Motorcycling trends for 2025

A new year inevitably inspires an ‘out with the old and in with the new’ mindset, an expression that may ring truer for motorcycling more than ever. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
We reported recently on how, despite recent tough times for the trade, the UK’s Motor Cycle Industry Association sees a positive future. Since then, Austrian giant KTM has entered a period of self-imposed administration... But on the evidence of Motorcycle Live, recent model unveilings and solid new UK motorcycle sales figures there is still plenty to be upbeat about, as well. So, how is motorcycling changing and what does it mean for the future? First, on the evidence of 2024, more and more of us are changing to cheaper, lighter bikes at the expense of bigger, more expensive ones – and that’s likely to continue. While licence laws for learners skew the sales to the sub-125cc category the most popular category beyond that is 126cc-500cc, taking over from 1,000cc-plus. This is partly fuelled by the success of Triumph’s affordable new single cylinder 400cc duo, the Speed 400 and Scrambler 400X, with the former the UK’s best-selling 125cc+ bike of 2024 and the pair together being by-far Britain’s most popular. There are others, Royal Enfield’s new-for-2024 Himalayan 450 also a big hit.

“The way the market is going, is 400-800cc is where it’s at,” James Parker-Bishop, Sales Exec at Sycamore BMW/Enfield told us earlier in the year. “Literally every day someone comes in who’s downsizing from something. The Enfield 450s are flying out. I basically can’t order them quick enough.”
That’s also fuelled by a slight trend away from bigger bikes – BMW’s new R 1300 GS§ has traditionally been a best seller but hasn’t shifted as many as some expected. Wider cost of living concerns may be playing a part here, as people move from expensive bikes to more affordable alternatives. With this in mind, and a surge in new sub-500cc models at recent shows like Honda’s GB350 and Suzuki’s DR-Z4, the trend is likely to continue.

But affordable sub-400cc bikes are not the only category on the up at the expense of sporty litre bikes, the decline in the latter well-documented. Suzuki’s GSX-R1000 is long gone, Yamaha only offers its R1 in track specification and Kawasaki recently announced withdrawal of its ZX-10R from world superbikes to be replaced by its ultra-niche partner, Bimota.
In their place comes an exciting new breed of less powerful, more affordable and, crucially,s more road relevant middleweight supersports bolstered by new racing classes at national and world level. The best example of this is Yamaha’s new R9, a 117 horsepower, £12K triple derived from the best-selling MT-09 roadster that almost certainly will be a huge hit. Again, it’s not the only one, with Ducati’s new and more affordable Panigale V2 and Aprilia’s new A2 RS457 also standing out while, at the same time, more traditional 600 supersports such as Honda CBR600RR and Kawasaki’s ZX-6R are also enjoying a resurgence. In terms of genres retro bikes show no signs of slowing down, either. Triumph’s Modern Classics family still forms the brand’s backbone, reborn BSA has just launched its second model, Royal Enfield is flying and even Norton is promising lots of new metal soon. Even Dot and CCM had as many new models on show at Birmingham as Suzuki.

Then there’s the change to where bikes are being built. The inexorable rise of the Chinese motorcycling industry has heralded the first truly credible and competitive domestic models like the the Voge DS900X while established brands outsource more and more manufacturing there as well, the KTM 790 Adventure built by CF Moto while BMW’s F-series engines are made by Loncin. This is only likely to increase. Does it matter? On the strength of the quality of their latest offerings, possibly not. But an almost certain benefit is an overall driving down of prices, the new Benda Chinchilla shown at Motorcycle Live one example. Daft name, maybe, but it’s a lot of V-twin cruiser for just £5,299 when a Harley equivalent is more than double. By association, the £9K price of Honda’s new CB1000 Hornet and sub-£4K one of its GB350 is no coincidence.

How we buy bikes is changing, too. The numerous closures of traditional UK dealers in the past few months is unquestionably sad but is not matched by any significant decline in sales. Instead, it’s a reflection of changing habits. The move from big to smaller bikes has cut dealer margins while also, in Triumph’s case more than most, lumbered dealers with expensive big bike trade-ins against those buying its new 400s. KTM dealers have suffered by having to accommodate sister brands such as Husqvarna and GasGas. The rise of online sellers, particularly used giant Superbike Factory and clothing specialist SportsBikeShop, has cut traditional retailers out. As has happened with cars visiting a dealer showroom feels increasingly old-fashioned.
Motorcycle events are changing, too. The rise of new events and destinations such as Bike Shed and ABR Festival, with a greater emphasis on quality food, facilities and activities, has proved a great success and inspired traditional shows to follow suit. Motorcycle Live is to be commended for its response and has been rewarded with stable attendances. But it’s also true that the ‘bad old days’ of the likes of the now defunct BMF Rally are now long gone – and probably not before time. So, a New Year and ‘new motorcycling’? There’s plenty of reason to think so and much of it should be for the better. Here’s hoping…