Motorcycle sales dip in 2023

Motorcycle sales went backwards in 2023, with the latest data from the FCAI (Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries) revealing a total of 95,980 new motorcycles, scooters and off-highway vehicles (OHVs) rolled off showroom floors.

That’s an overall drop of 3.1 per cent over the 2022 tally, in a year that saw all but one of the major categories shrink. Last year also saw sales of new dirt bikes continue to dominate those of road bikes, with 40,138 units sold versus 35,122. However, the dirt bike market was down 3.7% for the year, compared to the previous corresponding period, while the fall for road bikes was a little less, with a drop of 3.0%.

The fall was even more pronounced for the OHV market, where the 14,585 new vehicles sold equated with a drop of 7.8%.

The one exception amid the red ink was the scooter segment. While also the smallest of the four major categories, and therefore more prone to larger percentage fluctuations, the scooter segment was up 15.4% in 2023, with 6135 new scoots registered. That’s off the back of a strong 2022 for the category too, in which it was up 10.3% on the previous year.

The boost in scooter sales is perhaps no surprise, as cost-of-living pressures continue to bite and commuters seek out more affordable and efficient ways of getting around. In a similar vein, tough times invariably lead to falls of discretionary purchases, road and dirt bikes included.

The impact was highlighted by the FCAI’s Chief Executive, Tony Weber.

“As Australians manage tighter finances, recreational products are often the first to be affected.

“Recreational products, including motorcycles, often bear the brunt of financial constraints during challenging periods. The decrease in motorcycle sales underscores the impact of economic pressures on discretionary spending.

“An increase in scooter sales points to changes in consumer preferences in the Australian market with new riders venturing onto our roads, taking advantage of easier parking and quicker commute times.”

While sales are still falling, the slide may well be abating. While the 2023 tally was 3.1% down compared to 2022, the year-end 2022 figure represented a far more sizeable fall of 19.8% over 2021.

Amid the darkest days of the pandemic, 2021 saw bike sales perform strongly, particularly off-road bikes. A total of 123,530 new machines were registered in 2021, with many buyers turning to dirt bikes as a form of recreation during the lockdown era, while business owners took advantage of the government’s Instant Asset Write-Off scheme.

It should be noted that FCAI motorcycle sales data only includes data for brands represented by FCAI members. As such, data for models imported by Urban Moto Imports (including Royal Enfield and Benelli) and Mojo Motorcycles (now owned by MotorCycle Holdings, including brands CFMOTO and Sherco) is not represented.

As for the top-selling motorcycle models of 2023, we just don’t know – unlike in Australia’s passenger car industry, the FCAI no longer makes public granular data relating to individual marques and models.