Page 11 - Australian Motorcycle News (January 2020)

HAMISHCOOPER

A sick consumer market
AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS confidence hit an eight-month
low in December. Factoring in the economic effects
of our widespread bushfire disaster doesn’t make
2020 look like the start of a decade of recovery. Slow wage growth
and continued lacklustre economic growth combined with renewed
downward pressure on interest rates paints a bleak picture of despair.
Factor in a potential ‘sweetheart’ deal between China and US President
Donald Trump that could cut Australia’s export markets further and it

Time to buy a motorcycle, strap on a sleeping bag and get the hell out
becomes even more depressing.

of reality. HC P 10 BY CATEGORY – ROADBIKES

POS MODEL 2019 % CHANGE
1 Honda CB125e 1013 -9.0 percent
2 Kawasaki Ninja 400 989 -9.2 percent
AFURPHY? 3 Yamaha MT-07 885 +11.5 percent
-10.1 percent
901
H-D Breakout
4
-11.2 percent
Aussies ain’t warming to electric 5 H-D Street 500 838 +17.3 percent
6
Yamaha YZF-R3
835
IF INDIA CAN’T even get the electric 7 Yamaha MT-09 749 +1.5 percent
motorcycle market fired up, how can 8 Kawasaki Vulcan S 635 -5.2 percent
Australia? Despite a pledge to make 9 Honda Rebel 630 -15.5 percent
one of the world’s most polluted 10 Honda Grom 536 -25 percent
countries combustion-engine free within a decade, the electric motorcycle
market has stalled there. Here in Australia we have simply missed the boat
altogether. Electric motorcycles are dead in the water here. They have been
killed by electric bicycles, ranging from retro cruisers to high-end
mountain racers. With no registration or riding licence fees and
minimal policing and safety standards, they have become
the new freedom machine. I might buy one and put Triumph
logos on it. HC

road bike segment suffered light showing from the
a 1.6 per cent fall compared end of a gloomy sales
to 2018. Honda, Husqvarna tunnel. Overall scooter
and Kawasaki were the only sales jumped by 15.9
brands to increase off-road percent over 2018.
sales in 2019. Interestingly,
The ATV/SSV segment Honda was the leader,
declined 8.5 percent for followed by Suzuki,
the year with Polaris with traditional scooter
having the most sales, manufacturer Vespa
followed by Honda and third. BMW, Honda,
Yamaha. Kawasaki was the Suzuki and Yamaha all
only brand to post a sales saw increased sales in
increase. this segment.
Scooters were the only HAMISH COOPER