New figures published by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show that motorcycle sales have increased by 26.4 per cent in 2020, compared to the first three quarters of 2019.
The figures tally new road and off-road motorcycle sales, as well as Off Road Highway Vehicles (OHVs), which includes ATVs and side-by-sides.
From the beginning of the year to September 30th, Australia recorded 79,623 sales in the aforementioned categories, compared to 62,791 in the previous year.
This news follows a similar increase in sales in the second quarter of 2020, which was then attributed to changing buyer habits during the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to an increase in dirt bike sales.
The FCAI found that many Australians were buying off-road motorcycles rather than other luxury items during the pandemic, however, the third quarter has also seen a significant rise in road bike and OHV sales.
Specifically, 25,556 road-going motorcycles have found new homes in 2020, translating to an 8.2 per cent increase year-on-year.
Meanwhile, 18,930 OHVs have been sold in that period, for a 44.4 per cent increase, and 31,776 off-road sales show a 39.9 per cent lift compared to 2019.
Scooter sales did dip however, dropping 4.5 per cent with 3361 sales in 2020.
“Achieving such a strong sales performance in the current market conditions is simply remarkable,” explained FCAI chief executive officer Tony Weber.
“And it is due, for the most part, to the rising popularity of off-road bikes and strong demand for OHVs.
“Off-road bikes have grown in popularity as people turn to close-to-home recreational pursuits during the pandemic restrictions.
“And OHVs – which include both ATVs and SSVs – are in strong demand due to the implementation of controversial Government legislation which will see the quality ATV brands exit the Australian market.”
In the past, the FCAI has provided more detail motorcycle sales analysis, like top ten selling models and brands, though it recently announced that it would offer an abbreviated format to align itself with other markets.
“Included in the newly formatted report will be motorcycle sales via segment, including OHV, Off Road, Road, Scooter and Total sales,” said FCAI in a statement.
This means that it is unclear if Honda retained its best-seller status in Q3, after it topped the charts in Q2 followed by Yamaha and Kawasaki, respectively.
Spencer has a keen eye for hard news, and does some of his best living on deadline day. He loves more than anything to travel on his motorcycle, and is adamant that Melbourne Bitter is a world-class lager. He also knows how to operate the big computery thing in the office. By night, Spencer plays guitar with Melbourne punk outfit LOUTS.
