Experts from the Institute for Automotive Market Research analyzed statistics on motorcycle registrations and identified the most popular brands in three segments: used imports, domestic resales, and new motorcycles.
Motorcycle market dynamics
The motorcycle segment is the most seasonally dependent among vehicles designed for transporting passengers or cargo. The diagram shows how the market becomes more active in the summer, during the high motorcycle season, and how sales volumes decrease in the off-season.
In the first quarter of 2025, Ukrainians bought 13.3 thousand motorcycles . At the same time, it is noticeable how the volume of trades increased every month compared to the year: in the first quarter of this year, 17% more motorcycles were purchased than in the same period in 2024.
There was also a significant increase in trading in April — the total volume of the segment was 8,400 units, which is 23.6% more than in March (although seasonality plays a role here), but it is also 25.3% more compared to April 2024 — and here seasonality no longer plays any role, we can say with confidence that the segment is growing.
Among the total number, 50.5% of motorcycles were new (imported from abroad), in quantitative terms this is 4,238 units.
3,390 motor vehicle purchase and sale transactions were concluded on the domestic market, which accounted for 40.4% of the total.
9.2% of motorcycles were imported used from abroad (772 units).
By individual subsegments, the dynamics of motorcycle sales, where seasonality is very clearly expressed, and year-on-year comparison is of primary importance, looks as follows (Q1 2025 to Q1 2024):
- Domestic resales: +6.2% MM, +11.3% YY
- Used imports: +20.2% MM, +54.4% YY
- New imports: +43.1% MM, +34.2% YY
All subsegments of the motorcycle market recorded growth, both monthly and annually, with no obvious seasonal impact.
However, such a confident passion for motorcycles among Ukrainians is hardly a purely fashionable wave or the flowering of biker culture. Rather, it is a symptom of deeper processes: when the economy shrinks and cars become unaffordable, the bike turns from an exotic into a practical compromise. And although you can sincerely enjoy the wind in your helmet, it often blows from the side of forced choice, not from the path of dreams.
The most popular motorcycles in the domestic market
In the domestic market, among motorcycle manufacturers in the indicated period, the Japanese brands Honda (407 purchase and sale agreements) and Yamaha (331 PPA) prevailed, and also Lifan (275 DCP).
The most popular used motorcycles imported from abroad
Imports of used motorcycles in the first quarter of this year were dominated by Japanese brands, mainly Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki. Other brands did not exceed the 10% market share threshold.
The most popular new motorcycles
New in Ukraine, mainly motorcycles from Chinese manufacturers are purchased: in the first quarter, the leaders were once again the Spark brands (972 first registrations), Mustang (676 PR), and Lifan (624 PR).
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