The demand for motorcycles as a substitute for automobiles due to declining purchasing power has changed the market outlook.
For the first time in Türkiye’s history, more motorcycles than cars were sold this year. For the first time, motorcycles outsold automobiles by a small margin in July and surpassed them in September. As sales accelerated above expectations, Motorcycle Industry Association (MOTED) raised their year-end target to 900 thousand.
Sales of motorcycles, which gained momentum with the demand from the courier market with the pandemic, accelerated even more this year due to the high increase in automobile and fuel prices. Especially with the increasing interest in electric low segment motorcycles, the gap between motorcycle and automobile sales in the first half of the year came to a point of closing. With sales approaching 430 thousand in the first half of the year, Türkiye ranked first in McD’s report evaluating the performance of 40 countries in Europe, leaving Germany, Italy and France behind.
While the momentum in motorcycle sales increased further in the second half of the year, sales of automobiles slowed down. Thus, in July, motorcycle sales surpassed automobile sales for the first time in Turkey’s history with approximately 9 thousand units. The difference, which reached 55 thousand units in August, widened even more in September. According to the data announced by the MOTED the previous day, the number of motorcycles registered to traffic last month increased by 153 percent compared to the same period of 2022 and reached 94 thousand 783 units. Thus, motorcycle sales increased by 147.3 percent on an annual basis in January-September 2023 to 732 thousand 114 units. According to the data of the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association (ODMD), automobile sales increased by 76.7 percent in September compared to the same month of the previous year and reached 78 thousand 971 units. In the January-September period of 2023, automobile sales increased by 67 percent on an annual basis to 666 thousand 890 units.
Revision to year-end forecast
MOTED President Başarı Erbaş pointed out that with the introduction of the Artes system, the prevention of informality in the sector as well as the orientation of those who cannot buy a car towards motorcycles accelerated sales.
MOTED had set its year-end sales forecast as 500-550 thousand units in May. However, sales exceeded expectations and the sector reached its year-end target in July. In parallel with the accelerating sales, MOTED revised its year-end forecasts upwards this week to 900 thousand. If this figure is reached, the sector will have almost doubled its sales in 2022. In 2022, 415.5 thousand motorcycles were sold. ODMD’s year-end expectation for automobile sales is 800-850 thousand units.
The gap will widen in 2024
Motorcycle manufacturers expect sales to reach 1 million next year. On the other hand, there are concerns that the automobile market may contract by 10 percent to 30 percent next year. Another important factor that will accelerate sales is that 125cc motorcycles will soon be used with a class B driver’s license. MOTED officials announced that they expect this legal regulation to be made within the next month.
Motorcycles’ share in traffic rises to 17%
Motorcycle manufacturers expect sales to reach 1 million next year. On the other hand, there are concerns that the automobile market may contract by 10 percent to 30 percent next year. Another important factor that will accelerate sales is that 125cc motorcycles will soon be used with a class B driver’s license. MOTED officials announced that they expect this legal regulation to be made within the next month.
In September, 198 thousands 740 vehicles were registered to traffic. Motorcycles accounted for 47.7 percent, cars 37.1 percent, small trucks 8.8 percent, tractors 3.7 percent, trucks 1.7 percent, minibusses 0.6 percent, buses 0.3 percent, and special purpose vehicles 0.1 percent of the total number of registered vehicles in September. The number of vehicles registered in traffic reached 28.1 million as of the end of September. At the end of September, cars accounted for 53.1 percent, motorcycles for 17.2 percent, small trucks for 15.8 percent, tractors for 7.7 percent, trucks for 3.4 percent, minibusses for 1.8 percent, buses for 0.7 percent and special purpose vehicles for 0.3 percent of registered vehicles.
SALES BREAKING RECORDS DUE TO:
* Increased demand for home delivery service in the pandemic,
* Accessibility of motorcycle prices,
* Increasing interest in electric motorcycles,
* Preventing informality with the Artes system.
* Providing a solution to traffic in big cities,
* Increased government support for the sector.
