A slight fall in motorcycle sales figures in 2013 was followed by sustained growth across the beginning of 2014.
In 2013, total registrations of motorcycles and mopeds fell 1.9%, to 91,910. In particular, moped sales fell 20%, while motorcycle sales rose 1.2% to 81,180.
Kirk Franks, head of national sales at Alphera Financial Services U.K., said: “While there were challenges for the whole of the motorcycle sector in 2013, many marques continued to perform well.”
Indeed, some of the industry’s major players saw 2013 as a good year, and have set out in 2014 with high hopes for growth in both sales and finance deals. Steve Kenward, chief executive of the Motorcycle Industry Association, said: “We are cautiously optimistic that the market has bottomed out post-recession, and we are starting to see an increase in demand for new bikes.”
Commenting on the growing confidence expressed by providers such as Black Horse, BMW, and Alphera, Kenward said: “This optimism seems to be justified at the moment, and a willingness to ‘trade up’ after ‘making do’ during the recession is being stimulated by some very exciting models coming to market, which are new for 2014.”
Indeed, positive outlooks for 2014 seem well-founded. Total year-to-date registrations rose 10.4% in January, 3.8% in February, and 12.6% in March. Sales totaled 14,653 in March alone, an 18.2% increase on the same month in 2013.
“A large number of the dealers we work with have experienced record sales in the first quarter of 2014,” said Alphera’s Franks. “This is mainly down to new product hitting the market, record new vehicle registrations, and some innovative finance deals being made available by lenders.”
―Courtesy Motor Finance
