Aussie motorcycle market down 16.4 percent

After a torrid start to the year, the Australian motorcycle market has shown its fighting qualities by bouncing back in February.

A total of 14,593 ATVs, scooters, road and off-road bikes have been sold in the first two months of 2010, 16.4 percent down on the same period in 2009. In January, the market was down 24.9 percent year-on-year.

All four market segments are still in the red, although off-road, road and scooter have all improved on their percentage figures in January, with ATV the only sector to lose more ground.

The road sector is still the largest, with 6183 units sold so far in 2010, followed by off-road (4649), ATV (2049) and scooter (1712).

Last week, the general manager of Honda Australia, Tony Hinton, praised the local motorcycle market for holding firm during the global financial crisis.

Moreover, there's been some positive local news today, with February recording the biggest increase in job advertisements for 11 years according to the ANZ bank.

The recovery in job ads is the latest indication that the economy is gaining strength. Last week, the Reserve Bank raised its official interest for the fourth time in five board meetings since October as it moves to return lending costs to more normal levels after last year's economic slowdown.

Yamaha dominates market share with 21 percent of total sales, well ahead of great rival Honda (16). Suzuki (13 percent), Kawasaki (nine), Harley-Davidson (nine), KTM (five), Triumph (four), Polaris (three), Kymco (three) and Husqvarna (two) complete the top 10.

As for the top individual models (excluding ATVs), the Honda CT110 (339), Kawasaki Ninja 250 (307), Yamaha YZ450F (266) and Honda CFR250R (207) remain in the top four, while Suzuki's DR-Z400E (165) has soared back into the top five after a comparatively - for such a perennially strong performer -- lean January.

New entries into the top 10 are the Yamaha YZ250F (157) in sixth, the Suzuki RM-Z250 (147) in seventh, and the Triumph Thunderbird (136) in 10th. Yamaha duo WR450F (145) and PW50 (137) and eighth and ninth.

The leaders in the other categories are as follows (with the bike it has replaced in brackets):

ATV - Yamaha YFM90
Roadbike - CT110
Cruiser - Thunderbird
Scooter - Piaggio Fly 125
Sportstouring - Suzuki GF500F
250cc roadbike - CT110
Adventure touring - Kawasaki KL650E
Naked - Honda CB400 (Buell 1125R)
Supersport - Yamaha YZF-R1 (Hyosung GT650R)
Touring - Yamaha FJR1300 (Harley-Davidson FLHR)
Supermoto - Yamaha XT660
Off-road - YZ450F
Enduro - DR-Z400E (WR450F)
Motocross - YZ450F
Fun - Yamaha PW50
Farm - Yamaha AG200
Trail - Suzuki DR650SE

Pic: YZ250F