2018: Aussie market contracts 8.7 per cent

Australia’s motorcycle market contracted 8.7 per cent in 2018, with total sales for the full calendar year of 95,080 according to official figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

However, the real figure is likely to be much closer to 100,000 units, as a number of non-FCAI members aren't included in the official sales figures. They include Gas Gas, Benelli, MV Agusta, Kymco, Sherco and CFMoto.

Based on the office FCAI figures, road motorcycles represented 38.2 per cent of total sales in 2018, followed by off-road motorcycles (36.6 per cent), ATV/SSV (20.6 per cent) and scooters (4.6 per cent).

However, of the four main market segments, only scooter was in the black, up 12.4 per cent, while the other three contracted – ATV/SSV taking the biggest whack (down 13.7 per cent).

Of the 19 marques (18 plus ‘other’) in the FCAI figures, only three increased sales in 2018: Ducati (up 0.3 per cent), Indian (up 8.7 per cent) and Vespa (up 5.2 per cent).

Honda came in at number one with 22,735 sales (23.9 per cent market share), followed by Yamaha (21,145 sales), Kawasaki (9376), Suzuki (7557), KTM (7457), Harley-Davidson (7019), Polaris (5443), BMW (2922), Ducati (2423) and Husqvarna (2251).

In the off-road segment, Yamaha came up trumps, followed by Honda and KTM. Polaris, Honda and Yamaha were the top three in ATV/SSV; Honda and Harley-Davison were equal first in road, with Yamaha in third; and in scooter Honda came up trumps from Vespa and Piaggio.

Four brands – Yamaha, Honda, Suzuki and Vespa – saw increased sales in the scooter segment.

The full summary report is as follows:

The top five selling models in Australia last year were all ‘funbikes’, with the Honda CRF50F leading the way on 2159 units, followed by the Yamaha PW50 (1953), Yamaha TTR50E (1715), Honda CRF110F (1487) and Kawasaki KLX110 (1246).

The first ‘big bike’ to get a look in was the Yamaha WR450F (1136), with the top 10 completed by the Honda CB125E (1113), Honda CRF230F (1096), Kawasaki Ninja 400 (1089) and KTM 300 EXC (1052).

Those same models featured in the combined top 10 in September, although the pecking order had changed by the end of the year – including the CRF50F annexing top spot from the PW50.

The Ninja 400 was easily the most impressive newcomer on the Aussie market in 2018.

The biggest sellers in the separate categories were:
• ATV: Polaris Sportsman 570
• Scooter: Honda NSC110
• LAMS: Yamaha WR450F (Honda CB125E was the leader at the end of the third quarter)
• Road: CB125E
• Adventure touring: Suzuki DR650SE (Honda Africa Twin)
• Cruiser: Harley-Davidson Street 500
• Naked: CB125E
• Sports touring: Yamaha YZF-R3
• Supersport: Kawasaki Ninja 400
• Touring: Harley-Davidson Street Glide Special
• Off-road: Honda CRF50F (Yamaha PW50)
• Farm: Honda XR190
• Fun: Honda CRF50F (Yamaha PW50)
• Trail: Honda CRF230F
• Off-road four-wheel: Polaris Ace 500

The top 10 in each category are as follows: