Australian Motorcycle Sales Continue Comeback
Announcement posted by Revolution Bike Finance 21 Dec 2012
Revolution Bike Finance reveals why this is good news for the industry, and why it’s a great time to apply for a motorcycle loan.
The year-to-date statistics for the Australian motorcycle market through October were released recently. It turned out to be more good news for what has been a decent year for the beleaguered industry. The motorcycle market includes scooters, road bikes, off-road bikes, and ATV’s. For the year through 31st October 2012, total sales reached 89,710, for a 3.8% increase over last year’s number, 86,396.
Of the total, road bikes were the most popular, with 35,446 sold, for an increase of 11% over last year. ATV’s rose 3%, while off-road bikes rose 1%. Scooters were the only vehicles in the motorcycle market that didn’t perform well, declining 10.5%.
Honda continues to be the most popular brand, with 19,573 units sold, for a rise of 5.9%. Yamaha is fairly close in second place, at 15,564 sales, for a drop of 2.8%. Suzuki sold 10,042 for a drop of 7.5%. Kawasaki sold 8,556, a rise of 6.1%, while Harley-Davidson sold 6,199 for a rise of 21.6%. Of those in the next five positions, the most notable company is CF Moto, who only sold 1,875 units, but almost doubled their sales from last year, with a rise of 93.1%.
The Honda CBR250R is the industry leader, with 2,010 sold. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is second with 1,848, but with mitigating circumstances. In September, most dealers got shipments of the Ninja 250R’s replacement, the Ninja 300. This sold 453 units, which means that the Ninja 250R and its replacement sold a total of 2,301 units, which would put the Ninja in first place.
Chris Sims, Co-Founder and Director of Revolution Bike Finance, is cautiously optimistic about the upturn in sales: “We have seen a rise in applications for motorcycle finance this year, so we aren’t surprised that the market is starting to rebound. While 3.8% might not seem like a lot, it is a huge step in the right direction. This is the most lively the market has felt since before the global financial crisis.”
Sims continued, “There are a lot of factors that are aligning to create the rise in the market. The main factor, of course, is the slow march of the economy toward recovery. We have been fortunate in Western Australia to have the mining industry driving a recovery, but the rest of Australia is showing positive signs, too. There are more jobs and more job security, and people have more disposable income now because they adjusted to getting by on less for a few years.”
Sims elaborated further, “Not only is there a bit more money available, but interest rates have fallen slightly. That makes a bike loan, or a loan of any kind, more attractive. While people have more disposable income, motorcycle prices haven’t really gone up as the economy has. On the contrary, motorcycle manufacturers and dealers have pretty much bent over backwards to make it easier for people to buy their products the last few years. Luckily, they haven’t raised their prices yet.”
Sims concluded, “It’s really a great time to think about buying a motorcycle. When you combine more income and lower interest rates with prices that haven’t gone up yet, the cards are currently stacked in favour of the buyer. We don’t know how long it’s going to last, but anyone who can take advantage now should probably do so.”
Revolution Bike Finance specialises in motorcycle loans, including Yamaha finance. They are fast, friendly, and pride themselves in treating customers like family.
For more information, visit their website: http://www.revolutionbikefinance.com.au/ or dial 1300 985 499.
Of the total, road bikes were the most popular, with 35,446 sold, for an increase of 11% over last year. ATV’s rose 3%, while off-road bikes rose 1%. Scooters were the only vehicles in the motorcycle market that didn’t perform well, declining 10.5%.
Honda continues to be the most popular brand, with 19,573 units sold, for a rise of 5.9%. Yamaha is fairly close in second place, at 15,564 sales, for a drop of 2.8%. Suzuki sold 10,042 for a drop of 7.5%. Kawasaki sold 8,556, a rise of 6.1%, while Harley-Davidson sold 6,199 for a rise of 21.6%. Of those in the next five positions, the most notable company is CF Moto, who only sold 1,875 units, but almost doubled their sales from last year, with a rise of 93.1%.
The Honda CBR250R is the industry leader, with 2,010 sold. The Kawasaki Ninja 250R is second with 1,848, but with mitigating circumstances. In September, most dealers got shipments of the Ninja 250R’s replacement, the Ninja 300. This sold 453 units, which means that the Ninja 250R and its replacement sold a total of 2,301 units, which would put the Ninja in first place.
Chris Sims, Co-Founder and Director of Revolution Bike Finance, is cautiously optimistic about the upturn in sales: “We have seen a rise in applications for motorcycle finance this year, so we aren’t surprised that the market is starting to rebound. While 3.8% might not seem like a lot, it is a huge step in the right direction. This is the most lively the market has felt since before the global financial crisis.”
Sims continued, “There are a lot of factors that are aligning to create the rise in the market. The main factor, of course, is the slow march of the economy toward recovery. We have been fortunate in Western Australia to have the mining industry driving a recovery, but the rest of Australia is showing positive signs, too. There are more jobs and more job security, and people have more disposable income now because they adjusted to getting by on less for a few years.”
Sims elaborated further, “Not only is there a bit more money available, but interest rates have fallen slightly. That makes a bike loan, or a loan of any kind, more attractive. While people have more disposable income, motorcycle prices haven’t really gone up as the economy has. On the contrary, motorcycle manufacturers and dealers have pretty much bent over backwards to make it easier for people to buy their products the last few years. Luckily, they haven’t raised their prices yet.”
Sims concluded, “It’s really a great time to think about buying a motorcycle. When you combine more income and lower interest rates with prices that haven’t gone up yet, the cards are currently stacked in favour of the buyer. We don’t know how long it’s going to last, but anyone who can take advantage now should probably do so.”
Revolution Bike Finance specialises in motorcycle loans, including Yamaha finance. They are fast, friendly, and pride themselves in treating customers like family.
For more information, visit their website: http://www.revolutionbikefinance.com.au/ or dial 1300 985 499.