Quad bike sales are booming, up by almost 20% in the first six months of this year, compared with sales in the first half of 20ll.
This is good news, not only for the motor bike boys, but also for all auto industry companies who sell to the agricultural sector.
“These numbers confirm continuing strength in the agricultural sector,” says Clive Hellyar, manager of the motor cycle division of the Motor Industry Association (MIA).
“This is also evident in the two-wheeled, off-road sector, where the reduction in sales compared with 2011 is principally in recreational off-road bikes – while two-wheeled farm bikes sales are continuing at much the same level as 2011.
“Some of the growth in quad (all terrain vehicles or ATV) sales can also be attributed to an increase in the number of side-by-side quad vehicles which are used mainly in agriculture,” says Hellyar.
The MIA’s figures include all the major brands sold in New Zealand, an estimated 80% of the off-road bike market, but do not include some of the mainly Chinese brands whose importers are not MIA members.
Quad bike sales in the first six months of this year total 3694, compared with 3089 in the same period a year ago.
Honda quads slipped in popularity this year, but Honda still dominates the market with a 37.9% (down from 42.6%) share. Suzuki, in second place, improved its market share from 22.5% in the first six months of last year, to 25.6% in 2012.
The same two brands dominate the two-wheel, off-road category, which is slightly down in sales – 3050 so far this year, compared with 3151 in the same period a year ago.
Suzuki currently leads with 33.3% market share (26.1% last year), while Honda is in second place with 29.9% market share – down from 35.7% in the first half of 2011.
New on-road motor cycle registrations, for the first six months of this year, total 2830 – compared with 3594 for the same period last year.
