Scooter Sales Buck the Trend as Broader Market Softens
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) has released its Q3 2025 motorcycle and off-highway vehicle (OHV) sales figures, highlighting a mixed performance across segments as economic pressures persist. Between January and September 2025, a total of 63,988 units were sold across the four key categories — representing a 2.2% decline compared to the same period in 2024.
Despite the overall drop, one category has emerged as a standout: scooters. Sales in this segment rose 4.6% year-to-date, now accounting for 5.7% of the total motorcycle market.
Segment Overview
Scooters Lead the Charge
Scooters were the only segment to post positive growth in 2025 so far, reflecting their appeal as practical and affordable urban transport. FCAI Chief Executive Tony Weber pointed to the convenience of scooters in city settings:
“Scooters are clearly regaining popularity among urban riders. They provide a practical and economical transport option for short trips, commuting and navigating city traffic.”
This uptick in scooter sales comes despite broader softening across the rest of the market and reinforces their growing relevance as fuel-efficient, space-saving alternatives in congested metropolitan areas.
Off-Highway Vehicles (OHVs)
The OHV segment, often used in agricultural and land management applications, declined by 4.3% year-on-year. OHVs made up 15.3% of total motorcycle and powersports sales — a continued indication of market caution around larger capital purchases in the face of tightened household and business budgets.
Off-Road Motorcycles
Still the largest segment by volume, off-road motorcycles saw a modest dip of 0.7%, accounting for 41.2% of overall sales. This small decrease suggests the segment has held up well in 2025, maintaining strong consumer interest following several strong years of performance.
Road Motorcycles
Road bikes saw the steepest fall among the three major segments, down 3.8% year-to-date. Representing 37.8% of the total market, the road category has continued to soften slightly as buyers become more selective under ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
Market Leadership and Outlook
Yamaha retained its position as Australia’s top-selling motorcycle brand, followed by Honda, Kawasaki, and KTM. Each of the top three brands has continued to post solid year-to-date results, showing that brand loyalty and product range remain key drivers of consumer choice.
Mr Weber reinforced the enduring appeal of motorcycling in Australia, despite economic headwinds:
“From scooters to off-road and road bikes, the data shows Australians continue to value the freedom and flexibility of motorcycling.”
Industry Holds Ground in Mixed Conditions
While the year-to-date decline of 2.2% reflects a broader cooling across the vehicle market, the continued strength of off-road bikes and the growth in scooter sales highlight shifting consumer behaviour, with practicality and affordability becoming even more important in buyers’ decisions.
As we head into the final quarter of 2025, industry stakeholders will be watching closely to see whether improving economic sentiment, warmer weather, and new model releases help support a lift in sales across the board.
Trust Retain Media for Industry-Leading Insights
Q3 2025 shows an industry holding firm under pressure, with segment-level trends providing valuable insights into evolving buyer preferences. At Retain Media, we’ll continue to track key shifts across Australia’s motorcycle and OHV markets — as well as broader automotive and agricultural sectors — to keep you ahead of the curve.
Explore our other Q3 market reports now, including the TIC T-Mark Q3 Sales Summary.
Retain Media provides this data “as is” for informational purposes only and accepts no liability for decisions made based on this reporting. Users are encouraged to use this data as one of multiple data points in their market analysis.
