Positives despite motorcycle sales decrease

Motorcycle sales have taken another hit with the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industry (FCAI) revealing a decrease for the first three months of 2023. But there is still some positivity, with the industry slowly returning to pre-pandemic normality.

A total of 22,374 new motorcycles and off-highway vehicles (OHV) were sold from January-March 2023, representing an 8.1 per cent decrease compared to the same period in 2022.

Off-road motorcycles took the biggest fall, with a 14.5 per cent decrease from 2022. A total of 8242 units have been sold so far in 2023.

The Road segment also fell, with 9150 units sold and a 5.9 per cent decrease from 2022. Road bikes make made up 36.8 per cent of the total sales, making it the most popular segment.

But with dealer stock levels slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels, it is not all bad news for the motorcycle industry in Australia.

The obvious boom during the pandemic has subsided, but sales are still higher compared to the pre-pandemic years of 2018 and 2019. A total of 21,259 units were sold in 2018, while that figure dropped to just 18,428 in 2019.

A number of factors contributed to the boom and subsequent plateau, with shipping delays and low stock levels counteracting the increased consumer spending of the lockdown years. But the industry is now returning to a degree of normality.

Adding to the positivity is the growth of the OHV segment, which is slowly returning to strength following a few lean years courtesy of the pandemic and the new ATV safety regulations.

The OHV market grew by 8.3 per cent with 3548 vehicles sold and a 15.9 per cent share of the total sales market. OHV sales dropped by a whopping 44.1 per cent in 2022.

According to FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber, the increase is due to primary producers and small businesses seeing the benefits of using OHVs and side-by-sides.

“When operated within the manufacturers specifications, these products offer a safe, user-friendly experience and provide greater mobility and utility than traditional options,” said Weber.

While Weber didn’t specify what those “traditional options” are, it is possible he is referring to quad bikes or all-terrain vehicles (ATV). The ATV industry has been decimated by the introduction of safety regulations which require all new quads to fit operator protective devices (OPDs) or rollbars. The new regulations resulted in most of the major quad manufacturers exiting the Australian market.

CFMOTO and Segway are two brands that have opted to comply and are continuing to import new quad bikes, but customers are now looking towards UTVs and side-by-sides as potentially better alternatives.

There is also a new website that provides consumers with advice on how to operate OHVs in a safe and responsible manner. “We want consumers to get the most out of their products and to remain safe while doing so,” said Weber.