The NMDA will discuss standards for the motorcycle technician apprenticeship at a virtual meeting in August for dealer members. The association wants to ensure the programme remains relevant and up to date. “Following a turbulent 2020, the NMDA is keen to get apprenticeships back at the forefront of our agenda”, said Paddy O’Connell, head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA).
UK figures from the Motor Cycle Industry Association for March 2021 showed an overall reduction year on year, of 6.2 per cent (807 Units) in new Powered Two Wheeler (PTW) registrations. Dealers can take some solace in their own resilience to continue serving customers in the face of restrictions in place around Click & Collect during March 2021.
Motorcycle showrooms had to stay closed in May although workshops could remain open to facilitate repair. As a result, it is remarkable that 5,394 new machines were put on the road in May, the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) says. This is about half the number of units registered a year ago when motorcycle dealerships were fully open, and customers were not asked to remain at home.
13,075 new motorcycles were registered in March, down from 16,682 in March 2019. In the year-to-date, the market has shrunk by -12.2 per cent, from 10,449 in 2019 to 10,753 in 2020 so far. “Motorcycle registrations for the plate-change month of March were -21.6 per cent in decline against the previous March of 2019,” said Stephen Latham, head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA) which represents motorcycle retailers across the UK.
Sales of motorcycles continued to rise in April, according to figures released by the Motor Cycle Industry Association. April sales were up 7.3 per cent against April 2018, and 9.4 per cent up in the year-to-date. In total, 36,951 bikes have been put on UK roads so far 2019, up by 3,188 registrations compared to 2018.
Liqui Moly has added Superbike World Championship (World SBK) support for the Italian GRT Yamaha team to its MotoGP involvement. The team sponsorship will mean the company’s logo will be displayed on the motorcycles, racing overalls, team truck, and at the official Yamaha hospitality, while the team will have access to Liqui Moly motorcycle products, including more than its core oil and additive products.
British technology firm Fit2Go TPMS, a global licensee for Michelin, has launched its first tyre pressure monitoring system for motorcycles, mopeds and scooters – introducing new levels of safety for riders for whom tyre condition is critical. The Michelin TPMS – Bike is a ‘plug & play’ retrofit kit that comes as standard with a magnetic display mount, inductive charger and two sensors, replacing the original valve caps. It brings the same direct TPMS technology already launched for the passenger car and commercial vehicle markets to two-wheels for the first time.
Mycarcheck.com’s valuation experts have revealed significant trends in the UK used vehicle market, choosing a car and bike of the month.
The National Motorcycle Dealer Association (NMDA) will be on hand to offer support and advice at the upcoming Motorcycle Trade Expo knowledge shop (20-22 January 2019 at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire). The NMDA represents the interests of motorcycle dealers in the UK and holds regular discussions with the relevant government departments and motorcycle manufacturers to raise industry concerns, and keep abreast of the latest changes to support its dealer members.
Motorcycle parts and accessories distributor Bickers is reminding motorists of a few top safety tips they can employ to keep their bike in the best condition while stored during the colder months. The company’s managing director Derek McMartin listed Bickers’ tips to coincide with Road Safety Week, with winter just around the corner.
For the French it’s a pastime for couples, for the Spanish a group activity, but going solo is the preferred way of doing it in the UK. We are of course talking about motorcycling – according to a survey performed by Moto-tyres.co.uk, 71 per cent of British respondents said they’d rather ride alone than in a group.
The AMD World Championship of Custom Bike Building Freestyle class, supported by official sponsor Avon tyres, has been won by Russian customiser, Zillers Garage. In the Cafe Racer class, Italian outfit FMW Motorcycles with its Avon-shod ‘Hurakan’.
The Motor Cycle Industry Association is encouraged by the small rise in demand for motorcycles, though with the caveat that scooter registrations have declined. “Demand for motorcycles in February was up 1.2 per cent on the same period last year, registering 3943 units. However, scooter registrations were down -2.1 per cent,” said Stephen Latham, head of the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA), which represents motorcycle retailers across the UK.
The latest figures released by the Motor Cycle Industry Association have shown an increase in demand for motorcycles, but it is not time to get carried away by this apparent success, according to the National Motorcycle Dealers Association (NMDA). “Demand for motorcycles in January was up 11.8 per cent on the same period last year, registering 5,458 units. However, this was expected as last year the market was flooded with a high volume of pre-registered bikes for sale,” said Stephen Latham, head of the NMDA.
According to figures from the Motor Cycle Industry Association registrations in November fell by -17.7 per cent compared to the same period in 2016. Year-to-date decline stood at -15.7 per cent. In total, 6,288 bikes were registered in the month.
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