Category: Motorcycle Industry Association

1. Motorcycle sales have bottomed out – the industry looks ahead to a better 2014

   Posted on 9:00am Friday 10th Jan 2014

   The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) is optimistic about motorcycle sales during 2014, after surveying its members, following Motorcycle Live.

   Interest at Motorcycle Live, the Association’s flagship show, is traditionally a barometer which predicts sales for the coming year. Intention to buy a bike seems to be high, with Kawasaki’s exit poll showing this could be as many as nearly 50% of those visiting the show.

   Figures released today, show that new registrations for December 2013 were 11.3% up on the same time for 2012. This follows increases for September 8% and October 6.7%, compared to the same time the previous year.

   CEO of the MCI, Steve Kenward, explained that any upturn in the motorcycle market is a good indication that economic recovery is sustained.

   “The motorcycle market in the UK has taken longer to pick up than the car market. The majority of our sales are to leisure customers, and so upgrading the bike regularly became a casualty of reduced disposable income. That seems to be changing from what our members are reporting with regard to intention to buy in 2014.

   “Though the UK motorcycle market has fared better than mainland Europe, it’s been a tough few years, and those areas where there has been growth tended to be from new customers looking for more economical ways to commute."

   General Manager of Kawasaki, Howard Dale explained: “This is our one chance per year to meet the maximum number of current, past and future customers. Just about every Kawasaki Motors UK head office staff member worked at the show during its 9 day run, and they were all unanimous in reporting that the reception to the stand, new machines, Kawasaki riders and attractions was overwhelming. New models were a particular draw.

   “Perhaps the most encouraging and exciting thing to come out of the show for us was that an independent exit poll we commissioned to gain opinion on those leaving the Kawasaki stand told us that almost half of our visitors are ready to buy during the forthcoming 2014 sales season”.

   Head of Honda Motorcycles UK, Nick Campolucci is optimistic for 2014 and beyond: “In a market which at present remains flat, Honda (UK) is seeing signs of improvement on the previous year. We are 3.9% up on sales volume (2013 vs. 2012) and 1% up on market share (up from 17.5% to 18.5% across all sectors, 2013 vs. 2012). These are of course positive figures and we are optimistic that there will be further improvements going forward, with the introduction of several new 2014 models in the coming months and modest growth in the total market in the coming years.

   Yamaha’s General Manager for Sales and Marketing, Adam Kelley says they too felt interest at the show suggested confidence in the UK market for 2014 is well founded, “There was a real buzz both on our stand and at the show in general. The market is changing and we were particularly pleased by the interest level in many of our new models as well as the existing line-up both from existing and non Yamaha customers. It has left us with a more positive feeling about sales in 2014”.

   Harley Davidson’s UK manager David Hackshall is looking forward to a particularly good year: “We had an amazing response at Motorcycle Live with our best ever level of customer enquiries driven through the Harley-Davidson stand team. This gives us a very positive outlook for the coming year.”

2. MCI urge repeat CBT riders to plan for an A1 test

   Posted on 10:04am Thursday 1st Aug 2013

   The Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) is calling for those who are intending to repeat their CBTs (Compulsory Basic Training) to plan ahead and take an A1 licence instead.

   A CBT qualifies a rider to ride a motorcycle, scooter or moped up to 125cc for a period of two years, after which the CBT must be renewed.

   Taking an A1 licence will help riders who are happy riding a 125cc machine to improve their road skills and will be a one-off cost, which will never need to be renewed.  This means that if they leave motorcycling for a while, their licence will still be valid, should they wish to return.

   There are other benefits too, including not having to ride with L plates and being able to take a passenger.

   Karen Cole, Safety and Training Director for the MCI says riders should start planning a few months before their CBT is due for renewal:

   “It would be best to start training for an A1 test around 4 to 6 months before the CBT needs renewing.  This should allow most riders enough time to choose a training school and be able to get a good choice of test dates at a centre which suits them.”

   “Records of how many people are repeating CBTs are not kept by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA), but we know that 190,000 CBT certificates are issued each year, a sizeable percentage of which are bound to be repeats.  Riders in this category should put the money they’d spend on another CBT (somewhere between £100 and £150) towards training and testing for a licence which will last a lifetime.”

   For someone already holding a CBT the cost of taking the three parts of the motorcycle test (theory, Mod 1 and Mod 2) is from £121.50 plus any training costs.*

   Even those who anticipate moving to an A2 as soon as age will allow them, will gain from taking an A1, as they will learn new skills earlier on in their riding and will be more prepared for their next test.

   For those who do not want to do an A2 or A licence yet, or are restricted from doing so by age, it means they will be better trained, should they decide to progress to bigger bikes.

   *Total cost of taking a test is slightly more if Mod 2 is taken at the weekend = £135.00   Training costs will vary according to need.

   www.mcia.co.uk

3. Motorcycle Industry is disappointed with the outcome of the test review process

   Posted on 8:34am Tuesday 9th Jul 2013

   Along with other stakeholders, the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCI) is disappointed with the outcome of the Motorcycle Test Review, announced by the Department for Transport.

   Although some access improvements have been made with more examiners, the implementation of an online booking system and some additional test centres, the UK still has nowhere near the level of test centres before 2DLD was introduced.

