Russian Motorcycle Market at the best in a decade. Year to Date August 2024 sales have been 28.161 (+75.3%). The market is now dominated by local OEMs, producing with Chinese components and Indian manufacturers.
The Russian economy has shown solid growth in many sectors while unemployment remains at a record low, new data showed on Wednesday, prompting officials to hint at a brighter outlook for the year despite Western sanctions over the war in Ukraine.
Driven by military production, industrial output rose by 3.3% in July compared with a 2.7% increase the previous month, and by 4.8% since the start of the year, compared with 3.1% growth in the same period in 2023.
The motorcycle market has seen significant changes in recent years. After a period of decline due to the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, the market has shown strong signs of recovery.
When Western sanctions began, Western and Japanese motorcycle manufacturers left Russia. As dealer stock depleted, sales halted. India and China increased their imports, but their bikes do not match the advanced technology and prestige of European and Japanese brands.
In 2022, the Russian motorcycle market recorded an estimated 17,000 units sold. By 2023, this number increased to more than 20,000 units, marking a notable rebound. This recovery continued into 2024, with sales booming during the summer season and reaching a Year to Date August figures of 28.161 (+75.3%), the best performance in the last decade.
Looking inside the competitive arena, spaces left by Western companies have been taken by Chinese and Indians. Indeed, the best selling brand is Regulmoto (+170.3%) followed by Racer (+100.8%) and the Indian Bajaj Auto (+32.7%).
The Motorcycles Industry in the CIS region
Motorcycle sales in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have significant potential, though current volumes are low. The CIS includes Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. These countries feature cold weather, large distances between cities, and low population density.
These nations are ideal for adventure motorcycle travel but lack the per capita income to justify significant spending on recreational vehicles. Additionally, motorcycles and scooters are not as popular for commuting as in other regions.
MotorCyclesData has tracked new motorcycle sales registrations in Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Azerbaijan since 2012. This data is available by subscription.
Since Russia traditionally accounts for over 50% of the region’s sales, our focus is on this market, despite Ukraine’s market being three times larger. Information on Ukraine is available upon request.
