Scooter sales boom as commuters avoid public transport

Motorcycle sales grew year-on-year in June, in contrast to the declining new car market, with scooters sales up 43 percent

Yamaha XC115S scooters

A boom in scooter sales helped the UK motorcycle market return to growth in June 2020 – in contrast to the new car market which is still down 35 percent.

Over 13,000 motorcycles were registered in June 2020, a rise of 14.8 percent over 2019.

More significantly, sales of scooters were up 43.1 percent as commuters look for alternatives to public transport.

Trade body the MCIA says scooters are now the second most popular type of new motorcycle in the UK, ahead of more powerful superbikes and adventure sport machines.   

Growth is particularly strong amongst those for whom walking and cycling are not viable.

The organisation says this is proof of the role motorcycles and scooters can play in transport planning and is now calling on the government to fully endorse them.

Ministers such as transport secretary Grant Shapps, it says, have for months been promoting alternatives to public transport – but have ignored motorcycles and scooters.

The MCIA says they “are a clean and efficient transport mode that require little road space for travel or parking and which can meet the needs of a variety of commuters, while at the same time fulfilling their social distancing and environmental obligations”.

More than a million British motorists already hold a motorcycle licence, adds the MCIA.

“The Government’s message to not use public transport is clearly benefitting scooters and motorcycles sales”, said Stephen Latham, head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association.

“Scooter and motorcycle retailers are optimistic that they are in a good position to benefit from the gradual return to work as lockdown measures continue to ease.”

The best-selling motorcycle in June 2020 was the Honda PCX125 scooter.

Honda was the best-selling brand too, ahead of Yamaha and Triumph.

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Richard Aucock
Richard Aucockhttps://www.richardaucock.co.uk/
Richard is director at Motoring Research. He has been with us since 2001, and has been a motoring journalist even longer. He won the IMCO Motoring Writer of the Future Award in 1996 and the acclaimed Sir William Lyons Award in 1998. Both awards are run by the Guild of Motoring Writers and Richard is currently vice chair of the world's largest organisation for automotive media professionals. Richard is also a juror for World Car Awards and the UK juror for the AUTOBEST awards.

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