Aussie market makes a sluggish start to 2010

The Australian motorcycle market has limped into the new year, according to official FCAI sales figures obtained by the Bikesales Network.

A total of 6945 ATVs, scooters, road and off-road bikes were retailed in January, 24.9 percent - or 2300 units -- down on the same period in 2009.

All four segments have dropped, with scooters down 33.8 percent, followed by off-road (28.3), road (22.6) and ATV (14.5).

The road sector was yet again the biggest, with 2785 units, followed by off-road (2320).

Yamaha dominated market share with 23 percent of total sales, leaving arch-rival Honda trailing well behind on 14 percent. Suzuki (12 percent), Kawasaki (nine), Harley-Davidson (eight), KTM (five), Triumph (four), Polaris (three), Husqvarna (three) and Kymco (three) complete the top 10.

In 2009, Honda garnered 21.93 percent of market share to finish the year just a whisker in front of Yamaha (21.80).

The top 10 individual models (excluding ATVs) makes for some illuminating reading vis-à-vis the end of last year, with the Yamaha YZ450F rocketing into third overall on 138 units, with most of the heavy lifting done by the heavily revised version of the motocrosser.

The YZ450F is just on the tail of the Honda CT110 (145) and the Kawasaki Ninja 250 (139). Honda's CRF250R (111) retains fourth place, ahead of another new entry into the top 10 - Harley-Davidson's XL883 (91).

H-D has also provided the other two fresh faces in the top tier - the FLSTF (85) in seventh and FXD (73) in ninth.

The top 10 is completed by three Yamahas: the TT-R50 (88), PW50 (74) and WR450F (71).

Those to bow out of the top 10 are the Suzuki's DR-Z400E (but only by one unit), Yamaha YZ250F and Honda CRF230F.

The leaders in the other categories are as follows:

ATV - Yamaha YFM90
Roadbike - CT110
Cruiser - XL883
Scooter - Piaggio Fly 125
Sportstouring - Suzuki GF50F
250cc roadbike - CT110
Adventure touring - Kawasaki KL650E
Naked - Buell 1125R
Supersport - Hyosung GT650R
Touring - Harley-Davidson FLHR
Supermoto - Yamaha XT660
Off-road - YZ450F
Enduro - WR450F
Motocross - YZ450F
Fun - TTR50
Farm - Yamaha AG200
Trail - Suzuki DR650SE

A number of new bikes to the market have performed exceptionally well, including the Triumph Thunderbird in cruiser (sixth in roadbike and fourth in cruiser), the VT1300CX (eighth in cruiser), the Megelli 250R (third in 250cc roadbike), the Mojo 50GT (seventh in scooter), BMW G 650 GS (second in adventure touring), Suzuki Gladius (seventh in nakedbike), and Kymco CK125 (fifth in touring).

There are some other noteworthy results, including the Buell 1125R's top spot in nakedbike - a machine which is no longer being manufactured after parent company Harley-Davidson decided to close the doors on its American sportsbike subsidiary.

Hyosung's well priced GT650R V-twin has also moved to top spot in the amazingly competitive supersport class, ahead of the Yamaha YZF-R1, Ducati 1098/1198, Honda CBR1000RR and YZF-R6.

Pic: Megelli 250R