April 27th, 2020.


The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) has today released its forecast for the 2020 powered two wheeler (PTW) market. The forecast was delayed by the uncertainties created by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The statement reads;

“After an extended period of market growth which saw PTWs buck the downward trend established by other retail sectors and post year-on-year growth for both 2019 and 2018, the MCIA forecasts a fall in sales for 2020, entirely due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

January and February 2020 both posted higher registration figures than the corresponding months last year, a trend that carried on into the early days of March. However, the arrival of the lockdown all but stopped PTW sales and March overall was down 21 per cent on 2019, with Quarter 1 down 12.2 per cent.

Assuming an ease to the lockdown measures by mid-May, and a return to something approaching normality by the start of Q3, the MCIA predicts a Q2 fall of around 58 per cent, with the third quarter regaining some ground, to show an increase of 7.7 per cent versus 2019.

With Q4 predicted to return a modest rise on last year, the MCIA sees the full year down 18.2 per cent against last year, with 87,897 units registered (2019 = 107,408).

Although it is anticipated that all segments of the PTW market will be affected, small capacity commuter and delivery PTWs are expected to fare better than larger, leisure orientated products.

It is worth noting that these figures assume a 12-month postponement of the end of series regulations for Euro 4 vehicles. The MCIA, ACEM and all other European industry associations have requested a delay to the end of series, due to the existing impacts on the market caused by Covid-19.”

www.mcia.co.uk