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Summary of our market study
By 2023, the number of new motorcycle registrations in France will be 217,000, and the number of mopeds will be 86,000
The global motorcycle market has experienced significant international growth, with the Asia-Pacific region being the biggest contributor, accounting for 66% of market share. By 2023, the global market has reached an estimated value of €84 billion.
France is the second largest market in Europe. The market has seen exceptional growth in almost all segments. Two-wheeled motorcycles continue to enjoy steady popularity in the countryl and the fleet is estimated at 1.2 million units.
Households owning at least one motorized two-wheeler will be around 8.7% in 2020.
Motorcycles (63.4%) account for the bulk of new registrations, followed by mopeds (36.6%).
On-road motorcycles are the most widely registered. The average age of motorized two-wheelers is around 12.5 years. Mopeds have an average age of around 10.5 years.
Demand for electric two-wheelers is booming.
The trend is towards cleaner vehicles, with stricter EURO 5 emission standards coming into force in 2020.
The French motorcycle sector has recorded a trade deficit of $1.6 billion in 2021. The main motorcycle exporters to France are Germany, Italy and Spain.
Motorcycle market players.
Motorcycle manufacturers
- Yamaha, with subsidiaries such as MBK Industrie in France
- Honda
- BMW
- Suzuki,
- Harley Davidson
- Peugeot Motocycles, a subsidiary of Mahindra & MahindraDistributors
- Brand-name dealerships also serve as service and repair centers
Specialized online platforms bring motorcyclists into the digital age
- Digital platforms have modernized motorcycle sales. Le Bon Coin and La Centrale are generalist online marketplaces
- Le repaire des motards and Motoservices provide niche content
The electric motorcycle market is a growing segment
- Super Soco and Niu
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Market overview and definition
The motorcycle market covers all motorized two-wheelers. It covers the different categories of motorcycles: 50 cc (cm³) (mopeds), 51 to 125 cc (motorcycles and small-displacement bikes) and over 125 cc (motorcycles and large-displacement bikes).
The market is made up of manufacturers and their production sites, importers, spare parts wholesalers, dealers (distributors and repairers) and online used bike sales platforms. The main players are distributors and manufacturers.
- Distributors of motorcycles and spare parts are not only sales outlets, but also maintenance and repair centers operating as dealers, independents or distribution networks.
- Manufacturers, some of whom have production facilities in France, such as Japan's Yamaha (MBK Industrie) or India's Mahindra & Mahindra (Peugeot Motocycles).
The global motorcycle market is experiencing strong international growth, thanks in particular to demand from Southeast Asian countries, where the practical, accessible motorcycle is often more popular than the car as a means of daily transport.
The French market enjoyed a good year in 2022, with growth in almost all segments. In 2023, however, the French market contracted very slightly, but remained Europe's second-largest in terms of sales. The market obviously experienced a downturn in March and April 2020, due to the Covid-19 crisis, but this does not seem to have damaged its pre-crisis momentum, since sales in the sector are at pre-Covid levels.
The French market is primarily driven by demand from the very large French enthusiast community. Consumption is driven by a positive image of motorcycling, based on the values conveyed by sporting events (Moto GP, cross-country, enduro, etc.)
1.2 Global and European market conditions
The global market
In ****, the global motorcycle market was estimated at US$**.** billion. Motorcycle sales are expected to grow at an average rate of *.*% per year between **** and ****, reaching $***.** billion.
Global motorcycle market size **** - **** * projections
Worldwide motorcycle sales are mainly concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region, which will account for **% of ...
1.3 A growing French market across all segments and vehicle types
The motorcycle market has two dimensions: motorcycle manufacturing (***)
Class **.**Z (***) comprises :
manufacture of motorcycles, mopeds and cycles fitted with auxiliary engines manufacture of motorcycle engines manufacture of side cars manufacture of motorcycle parts and accessories
Class **.**Z (***) comprises :
wholesale and retail sale of motorcycles, including mopeds and snowmobiles wholesale and retail ...
1.4 The impact of Covid-19 and reaction to the crisis
As in many markets, the impact of Covid-** was severely felt in motorcycle sales from March to May ****, during the first containment period. The market, which had been growing at a brisk pace, was forced to halt its activity during the months of the health crisis. Insee reports the market's gross ...
1.5 Foreign trade in motorcycles
The harmonized customs system provides access to French motorcycle imports and exports. Code ****: Motorcycles (***) and cycles fitted with auxiliary motor, with or without sidecars; sidecars, and data from the UN Comtrade database for this code are reported in the following graphs.
