In the first nine months of 2023, the European motorcycle market experienced a significant increase in sales. According to a recent report by the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), a total of 873,985 new motorcycles were registered in key markets in Europe from January to September 2023. This is an 11.8% increase from the same period in 2022, which had 781,839 new registrations.

Italy emerged as the strongest market for two-wheelers, with a growth of 19.4% and 271,552 new two-wheelers registered. Spain followed with a 13.4% increase and 154,019 registrations, while Germany saw a 9.6% growth with 190,490 new registrations. France and the UK also experienced an increase in registrations, with 168,118 units (8.7%) and 89,806 units (0.4%) registered respectively.

While motorcycle sales saw a strong uptick, the moped segment experienced a decline. Only 155,098 mopeds were registered in the first nine months of 2023, a 25% drop from the previous year’s 206,927 registrations. It’s important to note that the report only covers France, the Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Belgium, and Spain. Mopeds are categorized differently across regions, with some including certain e-bikes as mopeds.

ACEM’s Secretary General Antonio Perlot highlighted the sustained interest in two-wheelers for both commuting and leisure purposes. He noted that the strong growth in the European market emphasizes consumers’ continued long-term interest in powered two-wheelers. The report also suggests a positive trend in motorcycle sales following EICMA 2023, with expectations of more new models, including electric and internal combustion variants, for the 2024 model-year.

It’s essential to acknowledge that ACEM’s report does not encompass all the brands in the two-wheeler space. The report represents 18 manufacturers including BMW, Ducati, KTM, MV Agusta, Piaggio, and Triumph, as well as the Japanese big four. Notably, new players, particularly those from China, are not represented in the report, suggesting that the actual sales figures may be higher than the reported 873,985 new registrations.