AUSTRALIAN MOTORCYCLE MARKET DROPS IN 2023

Sales figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) in January show that the Australian motorcycle market fell again in 2023, but far less dramatically than in 2022.

Overall, 95,980 new motorcycles, scooters and OHVs – from FCAI members – were sold in Australia in 2023, which is a 3.1 per cent decrease on 2022’s total of 99,030. The year-on-year fall is less than from 2021 to 2022, when sales dropped by an alarming 19.8 per cent.

In 2021, 123,530 new motorcycles were sold. When COVID lockdowns ended and international borders re-opened in 2022, money that had been going into “domestic” pursuits like motorcycles went towards overseas travel.

For 2023, interest rate rises that played a part in 2022’s sales decline became a much bigger factor, compounded by increases in the cost of living that bit into household budgets nationwide.

"Recreational products, including motorcycles, often bear the brunt of financial constraints during challenging periods,” said the FCAI Chief Executive, Tony Weber. “The decrease in motorcycle sales [for 2023] underscores the impact of economic pressures on discretionary spending.”

Segment Breakdown

Of the four main market segments – road, off-road, scooter and OHV - only scooters recorded a sales increase in 2023. Road bike sales in Australia totalled 35,112 last year; a 3 per cent decline on 2022’s total of 36,208. In the off-road segment, 40,138 sales for the year was down 3.7 per cent compared to 41,861 in 2022.

The OHV segment, which boomed in 2020 ahead of the introduction of mandatory ‘OPD’ (Operator Protection Devices) for all non-recreational ATVs, continued to enjoy success in 2021. But, with several brands withdrawing their ATVs from the Australian market instead of fitting the controversial OPDs (and transitioning to SxS vehicles), sales fell markedly after that. In 2022, OHV sales dropped by a significant 44.1 per cent, but for 2023, the fall was less extreme, at 7.8 per cent. A total of 14,585 OHV sales in Australia in 2023 compares to 15,825 in 2022 and 24,856 in 2021.

The scooter segment tends to yo-yo and its small volume means that increases/decreases can look more dramatic than they actually are. That being said, the segment had its strongest performance in years in 2023, with 6,135 scooters sold - a 15.4 per cent improvement on 2022 numbers.

“An increase in scooter sales points to changes in consumer preferences in the Australian market with new riders venturing onto our roads, taking advantage of easier parking and quicker commute times,” Weber added.

In terms of market share, off-road still accounts for the majority of new bike sales in Australia with 41.81 per cent, followed by road (36.59 per cent), OHV (15.19 per cent) and scooter (6.39 per cent). This breakdown is almost identical to 2022, with differences of less than one per cent for each segment.

Missing Motorcycles

As in past years, it should be noted that Australian motorcycle sales figures for 2023 only cover FCAI members, which includes the four Japanese brands, as well as Triumph, BMW Motorrad, Harley-Davidson, KTM, Ducati, Aprilia, Indian, Moto Guzzi, Vespa and a few others.

What 2023’s figures don’t include are sales from Urban Moto Imports (UMI) and Mojo Motorcycles, neither of whom are FCAI members. That means UMI brands, like Royal Enfield, Benelli, Segway Powersports, Rieju, Super Soco and Peugeot Motocycles, are not included in the numbers. The same goes for CFMoto, Sherco and Kymco bikes that are distributed locally by Mojo Motorcycles.

Royal Enfield and CFMoto, in particular, are strong performers in Australia, so the sales of those two brands alone would add a decent amount to the 2023 sales total. Include other non-FCAI brands and the official 95,980 figure for 2023 is probably closer to 110,000 or maybe even more.

The Brand and Model Mystery

In terms of the performance of specific brands and individual models in 2023, that data isn’t available and hasn’t been offered by the FCAI since 2019. However, Honda revealed they were Australia’s top-selling motorcycle brand in 2023, as they have been for most years in the new millennium. In the past, Honda’s #1 spot was due largely to the CT110 ‘postie bike’ that was bought in the hundreds by Australia Post annually. Despite the withdrawal of that model, Honda’s broad range, led by their popular dirt bike offerings, means they’ve continued to be the top bike brand in Australia.

Honda’s CRF110F junior dirt bike was the country’s top-selling new motorcycle in 2019, 2020 and 2021, but its numbers for 2022 and 2023 are unknown.