Motorcycle Market at a Record High – This Is How May Bikes Were Registered
In 2024, the motorcycle market across Europe's five largest countries – France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom – reached a record 1,155,640 new registrations, marking a 10.1% increase from the previous year.
In the UK, 2024 saw 110,994 new motorcycle registrations, a 2.7% rise compared to 2023. Interestingly, by the end of November 2024, the market was actually down 2.9% year-on-year, but an exceptional surge in December – with registrations more than doubling compared to December 2023 – turned the market around, resulting in net positive growth.
This surge is largely attributed to the impending Euro 5+ emissions standards, which take effect on January 1, 2025. To comply, manufacturers and dealers offered significant discounts on Euro 5 models throughout 2024, leading to increased demand as riders sought to capitalize on these deals before the stricter regulations took effect.
The Euro 5+ standards not only tighten emission limits but also introduce enhanced requirements, such as:
- Improved On-Board Diagnostics (OBD) for precise emission issue detection.
- Extended durability testing of emission control systems.
- Stricter noise regulations in specific scenarios.
According to the UK's Motorcycle Industry Association's (MCIA) press statistics for 2024, the UK motorcycle market experienced notable trends in new registrations and sales:
- Yamaha NMAX 125 (2,080 units sold)
- Honda PCX 125 (1,885 units sold)
- Honda CB 125 F (1,843 units sold)
- Triumph SPEED 400 (1,380 units sold)
- BMW R 1250 GS ADVENTURE (957 units sold)
For A2 license holders (motorcycles up to 47 bhp / 35 kW), models like the Triumph Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X have been particularly popular, offering a great mix of performance and accessibility.
