South Korea Motorcycles Market kept losing in 2025. Sales reported at 95.925 were down 7.9% from the previous year and near one third down from 2022. Honda is the leader while Zontes jumped in 4th place.
Economic Outlook
South Korea’s economy unexpectedly shrank in the final quarter of 2025, marking the biggest slump in three years on weaker investment and exports, but the global AI boom is set to improve the outlook and allow the central bank to retain its steady rates stance.
The contraction followed a sharp expansion in the third quarter when the new administration of President Lee Jae Myung rolled out stimulus policies to boost domestic demand.
Exports fell 2.1%, hurt by autos and machinery despite a tariff deal with the U.S. that was finalised in November, while imports declined 1.7%, resulting in a net negative contribution of 0.2 percentage points.
Asia’s fourth-largest economy grew 1.0% in 2025, after expanding 2.0% in 2024, marking the slowest annual growth since 2020, according to the BOK, which expects the economy to grow 1.8% in 2026
Motorcycles Market Data and Trend
The South Korean motorcycles market is in difficulties and reported a row of annual lost with 2025 market near one third down from 2022.
The transaction to electric models is in place but the the local manufacturers ICE crisis is penalizing the demand.
In 2025 sales have been 95.925, down 7.9% while EV segment grew up 10%.
Looking at the competitive arena, Honda is the market leader, further gaining share improving sales by 5.9%
In second place the local manufacturer Daelim lost in double digit (-14.8%) and the same was the results of the third, the Japanese Yamaha
In fourth place a recently arrived Chinese OEM, Zontes, which jumped up 102.5%.
Korean Market heritage and evolution
The South Korean motorcycles market is relatively small and the two wheelers are not a primary mobility device in the country, with annual sales counting only 5% of the powerful automotive industry.
The presence of the huge Hyundai Group one of the reason which focused consumers attentions more on the four than on the two wheeler across the years and nowadays roads are full of cars with only few motorcycles compared with all the other top industrial countries in the World.
Korean motorcycles market grew up in the last years of last century mainly driven by the demand for food service providers or courier services for livelihood rather than daily transportation or leisure demand.
The size of the domestic motorcycle market exceeded 300,000 units and was dominated by Kia, before filing for the IMF bailout. After Kia stopped to produce these vehicles the market started a long decline decreasing to about 100,000 units in 2010 and then stabilizing around this level.
Kick-scooter boom in Seoul
As in many other metropolitan areas around the World, even the Korean capital recently has been invaded by so called “e-scooter”, which must not be confused with the e-scooter. They are the kick-scooter with a max speed of 25 km per hour, without a plate and with limited circulating rules.
Kick-scooters have taken over Seoul. Starting from Gangnam station and branching out, you will see more and more E-Scooters on the streets. They have been popping up over the past few years. Companies like Beam, Lime, Xing Xing, and Kickgoing have placed their e-scooters near over 100 subway stations in Seoul. It is estimated that 17 companies are operating over 40,000 e-scooters in Seoul.
However, opinions are divided amongst the citizens of Seoul as to whether these e-scooters are good for the community. There have been many complaints from homeowners, pedestrians, and drivers in Korea. In mid 2020, Government have introduced a new regulation for these devices, now considered similar to bicycles, allowing their riding to people over 13 age.
