Department for Transport figures show that over 67,000 motorcycle tests were taken in the year from April 2021 to March 2022 – that’s the highest number since records began.
Over 50,000 new riders passed those tests, another record high, which amounts to 34% more new riders on the road in the course of a year than pre-Covid figures and a 203% growth on the 2021-22 pandemic period.
Aided and abetted by Covid’s negative effect on public transport and the growing cost of living crisis, motorcycle (and of course scooter) sales were up by a combined total of 32% between January and April this year. With electric bike sales up 20% alone. Coupled to this, specialist motorcycle and scooter insurance company, Lexham have seen a 26% rise is searches for motorcycle insurance cover over the 2021-22 period (although MCE’s collapse in November 2021 will have helped).
During 2020, government statistics showed that around 1.8% of UK households owned at least one motorcycle, scooter or moped – approximately 500,400 in total. Following the surge in two-wheeled ownership as lockdowns were eased it was expected that sales would dip back to almost normal levels but it’s good news for the motorcycle industry as it seems people are still happy to make that switch.
Accounting for typical multi-bike ownership, among over 200,000 new motorcycles and mopeds registered between January 2021 and the end of September 2022, alongside scrapping of previously registered models, data now suggests that there are around 570,000 households in the UK in possession of at least one such vehicle. Moped registrations are up 6% year-on-year, while motorcycle registrations show an average growth of 3.6% to the end of September.
At a 5% annual market growth overall, figures adjusted for multi-bike ownership and scrapping would see around 1,018,500 UK households in ownership of motorbikes and mopeds by 2034, while a more modest 2.5% sustained annual growth could see just over 1,000,000 households with two-wheeled vehicles by 2045.
“Many small capacity motorbikes get around 50% more miles to the gallon than most cars.” says scooter riding Andy Goodson, Sales & Marketing Director at Lexham Insurance, “Given that running costs are all typically lower for scooters, mopeds and small motorcycles, it’s not surprising that we’re seeing a sustained growth in registrations now that people all over the country are looking for ways to reduce their outgoings.”
1 in 4 look to sell their car
Fuel prices have risen 20% so far this year and the cost of living is up more than 10% which means now is the perfect time for people to look at swapping to cheaper, more economical forms of transport. Startline Motor Finance’s October Tracker report shows that 23% of UK families are selling their cars and 59% are looking for a vehicle that is cheaper to run.
Aside from the financial incentives to switch to two wheels, climate changes mean that the UK is also seeing milder winters and warmer temperatures for longer periods of the year making a scooter an even more enticing proposition for the year round commuter.
You can find out more about the data by reading the Lexham Insurance blog.
