The United Kingdom’s motorcycle market caters to an eclectic blend of enthusiasts. From commuters to long-distance travelers, from sportbikes to retro roadsters, riders purchase motorbikes for both work and play. That business/pleasure dynamic is on full display in the U.K.’s Motorcycle Industry Association 2022 wrap-up.
On the whole, England, Wales, and Scotland ended the year with a 1.9-percent uptick over 2021 sales. The region even outperformed the last non-COVID year, 2019, by 8 percent. The organization didn’t just sum up the overall outlook, though. It also highlighted the top-performing models in the market.
Scooters reigned supreme in 2022, especially those flaunting a Honda badge. The Honda PCX 125 posted 4,286 units sold while 1,912 additional Team Red fans purchased Vision NSC 110 NHs. Sandwiched between the two scooters, Honda completed the rostrum with the beginner- and commuter-friendly CBF125.
Yamaha snapped Honda’s stranglehold on the top 10, but the 1,908 NMAX 125 units Team Blue moved keeps the commuter-class streak alive. BMW debuted at number five on the list with the indomitable R 1250 GS Adventure. The Bavarians sold 1,740 examples of the long-distance tourer, and its sibling, the base model R 1250 GS secured the seventh slot with 1,475 units delivered.
Between the two big-bore ADVs, Royal Enfield’s Meteor 350 avoided a sophomore slump by claiming sixth place with 1,522 examples purchased. The Indian firm also snatched ninth and 10th position, thanks to 1,145 Classic 350s and 1,094 Interceptor 650s rolling out of dealerships. Honda notched its fourth entry on the list with the SH125i. The scoot added 1,284 units to Big Red’s total.
Altogether, four scooters, three small-capacity motorbikes, one middleweight, and two full-size adventurers composed the U.K.’s top 10 of 2022. If that isn’t an eclectic bunch of bikes, we don’t know what is.
