The two-wheeler market is in decline

In contrast to the automotive market, which experienced significant growth in 2023, the two-wheel market continues its slowdown.

According to the latest results from the Solly Azar AAA Data Observatory, the market shows a decline of 2%. In new vehicles, only the motorcycle segment stands out with a 6% increase. Electric registrations, which increased in 2022, no longer progress in 2023.

The market decline is observed both for new two-wheelers with 284,457 units registered in 2023 compared to 290,000 in 2022, and for used bikes with 886,425 units in 2023 versus 903,723 in 2022. This slowdown can be explained by an inflationary context and a concentration of household expenditures on essential products, reducing purchases of “pleasure” or convenience items. 

There is a serious slowdown for electric bikes, which went from 50,991 units registered in 2022 to 42,624 in 2023, a decrease of 16%. The situation is clear: the two-wheel market lags behind the auto market in electrification. This trend can be explained by the limited availability of two-wheel options and less support from public authorities, unlike four-wheel vehicles. Sales are concentrated in large urban areas and Paris, where usage is highly urban, a trend that may be linked to free parking for electric two-wheelers. BMW confirms its leadership in electric bikes, notably with the CE04 model.

According to the Observatory, the two-wheel market across all categories is largely driven by young people: +38% among 14-17-year-olds and +6% among 18-25-year-olds. For other age groups, the trend is downward with -2% for 26-40-year-olds; -4% for 41-55-year-olds; and -6% for those aged 56 and over.