UK Motorcycle Sales in May strengthen rebounding industry as electric powers up

Motorcycle sales in the UK continue to grow month-on-month to ensure a big gain on 2020 when lockdown measures were still very much in place

Honda CB1000RR
Honda CB1000RR

Sales of motorcycles in the United Kingdom for May continued to reflected an industry that has almost recovered from the lows brought on by the coronavirus as national lockdown measures were almost entirely eased.

It is little surprise figures are well up on this time last year when the entire UK population was grappling with the onset of COVID-19,, leading to widespread closures of dealerships and a shift in priorities away from commerce.

Indeed, while the UK remains affected by coronavirus, the latest - and most significant - easing of lockdown measures over the past month has ensured momentum for purchasing new motorcycles remains high, even if the weather didn’t exactly play ball.

It meant 13,398 units were shifted in May 2021, according to data released by the MCIA - a rise of 148.4% compared with May 2020. That has combined to elevate sales to 43,242 for the first five months of the year. This represents a massive 40.2% increase than during the same period in 2020.

All segments saw an uplift with Adventure Sport and Naked categories faring particularly well with 242% and 197% gains.. 

A more fitting comparison should therefore take April 2021, which saw 10,874 units solid, meaning May was comfortably up on the previous month too.

One take away from May’s figures though is the continued growth of the Electric motorcycle sector, which has swelled to such an extent the MCIA has now given it its own standalone section of its media-distributed statistics. Sales of electric two-wheelers - including scooters - is up 233% compared with 2020 thus far.

Yamaha NMAX 125
Yamaha NMAX 125

What were the biggest selling motorcycles in the UK for May 2021?

Honda retained its customary place at the head of the sales charts in terms of brands, the company selling 2,392 units over the month period, comfortably pushing Yamaha into second position with 1,717 sales.

However, Yamaha did have the best-selling model outright with its NMAX 125 well clear with 659 units of the scooter alone finding homes.

In third, Triumph consolidated its now lofty sales position thanks again to strong sales of its new and well-received Triumph Trident 660, heading off BMW in fourth, Kawasaki in fifth and KTM in sixth. 

Lexmoto ends the month with the seventh highest sales total, with Harley-Davidson, Royal Enfield - which has just brought the key Meteor 350 to market - and Ducati rounding out the top ten.

CATEGORY HIGHEST SELLING NEW REGISTRATIONS May 2021
SCOOTER (MOPED) Horwin EK1 45
OTHER (MOPED) Surron LIGHT BEE 62
SCOOTER Yamaha NMAX 125 659
SCOOTER TRIKE Piaggio MP3 300 SPORT 27
ADVENTURE SPORT Multiple 1509
CUSTOM Keeway SUPERLIGHT 141
NAKED Honda CBF 125 M 304
SPORT/TOUR Multiple 27
SUPERSPORT KawasakI NINJA 1000 SX 118
TOURING BMW R 1250 RT 81
TRAIL/ENDURO KTM 690 ENDURO R 32
CATEGORY HIGHEST SELLING NEW REGISTRATIONS May 2021
0-50cc Vmoto SUPER SOCO CPX 148
51-125cc Yamaha NMAX 125 659
126-650cc Royal Enfield INTERCEPTOR INT 650 189
651-1000cc Triumph TRIDENT 163
1000cc + Multiple 159
RANK MAJOR BRANDS May 2021
1 HONDA 2,392
2 YAMAHA 1,717
3 TRIUMPH 1,133
4 BMW 1,009
5 KTM 810
6 KAWASAKI 652
7 LEXMOTO 418
8 HARLEY-DAVIDSON 404
9 ROYAL ENFIELD 397
10 DUCATI 388

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