Sales of motorcycles and scooters in the United Kingdom are projected to decline by 18.2 per cent in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In March 2020, British motorcycle sales fell by nearly 22 per cent, ended the first quarter of 2020 with 28,827 unit sales, a decline of 12.2 per cent. Although sales in 2020 started off positively, with January registering 2.8 per cent growth, followed by 3 per cent growth in February, the coronavirus pandemic which has hit industry around the world, has adversely affected sales in March 2020.
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The low March sales are a direct reflection of the lockdown measures introduced on March 23 that forced all two-wheeler dealership in the UK to shut down. Now, with the lockdown phase set to stretch to May 2020, the industry is bracing for considerably worse sales numbers in April 2020. In fact, two-wheeler sales in the second quarter of 2020 are expected to fall by as much as 58 per cent. But even that number is optimistic, with the hope that a sense of normalcy resumes from mid-May onwards to help stronger sales in June.
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Most estimates see the British two-wheeler market bouncing back in the third and fourth quarters of 2020, but that will still likely represent an annual drop in sales by over 18 per cent at the end of 2020. While UK still remains under tight lockdown, in Italy two-wheeler manufacturers like Piaggio, Ducati and MV Agusta have resumed production in their factories, although under restrictions of social distancing and with only essential workers present. The easing of the lockdown is expected to be done in stages.
In India, the world's largest market for two-wheelers, the complete lockdown has affected two-wheeler production and sales with all manufacturing facilities and dealerships shut down. With partial and phase-wise easing of the lockdown expected from May 2020, many two-wheeler manufacturers are hoping to resume production, at least partially and to look ahead for a better festive season which will likely help the industry crawl back towards normalcy.
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