2-wheel vehicle registrations back in the red
Household expenditure is stagnating and consumers put off the purchase of a new vehicle

Powered 2-wheel vehicle sales show a marked downswing over the figures recorded last year, partly due to the fact that March 2010 was the last month for registering vehicles bought under the incentive program.

Registrations came to 27,648 units, accounting for a 25.1% decline. This result stems from the negative performance of the scooter segment, -34.5% with 16,332 units. The drop in motorbike sales was not as large: -5.7% with 11,316 units. The incidence of the month of March over the annual total is ca 12%. Even mopeds, which mostly consist of scooters, reflected the same negative trend by going down 23.4% with 5,012 units.

“We are faced with year-on-year data still biased by the presence of vehicles purchased under the incentive scheme in March 2010 – points out Corrado Capelli, Chairman of Confindustria ANCMA (National Association for the Bicycle, Motorcycle and Accessory Industry) - “But we are concerned with the low purchase intention that characterises the vehicle markets, clearly still suffering from low income levels and a substantial uncertainty as what the near future will bring. Household expenditure is penalised across the board, but cars and motorcycles show a double-digit contraction. Our market is affected by consumer credit conditions and, in particular, by operating costs, that show significant increments. Growing insurance and fuel costs are eroding purchasing power. This delays consumers’ purchasing decisions and prevents the renewal of the vehicles in circulation.
We hope to be able to profit presently from a worldwide recovery that seems to be getting underway and expect the situation to get better with the seasonal sales peak. The next quarter will be decisive in shaping the year’s sales results. The companies in our sector are constantly working to improve their product line-ups, knowing full well that the role of powered 2-wheel vehicles will inevitably come to the fore as the need for sustainable mobility gains more widespread recognition.”

Total registrations for the first quarter closed with 58,890 units and a -21.3% trend. Motorcycles weathered the storm better, with 23,439 units (-6.8%), whilst scooters sales came to a disappointing 35,451 units (-28.7%).
The break down by engine size shows the best selling scooter segment to be between 300 and 500cc, with 13,666 vehicles sold (-19.5%). Smaller displacements were less popular, as borne out by the following figures: 125cc, -27.2% with 11,242; 150-200cc, -44.2% with 6,942; 250cc, -30.9% with 3,092.

As for motorbikes, March figures indicate that maxi bikes >1000cc kept growing with 7,622 units delivered, accounting for an 8% increase; the next best result was obtained by 800-1000cc bikes, with 5,844 unit, down only 1.8%. Still declining were most medium sized vehicles, as follows: 650-750cc, -21.7% with 4,010 units; 600cc, -25,6% with 1,964 units, 125cc, -18.6% with 1,413. On the other hand, albeit with low volumes, the 300-500cc segment improved by 10.1%, with 1,741 units.
From a segment by segment analysis we find, in order of importance: naked bikes, with 7,171 units, declined by 10.3% and were almost reached by road-going enduro bikes, which remained stable with 6,984 units and went down only 0.7%. Custom motorcycles achieved a 10.2% increase with 2,630 units, but drastic drops were recorded by sports bikes, down 33.6% with 2,461 units, and supermotards, -20.8% with 1,650 units; touring bike sales went up 28.8% with 1,936 units.

Moped sales totalled 12,322 units, -15.8%.

Total sales of powered 2-wheel vehicles (registered + 50cc) for the first quarter of this year came to 71,212 units, down 20.4% over the same quarter in 2010.