The latest data from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) shows that 17,977 new motorcycles, ATVs and scooters were sold over the first quarter of 2020, the figure equating with a fall of 2.5 per cent over the same period last year.
"The first three months of 2020 have seen many issues unfolding in the Australian market, with floods, drought, bushfires, and more recently the Coronavirus pandemic," said Tony Weber, chief executive of the FCAI.
"The market has been remarkably resilient given the circumstances."
Both the ATV/SSV and off-road bike segment actually posted gains, while sales of road bikes and scooters fell.
New market leader Yamaha recorded a 21.1% share of the national market, followed by Honda with 20.3% and in third place, Kawasaki with 11.3%.
Across the industry segments, scooters suffered the biggest fall, with a 14.1% decline in sales during the first quarter. In this segment, Honda held a 33.1% share, followed by Suzuki with 21.9% and Vespa with 17%.
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Road bikes also suffered a significant 7.8% decline over the quarter. Harley-Davidson enjoys leadership in the road-bike segment, with 18.9% market share, followed by Yamaha (17.7%) and Honda (14.1%).
Off-road motorcycles held their own with a 1.3% sales increase. Yamaha again topped the segment with 27.8% share, followed by Honda with a 24.3% share and KTM in third place with a 20.7% share.
The ATV/SSV segment was the biggest positive for the industry with an overall increase of 8% over the corresponding quarter last year. Polaris topped the segment with a 27.9% share, followed by Honda with a 21.6% share and then Yamaha with a 19.6% share.
Of particular note, the recently introduced 2020 Yamaha Tenere 700 has streaked to the top of the sales charts with 347 sales year to date. That puts it not only on top of the overall sales chart, but leading the adventure bike and road bike tables too.
Helping consolidate Yamaha's new position at the top of the sales tally is the brand's WR450F, which leads the off-road, enduro, and LAMS-approved categories.
The Top 10 sales rankings by category are as follows: