half of 2017, but were dropped in the second half. Will they be able to resist in 2018 ?

Monthly reviews - 2018 motorcycle and scooter market: successful first half for France - Page 2 - First half of 2018: 91,520 immates

Harley-Davidson has not left the French "Top Five" since 2016. With 5,321 registrations on the odometer (+ 12.5%), the Americans are on the basis of a new record in 2018. But the US / EU trade war is up sticks – steel! – in the wheels of the Milwaukee factory (Wisconsin, Republican state …).

After two exceptional first semesters (+ 21% in 2016 and then + 24% in 2017!), Triumph is taking a slight hiatus and is increasing its sales "only" by + 3.1%. In the wheel of its American cousin a year ago, the English brand is this time dropped. In its (neo) retro, KTM appears…

Katoche is credited with the strongest growth in the first half of 2018 among the Top 10 manufacturers: + 25.2%! The Mattighofen firm, which fought against Piaggio last year, overtook Suzuki and propelled itself to less than 500 lengths from that of Hinckley at the end of June 2018: 4,340 immates at 4,772.

Now fallen to eighth place in the "125 cc and over" classification, Suzuki may have finally (!?) Hit rock bottom. The last of the Japanese even rebounded: its increase of + 6.4% compared to the first half of 2017 allows it to maintain its market share of 4.6% and happily exceed 4,000 units (4,203!).

It was for Piaggio – and Vespa – that the first half of 2018 and its very contrasted weather were the toughest: sales of Italian scooters fell by -7.6% (3,151 immats). Same punishment for compatriot Ducati who again closes the Top 10 and whose motorcycles have suffered a setback of -7.4% (2,737 immats).

Kymco and Mash are not more varnished: Taiwanese scooters and small Sino-French bikes fell by -5.9% and -5.2% respectively. The "Kwang Yang Motor COmpany" struggles against the leaders, while the SIMA brand suffers from competition from many challengers…

Peugeot Scooters – soon back in the motorcycle! – recovered in the first half of 2018: + 46.9% compared to a disastrous first half of 2017 (-40%). The other French scooter specialist, MBK, disappears from MNC radars due to being put on standby by Yamaha.

Orcal, the brand created from scratch – motorcycles excepted! – by the importer DIP, takes up the tricolor torch of MotoBeKane. Like the Mash Seventy, the Astor is made in China. But after all, the prestigious Japanese brands also produce abroad: China, Thailand, Brazil, Italy … France (Yamaha in St-Quentin) !

An Indian brand of English origin stands out in the background: Royal Enfield doubled its sales in France in the first half (2018 Vs 2017)! It exceeds two other brands that certainly do not deserve: the Swedish naturalized Austrian Husqvarna (+ 87.2%) and the North American Indian (67.1%).

Aprilia is taking advantage of MBK’s stoppage to move up from 19th to 18th place in the half-year ranking: sales of the Piaggio group’s sports brand rose by a quarter in 2018 … It didn’t take less to stay ahead of Orcal (653 immats Vs 649).

Finally, Beta steals the last place of the Top 20 from his compatriot Moto Guzzi. Despite the success of old-fashioned motorcycles in France, the neo-retro brand of the Piaggio group only registered 500 motorcycles in the first half of the year. Benelli (557 immats), Bullit (517) and Sherco (511) also pass him in front.

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