Two-wheeler market recovers end-of-series effect, Italy first market in Europe

A market that is attempting a slow recovery, disposing of the effect of the end of the Euro 5 series in the first four months of the year, with an overall drop of 10.67% equal to 112,494 vehicles sold. March and April saw volumes rise again in the scooter segment, which came close to balance with the first four months of 2024 (-1.34%) with 61,508 vehicles registered. The result for motorbikes, on the other hand, is still negative, leaving 18.12% on the ground and registering 47,739 units. Finally, mopeds closed the four-month period with a drop of 38.5% and 3,247 units.

"The end-of-series effect generated by the entry into force of the Euro 5+ standard for newly registered motorbikes continues to diminish. Now that the surplus of registrations recorded at the end of 2024 no longer predominantly conditions the real market trend, we are recovering the volumes lost in the first months of the year and look forward to the rest of the season with more confidence," explains Confindustria Ancma president Mariano Roman. Italy remains a reference point in Europe for the production of two-wheelers and for events dedicated to the sector such as the Eicma Riding Fest, the appointment dedicated to motorbike demo rides in Misano that took place in April.

During the month, registrations closed at -5.2% over the same month last year, reducing the drop in sales recorded since the beginning of the year (-14.4% in January, -20% in February). The scooter market was stable, with sales up for the second consecutive month (+0.39%) and 21,064 units registered. The downturn in motorbikes continued, but compared to the double-digit drop in the previous three months, April registrations stood at -9.77% with 16,450 units registered. Mopeds, on the other hand, recovered, reducing their losses despite a 28.08% drop.

As far as electric engines are concerned, the segment is back in the black thanks to the reopening of the counter for booking incentives, after three months of decline, with growth of 10.84% in April and 1,002 vehicles registered. The sector was driven by scooters, which recorded a 37.14% increase over April 2024, although in cumulative terms the year-on-year drop remains heavy and is close to 20%. The quadricycle market grew in April by 26.23% and 1,973 units, with the opposite trend for the electric quadricycle segment, which, thanks to the restart of incentives, has grown since the beginning of the year by 45.93% to 5,042 units, and the thermal engine segment, which, also due to the end of the series, lost 72.58% of its volumes.

The pandemic caused the two-wheeler market to grow by 12% per year from 2020. Even 2024 marked a growth in registrations of over 10%. A commercial evolution that made the Italian supply chain and global turnover grow by an average of 8% from 2018 to 2023, as described by a study conducted by Bain & Company. Thanks to this positive evolution, Italy has established itself as the first European market and the first country of production.