We can see that imports and exports have increased slightly ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The motorcycle fleet in France
In ****, the total number of motorized two-wheelers registered in France was estimated at *.* million[***] The number of motorized two-wheelers has remained stable for a decade.it was *.** million in ****, for example, and *.*** million in ****.
In terms of new motorized two-wheeler registrations, we can see that after a decline between **** and **** (***).
New ...
2.2 The vehicles most in demand
Demand by vehicle power
The vehicles most in demand in **** will be under ** cm* (***). The ***-*** cm* segment completes the podium with **,*** new registrations. note that ***-*** cm* and **** cm*+ motorcycles are the least popular models.
New motorcycle registrations by cubic capacity France, ****, in number of registrations Source: ****
Demand by ...
2.3 Demand for electric vehicles
Demand for electric two-wheelers saw very strong growth between **** and ****, where sales of electric machines increased by a factor of *.* between **** and ****. Then, the electric segment experienced a significant decline, where sales volume is divided by *.* in ****. This can be explained in part by the closure of stores during the confinements ...
2.4 Using the motorcycle
The place of the motorcycle among other means of transport
In ****, the car remains by far the most popular means of transport for daily travel (***).
These are the most common means of transport: beyond that, other modes are used much more marginally. Motorcycles and scooters are used by just *% of the ...
2.5 Demographic factors
Gender of motorcycle users
Motorcycle users are mainly men (***). In ****, women accounted for **% of motorcycle users. Overall, women use smaller displacement motorcycles than men. In fact, **% of women have a displacement of less than *** cm, compared with **% of men.
Gender of two-wheeler users France, ****, in Source: ****
Fleet breakdown by engine size ...
2.6 The public image of motorcycles
Motorcycles enjoy a good image with the majority of French people, with **% declaring that they have a very good or fairly good image of motorcycles and two-wheelers. Motorcycling is even more popular with men, **% of whom have a good image of it.
French image of motorcycles and two-wheelers France, ****, in Source: ...
3 Market structure
3.1 The market value chain
Below is a simplified value chain for the motorcycle market:
Source: ****
Manufacturers (***) are the players in the first and second stages of the above value chain. They design the vehicles and assemble the components. However, most component manufacturing is outsourced.
The main players in distribution to end consumers are dealers. These ...
3.2 Production sites in France
The market in France can be split into *: producers (***) and sellers/repairers. This section deals with production sites.
To analyze motorcycle production, we use the following NAF code: **.**Z: Manufacture of motorcycles:
Manufacture of motorcycles, mopeds and cycles fitted with auxiliary engines; Manufacture of motorcycle engines; Manufacture of side cars; Manufacture ...
3.3 Sales and repair in France
The second largest segment of the motorcycle market in France is motorcycle sales and repair (***).
The sales and repair market saw a decline in the number of establishments until ****, with a rebound since ****. Between the second-hand market and its many private resellers, notably through online platforms such as Le Bon Coin ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Price level
The graph below shows the evolution of the consumer price index (***) for motorcycles in France between January **** and January ****. The consumer price index is used to estimate the average change in prices of products consumed by households.
Motorcycle consumer price index France, January **** - August ****, base *** in **** Source: ****
Market prices therefore ...
4.2 The different types of motorcycles and their prices
The speedway.fr website reports on * main categories of motorcycles found on the French market.
Road bikes
There are three types of motorcycles in the "touring" category: firstly, "touring" motorcycles. These aremotorcycles designed for long-distance journeys, with larger dimensions and better protection (***), and are designed to cover long distances at high ...
4.3 Supply trends: electric motors and technological innovations
Electric motorcycles
The market for electric motorcycles has grown considerably in recent years. The range of electric models, which initially focused on scooters (***), has now been extended to motorcycles. Indeed, more and more motorcycle brands are offering zero-emission alternatives to traditional combustion engines. [***] Among the companies bringing electric models to market, ...
5 Regulations
5. Regulatory aspects of the market
EURO standards
Since ****, Euro standards have regulated emissions of the main known pollutants emitted by vehicle exhausts. These pollutants are :
Nitrogen oxides, better known as NOx; Carbon monoxide, CO ; Hydrocarbons; Particulate matter.
Gradually, these standards are designed to bring about a change in the motorcycle fleet, making it cleaner and less ...
