While the Toyota Corolla may have topped the registrations charts for the Kiwi car industry once again for 2018 when it came to the motorcycle industry the figures released by the Motor Industry Association (MIA) provided plenty of surprises.
Based on the figures released by the MIA this month – which records a total of 6482 new motorcycles registered – the best selling motorcycles were all well within reach of the entry level rider. Learner approved models such as Suzuki’s 150cc GSX150, Kawasaki’s Ninja 400, Royal Enfield’s Classic, Harley-Davidson’s Street 500 and Yamaha’s MT-03 all shifted significantly higher unit numbers than what could be thought of as more traditionally desirable models.
While two of those bikes also gained a boost to sales thanks to the successful racing series based upon them – the GSX150 provides the base of the Suzuki GIXXER Cup while the Ninja 400 is the star of the Carl Cox Motorsport Hyosung & Ninja Cup – the shear numbers sold reflect a shift in the motorcycle industry towards the more approachable motorcycles of the LAMS class.
Not only were the top five selling motorcycles previously mentioned all classed as Learner Approved Motorcycles (LAMS) rather than the bedroom wall poster bikes which so often grab headlines, of the top 20 best selling motorcycles only two were out of reach of entry-level riders.
Of the Top 20 best selling models of 2018 only two – the Indian Motorcycle Scout Bobber and Harley-Davidson Breakout – were not learner approved.
So what can we take from this data?
Well, the state of motorcycling in New Zealand may not be as dire as some may suggest and the popularity of LAMS machines signals strong market in the entry level of motorcycling.
While it would require digging into NZTA data to get a closer handle on whether the popularity of the LAMS class in 2018 also signals an increase in the number of motorcyclists hitting New Zealand roads, motorcycles will always be a competitive solution to combating rising fuel costs and congestion on our roads.
BY THE NUMBERS | THE TOP 20 SELLING MOTORCYLES OF 2018
SUZUKI GSX150 FDZA GIXXER | 200
KAWASAKI EX400G L |168
ROYAL ENFIELD CLASSIC |118
SUZUKI GSX150 DXA GIXXER |110
HARLEY-DAVIDSON STREET 500 | 106
YAMAHA MT-03 LAJ |106
SUZUKI GN125H | 96
KTM 390 DUKE | 93
HONDA GLC 150SH |91
SUZUKI DR650SE | 82
HONDA CMX500 | 73
TRIUMPH STREET TRIPLE S LAM | 68
YAMAHA MT-07 LAH | 68
SUZUKI UK 110NE ADDRESS | 67
BMW G 310 R 63
HARLEY DAVIDSON SOFTAIL BREAKOUT S | 52
INDIAN SCOUT BOBBER | 52
YAMAHA YZF R3AH | 51
YAMAHA YZF R3AJ |50
ROYAL ENFIELD HIMALAYAN | 49