Bike sales

...according to figures released yesterday by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).

Unlike new vehicles sales, which remain behind the 2010 tallies to the same point, motorcycle sales to the end of September have grown by 3319 to 77,129 motorcycles - a 4.5 per cent increase over 2010 figures to the same point.

FCAI motorcycle manager Rhys Griffiths said the strong sales figures were helped by significant growth in ATV sales, which are up 25.8 per cent year-to-date to 16,021, as well as in 8485 scooter sales - a 12.1 per cent hike.

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"The ATV segment is likely to be the result of the economic recovery in regional and rural Australia earlier in the year, where drought has been a mitigating factor for several years."

"Strong growth of scooter sales and the resilience of overall road bike sales suggest commuters are finding motorcycles to be a practical solution to high fuel prices and inner city traffic congestion," he said.

Road-bike sales are down 1.5 per cent year-to-date but the on-road segment is still the largest, representing 36.9 per cent of all motorcycles sold.

The off-road segment is the second largest with 24,154 sales - a 31.3 per cent market slice of the market - and seven of the top 10 bikes sold are off-road motorcycles.

ATVs now account for 20.7 per cent of the market, scooters are 11 per cent -  up from 17 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. Motorcycle sales in Australia peaked in 2008, with 114,210 motorcycles delivered to customers that year and while the market is not expected to pass that level this year, the FCAI said 2011 sales figures were encouraging after sales drops in the last two years.