Suzuki New Zealand’s learner approved 150cc GSX150 was the best-selling motorbike for 2018, with 310 motorbikes (fully faired and naked versions combined) finding homes with Kiwi riders.
Suzuki New Zealand’s General Manager of Motorcycle Marketing, Simon Meade, believes younger riders in particular are choosing motorcycling as an affordable transport option.
A total of 6482 new motorcycles were registered last year, according to Motor Industry Association figures, and the best-sellers were all within reach of the entry level rider.
The Kawasaki Ninja 400. Picture/ Supplied
The GSX 150 Suzukifest is listed from $2,995 plus on road costs.
"The Gixxer 150 has been a runaway success since introduction and sales continue to increase,"he said.
"We are especially pleased to see that younger riders who like the styling and low pricing are once again are choosing motorcycling as their first transport solution."
The top five selling motorcycles of 2018 were Kawasaki’s Ninja 400, Royal Enfield’s Classic, Harley-Davidson’s Street 500 and Yamaha’s MT-03. They 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 sheer numbers sold reflect a shift in the motorcycle industry towards the more approachable motorcycles of the LAMS class.
MIA Chief Executive Officer, David Crawford, said increases in fuel costs along with the more affordable nature of the LAMS class of motorcycles contributed to the popularity of the smaller capacity machines in 2018.
“We think that there was a rise in the number of bike sales due to commuting needs," he said.
"Since LAMS came in [2012], a lot of the NZ distributors are now sourcing a lot of LAMS models and their affordability means riders have a wider range of choice and so we’re now seeing sales up on that as the bigger bikes require a larger investment,” he told Driven.
The Harley Davidson Street 500. Picture/Supplied.
“What I think happens is the smaller end of the market is cheaper, and I think they are primarily used as commuters. We see that the scooters get used as commuters and when people get sick of the lack of power they move up to bigger scooters [which require a motorcycle licence] or small motorcycles.”
Not only were the top five selling motorcycles 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?
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
|
MAKE |
MODEL |
SUB MODEL |
Registrations |
|
SUZUKI |
GSX150 |
FDZA GIXXER |
200 |
|
KAWASAKI |
EX |
400G L |
168 |
|
ROYAL ENFIELD |
CLASSIC |
|
118 |
|
SUZUKI |
GSX150 |
DXA GIXXER |
110 |
|
HARLEY DAVIDSON |
STREET |
18 STREET 500 |
106 |
|
YAMAHA |
MT-03 |
LAJ |
106 |
|
SUZUKI |
GN125H |
|
96 |
|
KTM |
390 |
DUKE |
93 |
|
HONDA |
GLC |
150SH |
91 |
|
SUZUKI |
DR650SE |
|
82 |
|
HONDA |
CMX |
500 |
73 |
|
TRIUMPH |
STREET TRIPLE |
S LAM |
68 |
|
YAMAHA |
MT-07 |
LAH |
68 |
|
SUZUKI |
UK |
110NE ADDRESS |
67 |
|
BMW |
G310 |
R |
63 |
|
HARLEY DAVIDSON |
SOFTAIL |
18 BREAKOUT S |
52 |
|
INDIAN |
SCOUT |
BOBBER |
52 |
|
YAMAHA |
YZF |
R3AH |
51 |
|
YAMAHA |
YZF |
R3AJ |
50 |
|
ROYAL ENFIELD |
HIMALAYAN |
|
49 |