   Steve Kenward, Chief Executive of the MCI commented:

   “Our disappointment chiefly lies with the fact that a genuine desire to try to work with the DSA and its stakeholders - to improve the 2DLD process - has not generated a better result. We remain concerned that the time and effort expended by all has not moved the testing regime forward.  Instead, it serves to reinforce a testing regime that MCI believes was poorly implemented at the outset”.

   “We were willing to try to make 2DLD work, and we thought this review would help to refine its implementation, but a lack of progress raises a bigger question about whether the specific requirements of 2DLD should now be challenged. MCI remains concerned about the safety of a test which is considered too dangerous to be carried out on a road, yet qualifies the rider to use the road afterwards.  We remain passionate about rider safety, and especially the safety of those new to motorcycling and will continue to work with the DSA and other stakeholders to advance this”.

4. Off-road virgins no more – and proud of it!

   Posted on 10:52am Tuesday 18th Jun 2013

   Converts take to social media to share their enthusiasm

   Facebook is buzzing with comments and pictures from the 400 people who had their first taste of dirt riding over the weekend.

   The four day long Motorcycle Off-Road Experience was held between 13th - 16th June at Brake Hill Farm in Brigstock, near Ketting.  It was organised by the members of the Motorcycle Industry Association’s off-road group, to provide people with the opportunity to try off-road riding for the first time.

   This attracted people from 38 different counties plus London.  Some were road riders, but quite a few had never been on a bike before.  Despite this, most managed to progress to a full motocross trail by the end of each session, with the help of expert trainers, including 3 times World Champion Dave Thorpe.

   Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Suzuki and Yamaha provided bikes, kit and trainers for a heavily subsidised fee of just £15.  The AMCA ran the trackside element of the event with overall project management and communication provided by the MCI.  Other off-road organisations also attended to provide a comprehensive induction into all off-road options. These included the sporting body ACU and the Trail Riders Fellowship (TRF), which works to preserve the use of green lanes and offers a gentler form of recreation for motorcycle off-roaders.

   The weather was windy but mostly dry and with so many people turning up early for sessions, it was easy to bring the start time forward one day when rain threatened.

   The MCI contact centre managed the registration and booking process and is in the process of surveying all participants to see how they will be pursuing their interest in off-road riding.  93% agreed to be contacted by manufacturers and trainers post event.

   Howard Dale, General Manager of Kawasaki and Chair of the MCI’s Off-Road Group says the response was incredibly positive: “I’ve never seen so many happy faces in one place.  People were buzzing after their first taste of off-road riding.  It was the same among all those involved in running the event too. This level of cooperation within the industry is unprecedented, and the ‘feel-good factor’ for everyone involved over the past four days has gone off the scale and importantly many of those attended are determined to pursue further training or buy a bike!”.

   Comments from facebook:

5. MCI identify a strong public appetite to try motorcycle off-road riding

   Posted on 8:36am Tuesday 4th Jun 2013

   Spaces could have been filled twice over within two hours!

   All 400 spaces for the Motorcycle Off-Road Experience (MORE) went within a few hours of registration going live, with 341 spaces going within the first sixty minutes.

   The sessions are for members of the public to try off-road riding for the first time for a nominal fee of £15 at a four day festival in June.

   Registration was via an online booking system through the MCI’s contact centre, which began taking reservations from 9am on Thursday 16th of May on a first come first served basis. 

   MORE was conceived by a sub-section of the MCI’s Off-Road group – which includes major manufacturers and off-road sporting bodies. The group’s objective is to introduce off-road riding to a new audience.

   The event was trialled in September last year to overwhelming success, which is why it was repeated and expanded from 1 day to 4 and from 100 places to 400.

   Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, Yamaha and Suzuki are pooling resources to provide bikes, kit and world class training over a four day period between 13th and 16th of June.

   This was the first time the MCI’s commercial contact centre had staged an event with a live registration deadline and MCI Contact Centre Supervisor, Neil Brown was thrilled with the outcome: “It was a bit like mission control at Houston just before 9 am.  We were all standing around nervously, but once we hit the hour, the registration pages were filling up and the system worked like clockwork.  The spaces could have been filled twice over within two hours.”

   Howard Dale, General Manager for Kawasaki and Chairman of the MCI’s Off-Road Group, which has organised the event, says:  “We were overwhelmed by the response.  We suspected the places might go quickly like last year, but we weren’t sure 400 places would go quite as fast as they did. 

   “We have clearly identified a huge demand for this type of event.  People are obviously very interested in off-road riding, but don’t know how to get started and if last year’s event was anything to go by, once people try it – they’re hooked!”

   Steve Kenward, CEO of the MCI: “The MCI is delighted in the interest this event has generated.  Off-road motorcycling is the most accessible route to taking part in motorsport and the opportunity this day offers has clearly captured the imagination of a lot of people keen to try it for themselves for the first time”. 

   Those who’ve missed out, should still join the waiting list.  It is highly likely some spaces will become available nearer the date and anyone who registers is in with a chance of winning an off-road holiday with Trailblazer-pro in Spain, as well as getting tickets for the Dirt Bike Show at a reduced price, only available to those who register.

   They will also be informed first about similar events in the future.

   People who would like to add their names to the list should follow the registration link via: www.rideoffroad.co.uk