UK motorcycle dealers are not having a good 2025 so far, with new sales in June 2025 falling by 18.6% compared to the previous year – the year-to-date figures are down by 20.1% (figures supplied by the MCIA). And it’s affecting everything from mopeds to superbikes and giant adventure tourers.

However, the UK trade can console itself with the fact that it is not alone – motorcycle sales across the major EU markets (with the exception of Spain) are also on a downward trend. In France, Germany and Italy ¬– which together with Spain and the UK make up the five biggest bike markets in Europe – saw sales slump in the first half of 2025 compared to the same period last year. Italy (still the largest market of all at just over 195,000 powered two-wheelers sold in the six months) saw a 4.2% fall. Sales were down by 14.8% in France and a scary 29% in Germany. And it was a similar situation to ours, with mopeds suffering just as much as the big bikes. Only Spain enjoyed a sales increase, up by 5%.

Jim Freeman, chair of the BMF commiserated with the trade, suggesting that an uncertain economic outlook worldwide could be behind the loss of confidence. “Times are hard, bikes tend to be discretionary purchases, it’s an old story. The small bike market, where many buyers just want cheap transport, has to be influenced by the massive barriers to entry into the motorcycle market for many potential riders. If a potential rider can get the same transport option by buying an electric pushbike, with no barrier to entry other than being able to ride a bicycle and stumping up the purchase price, why would they go through the whole palaver of getting a licence, CBT, insurance, mandatory PPE and the rest? ”

Written by Peter Henshaw

Top image courtesy of Triumph