June sales down from June 2010

Registrations slowed down in June: despite a slight recovery during the last part of the month, the final figure gives a 19.6% drop over June 2010.

Only 31,764 vehicles were sold in the month of June, with similar trends for scooters (22,076 units, down 20.1% compared to June 2010) and motorcycles (9,688 units, -18.2% compared to June 2010). Normally, June accounts for approx. 13% of annual sales.

Moped sales of 11,057 units meant a drop of 18.7% month-over-month.

“During the first six months of the year, registrations fell short by about 30,000 units and moped sales dropped by over 8.000 units. One reason is the lack of an incentive program such as the one that provided damage control in 2011 by promoting the sale of no fewer than 33,000 vehicles, and another reason is the climate of uncertainty that prevailed and the tax hikes that reduced the purchasing power of the households, so that the replacement of durable goods such as cars and motorcycles had to be put off. – says Corrado Capelli, Chairman of Confindustria ANCMA (National Association for the Bicycle, Motorcycle and Accessory Industry) – Though the manufacturers have spared no effort to make available a range of products conforming to both active safety and environmental requirements, we have been receiving negative signals from those who supposedly should care for the growth of the market and employment levels: new tax proposals, such as the Provincial Transcription Tax, are being aired, and other factors adding to a gloomy picture are additional insurance charges despite the fact that premiums are well of out control; fuel tax rises, constantly deteriorating consumer credit conditions. It is essential – concludes Capelli – to create conditions that will favour vehicles with lower emission levels and advanced safety systems, as recommended by the European Commission; while something that has to be done right away is to stop putting up barriers to purchase in terms of increasing operating costs for the vehicles.”

From January through June registrations totalled 164,381 vehicles, down 15.7% over the corresponding period in 2010, when sales profited from a 10 million Euro incentive program. Scooter sales came to 107,816 units, with a drop of 18.5%. The drop was not as dramatic for motorcycles, down by 9.8% with 56,565 units sold.

The breakdown by engine size shows a less negative trend for scooters from 300 to 500cc, with 41,275 units that translates into a 18.8% decline. 125cc models take second place, with 34,112 units (-12.8%). Above average drops were recorded for 150-200cc and 250cc scooters (with 21,729 units, -24.7%, and 9,257 units, -26,.5%, respectively). A big percentage improvement, +43%, was achieved by maxi scooters over 500cc, but the overall quantity of units sold, 1,443, was hardly significant.

As for motorcycles, the maxi segment, over 1000cc, stood its ground with 17,634 vehicles delivered, (+4.2%), and similar results were recorded for 800-1000cc motorbikes, with 15,105 units resulting in a decline of just -2%. More penalised were medium sizes bikes: 650-750cc models that sold 10,802 units and fell by 24.3%, and 600cc bikes down 33.5% with 4,738 units. With only 3,654 units registered, 125cc motorcycles declined by 12.8%, but sales of models from 300 to 500cc rose by 6.9% with 2,992 units.

A segment-by-segment analysis reveals that naked bikes, with 19,071 units, went down 14.3%; road-going enduro models declined slightly, by 3.5%, with 14,862 units; custom models continued their positive streak with 6,748 units and a 2% increase; sports bikes did poorly, with 5,524 units and a 27.9% fall, but touring motorcycles kept improving: +11.8% with 4,918 vehicles; supermotards suffered a setback: 4,360 units, -20.1%.
As for mopeds, first semester sales stopped at 38,386 units, -17.4% over the corresponding period in 2010.

During first semester 2011, total sales of powered 2-wheel vehicles (registrations + mopeds) came to 202,767 units, with a drop of 16.1% compared to the first 6 months of 2010.