6 Positioning the players
6. Player segmentation
- La Centrale Groupe
- Media Prod (Moto Services)
- AFL Communication (Moto85.com)
- ADS4ALL (Le Parking-Moto)
- WINTEAM FULLOCCAZ.com
- Lerepairedesmotards.com
- Lys Moto
- Honda Motorcycle
- Peugeot Motocycles
- Yamaha Motor
- BMW Mottorrad
- Moto Guzzi
- Moto Shop 2000
- GATE32 S.R.L.
- Honda Roma
- ParuVendu.fr
- Furygan
- Sherco
- Triumph Motor Cycles
List of charts presented in this market study
- Motorcycle sales in major European countries
- Trends in the size of the global motorcycle market
- Motorcycle market size in France
- New registrations of mopeds and motorcycles
- Breakdown of new registrations between motorcycles and mopeds
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Latest news
Peugeot Motocycles changes driver and prepares for the future - 21/05/2024
- Buyout of Stellantis' 50% stake in Peugeot Motocycles by German investor Mutares in February 2023.
- Stabilization of 300 jobs at the Mandeure plant. Launch of a new electric scooter by the end of 2024.
- Planned assembly of the first Dab Motors motorcycles and an electric two-wheeler inspired by the 103 SP of the 1970s and 80s from 2025.
- Loss of over 4 million euros in 2021
- Sales in 2023 of 115 million euros, excluding the Chinese market.
Peugeot Motocycles will manufacture its SPx project at Mandeure, in the Doubs region of France - 02/04/2024
- - Total investment to launch this new model is estimated at between 5 and 10 million euros.
- - Peugeot Motocycles is run by Germany's Mutares, which took over Stellantis' 50% stake in early 2023, alongside India's Mahindra (which has held the other half of the capital since 2019).
- - Peugeot Motocycles employs 276 people out of a total workforce of 600 at the historic Doubs plant.
- - Peugeot Motocycles' sales target for 2023 is 115 million euros (excluding China).
Philippe Chainieux at the helm of La Centrale - 28/03/2024
- - Year the company (originally "La Centrale des particuliers") was founded: 1969.
- - Launch of online transaction platform: 1999.
- - Number of vehicles listed on the site: 300,000.
- - Number of unique visitors per month: 7 million.
- - Number of used car sales transactions to private individuals in 2023: 800,000.
- - Number of free quotations: 20 million, covering half the French car fleet.
- - Year of sale to US fund Providence Equity Partners: 2021.
- - Number of company employees: 300, half with technology profiles.
Motorcycle equipment: Furygan sets up in Vauvert - 19/12/2023
- Furygan has signed a contract for the construction of a new 4,000 square meter building.
- Furygan uses over 100,000 square meters of leather every year.
- It produces 230,000 gloves and 70,000 garments every year.
- Furygan has sold over 3 million jackets worldwide.
- The company's competition department designs 270 made-to-measure suits every year.
- Furygan is present in 50 countries and employs around 50 people.
Mutares acquires Peugeot Motocycles and DAB Motors - 06/07/2023
- The Peugeot Motocycles plant in Mandeure is 125 years old.
- The German investment fund Mutares has acquired 50% of Peugeot Motocycles' capital, giving it an 80% controlling interest.
- Mutares has also acquired an 80% stake in start-up DAB Motors, which has designed an electric motorcycle.
- The first models of this electric motorcycle, the Concept-E, are due to come out in 2024, with an estimated volume of between 500 and 1,000 units in the first year.
- Peugeot Motocycles plans to distribute the products of British company BSA in Europe.
- The Mandeure plant employs 276 people and 17 apprentices, while Peugeot Motocycles employs a total of 615 people worldwide.
- In China, Peugeot Motocycles has a joint venture with Qingqi, created in 2006, which employs 300 people.
- Peugeot Motocycles has forecast sales of €100 million outside China in 2022.
- 7.000 two-wheelers should be manufactured at Mandeure in 2023, compared with 3,600 in 2021.
Yamaha to produce its new engine in Aisne - 16/05/2023
- In 2022, sales of electric bikes rose by 12% to 730,000 units.
- Sales of motorcycles and scooters fell by 6% in 2022.
- Yamaha plans to invest 4 million euros in a new workshop to manufacture its new range of electric-assist bicycle motors, with a production capacity of 300,000 units per year.
- Production of high-end bikes is set to triple from the current 20,000 units.
- The Rouvroy plant produced 84,000 two-wheelers in 2022, including scooters and 125 cc motorcycles.
- The site employs over 600 people, including 400 in the workshops.
- In 2022, the MBK Industrie plant achieved sales of 400 million euros.
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