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
November is traditionally considered the month of the end of the motorcycle season, which inevitably reflected in sales figures. The total volume of motorcycle sales fell by 21.1% compared to October. However, if we look at the situation more broadly, the market shows resilience: compared to November last year, total sales increased by 2.1%.
This confirms the main trend of the year: two-wheeled transport in Ukraine is no longer just a weekend pastime and is turning into a means of necessary mobility.
By individual subsegments, the dynamics of motorcycle sales looks as follows (MM — compared to the previous month, YY — compared to the same period last year):
- Domestic resales: −17.6% MM, +22.0% YY
- Used imports: −18.6% MM, +67.6% YY
- New imports: −23.5% MM, −11.9% YY
The most popular motorcycles in the domestic market
Domestic resales in November amounted to 1,429 transactions. As expected, activity decreased by 17.6% compared to a warm October. However, in annual terms, this segment shows solid growth: +22.0%.
There is an interesting parity in the list of brands. The first steps are taken by the time-tested Japanese brands Honda and Yamaha. At the same time, Chinese manufacturers are breathing down their necks — Kovi, Lifan and Geon. This trend indicates that not only old “Japanese” vehicles are actively circulating on the secondary market, but also relatively fresh equipment from the PRC, which owners are changing to newer ones. It is worth noting the presence of the Jawa brand in the top ten — this brand still remains relevant, mainly among collectors.
Record of the month: "German" with a Soviet passport
The oldest motorcycle sold in November was the 1951 IZH-49. It is 74 years old! This copy is unique in that it was released in the first year of the modelʼs production. In fact, the new owner has acquired living history: the IZH-49 is an exact copy of the German DKW NZ 350. The equipment and drawings were taken out of Germany after the war for reparations. What makes it interesting? Comfort: this is the first bike to receive a rear suspension with shock absorbers (before that, people rode on rigid frames, beating their backs). Style: the gearshift lever is located on the gas tank — you can shift gears by hand, like in a car. Film career: due to their origin, these motorcycles often played the role of German equipment in films about World War II.
So whoever bought it actually got not a Soviet creation, but a German engineering idea from the 1930s, simply assembled in the USSR. This explains why it can still be on the road — the safety margin there was calculated by German engineers for the Wehrmacht. So this motorcycle may well be living proof that real engineering has no expiration date.
The most popular used motorcycles imported from abroad
The segment of "freshly driven" motorcycles is traditionally the smallest in terms of volume — 315 customs-cleared units. Here, too, there is a noticeable seasonal decline of 18.6% by October. However, the annual dynamics are impressive: +67.6% compared to November 2024.
Unlike the domestic market and the new segment, the worldʼs industry giants dominate here. There are no Chinese brands on this list. Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki are in the lead. There is also a noticeable demand for premium and heavy equipment: Kawasaki, Harley-Davidson, BMW and Triumph are in the top. This indicates that motorcycle fans use the end of the year to buy equipment "for the soul" at, probably, more favorable prices at auctions in the off-season.
The most popular new motorcycles
The new motorcycle market remains the main driver of this part of the market — 2,241 bikes sold per month. This is more than the total volume of the secondary market and imports. Here the seasonal decline is felt most sharply ( -23.5% by October). It is also the only segment that showed a slight decline in annual terms ( -11.9% ).
The structure of sales of new bikes is unrivaled: the market is completely owned by manufacturers from China and India. The leader of the month was the Spark brand, followed by Forte and Lifan. Also in the top of the popular ones are Musstang, Kovi and the Indian Bajaj. Ukrainians vote with their wallets for the most affordable, easy-to-maintain and utilitarian equipment.
Ostap Novitsky, an analyst at the Institute for Car Market Research, comments:
"November statistics clearly reflect two factors: climatic and economic. A 20% decrease in activity compared to October is a completely natural process. Cold weather and rain do not contribute to the purchase of equipment that does not have a roof. However, the growth of the secondary market (domestic resales and imports) in annual terms indicates a deeper trend. As in the case of old cars, Ukrainians are looking for the cheapest ways to get around. A motorcycle, especially a used or budget new "Chinese", remains the most affordable entry ticket into the world of personal transport. The dominance of new motorcycles over used ones emphasizes the pragmatism of buyers: in conditions of uncertainty, people choose new equipment with a guarantee and minimal initial costs, even if they are budget brands."
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