Motorcycle sales in Switzerland in 2024 stagnated at the same level as the previous year. With 28,396 motorcycles sold, the sales figures in 2024 deviated by only + 0.42% from sales in 2023. But there were sometimes big differences between the various brands, there were winners and there were losers. We present the most important ones in this report.
Every year a new ranking of motorcycle brands and their sales figures is drawn up. Even if total sales remain roughly the same, there are sometimes major shifts in the ranking, with the exception of the Yamaha brand, which has been number 1 in Switzerland for years, and BMW in Germany.
Chinese on the rise
You may like it or not, but it is a fact that more and more motorcycles made in China are found in Swiss motorcycle cellars and garages. The Chinese have learned to copy the technology and design of the Europeans and Japanese and to offer the motorcycles at a reasonable price. In 2024, the Chinese brands Kove and Voge, which belong to the Chinese Loncin Group, were able to grow significantly. The CF Moto brand, which is sold by the Austrian Pierer Mobility Group and manufactured by the Chinese group Zhejan Chunfeng Power, also shone with a tripling of sales volume. The successful brands Motron and Brixton, which belong to the Austrian KSR Group, are also manufactured in China. Last year, these brands were the big winners, albeit on a modest but impressive scale. Where is the journey going in the future?
Aprilia inspired by new models
The forward movement that we are seeing at Aprilia in 2024 is something we have seen in the past with other brands. New models always boost a brand's sales, and that applies to all brands. The new "RS 457" model also seems to have boosted the "RS 660" and "SX 125" models, all of which are among the top 20 models in the Swiss market in 2024. This massively increased sales from 805 motorcycles sold in 2023 to 1,350 motorcycles sold in 2024. A pleasing record for Aprilia. Will this effect fizzle out again in 2025?
| motorcycle brand | Sold Motorcycles | Difference to 2023 in % |
|---|---|---|
|
Kove |
109 |
+251.61% |
|
CF Moto |
460 |
+187.50% |
|
Voge |
206 |
+80.70% |
|
Aprilia |
1350 |
+67.70% |
|
Motron |
182 |
59.65% |
|
Malaguti |
160 |
55.34% |
|
Brixton |
475 |
53.23% |
|
SWM |
338 |
32.55% |
|
Kawasaki |
2465 |
14.39% |
|
Triumph |
1743 |
12.38% |
But not all brands can look back on such a rosy year. Many established brands have had to deal with severe setbacks, whatever the reason.
Are heavy bikes out?
The development at Harley-Davidson is less surprising. As already discussed in detail in our report “Harley-Davidson in steady decline”, the American flagship brand has been struggling with a steady decline in sales for years. There seems to be no remedy for this. The signs are not looking good for Harley's direct competitor, the Indian brand, either. After the all-time high during the Corona period (2021: 647 units sold), sales have almost halved. Are heavy machines simply no longer in demand? Is the time of the heavy bikers over?
| motorcycle brand | Sold Motorcycles | Difference to 2023 in % |
|---|---|---|
|
Zontes |
279 |
-27.91% |
|
Benelli |
254 |
-24.40% |
|
Indian |
342 |
-23.83% |
|
Royal Enfield |
209 |
-17.39% |
|
Motron |
182 |
59.65% |
|
KTM |
1733 |
-16.84% |
|
Ducati |
1329 |
-13.19% |
|
Harley-Davidson |
1106 |
-10.52% |
|
Honda |
3483 |
-9.60% |
Motorcycles are still being ridden in Switzerland to the same extent as a year ago, but there are clear shifts. Not only have younger riders joined the ranks, there are also clear shifts in the choice of brands, technology and origin. What will 2025 be like? If January 2025 is anything to go by, then 2025 will be a better year for motorcycle sellers. January 2025 shows an increase of 29% compared to January 2024 (January 2025: 865 motorcycles sold - January 2024: 671 motorcycles sold), but January is not a typical sales month for motorcycles. No reliable logical conclusion can be drawn from this for the whole year. All developments can experience a U-turn or a further increase. Too many factors influence motorcyclists' purchasing decisions: the weather, the economic situation, offers and motorcycle models, new laws, and much more. We will not see who will win the race in the end and a good deal until the beginning of next year. The really positive thing is that we have more and more new brands on the market, which makes the range of motorcycles available to buyers more varied and extensive. Unfortunately, with such positive developments there is always the danger that one or two of the old battleships will go under.
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