According to figures from the Belgian mobility federation Febiac, registrations of new motorbikes, scooters, tricycles, and light quadricycles increased by 3% during the first six months of this year compared to last year. The second-hand market, on the other hand, has plummeted by 27%, due to the technical inspection requirement.

After two years of slight decline in 2021 and 2022, registrations have risen to 15 276 units. Unlike the other vehicle categories of the Belgian fleet, the motorized two-wheeler market (including tricycles and quadricycles) has come well through the pandemic period.

Gasoline at the top

Motorcycles and scooters up to 125 cc – the ideal vehicles for an urban environment – are losing ground (from 26,2% in 2022 to 22,6% in 2023) to heavier engines.

The basic/roadster motorcycle category, with vehicles that are easy to drive, remains in second place, but these vehicles are getting more popular (22,1%), just like the trail category (20,3%). Gasoline remains the number one, with a market share of 97,6%.

Honda, number one in the sales ranking, registered the most models in the first quarter, followed by BMW, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Piaggio. These manufacturers account for more than half of the motorized two-wheeler market. The most popular model among the new registrations is the BMW R 1250 GS Adventure.

Second-hand market down

Compared to last year, the second-hand market for two-wheelers has shrunk by almost 27%. The reason for the decline is the new regulation for technical inspection.

Since the beginning of this year, two- and three-wheelers with an engine of more than 125 cc must be subjected to a technical inspection before a second-hand sale or after an accident to assess the safety and the environmental and noise impact. The rule also applies to heavier or hybrid motorbikes.