The economic importance of motorcycles in Europe

A research by Oxford Economics highlights the economic and mobility benefits of two-wheelers in Europe.

The safe ride to the future 2.0

The motorcycle industry’s commitment to road safety. This document showcases some of the industry’s most important initiatives in the area of motorcycle safety.

Motorcycle training

The European Motorcycle Training Quality Label is a scheme that helps motorcyclists to clearly and easily identify the best post-license training programmes in Europe

Competitiveness

ACEM members support a European stable regulatory framework that fosters growth, jobs and investment in the L-category industry

Urban Mobility

L-category vehicles save time and money for commuters, increase urban traffic fluidity and reduce congestion

Environment

L-category vehicles sold in the EU comply with strict pollutant emission limits. Also, they have a limited environmental impact

International trade

Together with a more vibrant domestic market, exports will help the industry to grow and to create new jobs in the EU

Road safety

The industry has achieved high safety levels for existing products and continues to bring advanced and innovative vehicles to the market

ACEM news

02 Oct 2017

New electric vehicles can take full advantage of the features of mobility in urban areas

ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot participated in the International Motorcycle Federation’s annual debate “Motorcycles and scooters: a new boost for electric mobility?”, which took place on 28 September 2017 at the Stanhope Hotel in Brussels.

Panelists included representatives from the STORM Eindhoven Project, Scooty (e-scooter sharing platform), the European Commission, Transport & Environment and FIM, and discussed the challenges and opportunities tied to the deployment of electric motorcycles and scooters in Europe.

Mr Perlot said: “Motorcycles and mopeds fitted with internal combustion engines have high fuel efficiency levels and are already making a valuable contribution to the sustainability of Europe’s transport systems”.

“At the same time, motorcycle manufacturers are also bringing to market new electric models which can take full advantage of the features of mobility in urban areas: trips in high-traffic density zones, short travelling distances, and limited availability of parking spaces”.

Mr Perlot emphasized that “motorcycles ad scooters must always be eligible to the financial and tax incentives developed for other electric means of transport. We also need further support for charging infrastructure in European cities”.

Background

Total registrations of electric mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles between January 2017 and June 2017 in the EU reached 13,089 units. This represents an increase of 30.5% compared the same period of 2016, when 10,576 units were registered.
During the first six months of 2017, 10,204 electric mopeds, 1,995 electric motorcycles and 1,610 quadricycles were registered in the EU.
The countries with the highest number of motorcycles registered were: France (615), Spain (444) and Germany (325) and Austria (146). The largest registrations of mopeds were recorded in France (3,116), the Netherlands (2,516), Belgium (2,013) and Spain (774).
For more market data about electric vehicles please visit: http://www.acem.eu/market-data
For more info about FIA’s event please visit: http://www.fim-live.com/en/article/fim-policy-debate-in-brussels

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.

22 Sep 2017

ACEM to organise roundtable on motorcycling and intelligent transport system technology

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers will organise a roundtable titled ‘Motorcycle talk ITS’ at the next edition of the ITS World Congress. The discussions will be moderated by the ACEM Secretary General Antonio Perlot and will take place on 1 November at the Palais des Congrès Convention Center, Montreal, Canada.

Motorcycle industry experts, including representatives of the CMC (Connected Motorcycle Consortium), European, Asian and American policy-makers and other stakeholders will discuss key issues as: the potential of C-ITS to significantly improve motorcycle safety, the risk of transferring ADAS from cars to motorcycles without dedicated engineering solutions, the need for interoperable C-ITS applications, as well as the impact of automated cars on motorcycle safety.

Panelists

Claire Depré. Head of the ITS Unit, European Commission’s Directorate General for Mobility and Transport
Robert Kreeb. Chief, Intelligent Technologies Research Division, U.S. Department of Transportation
Huei-Ru Tseng. Deputy Technical Manager at Taiwan’s Industrial Technology Research Institute
Hennes Fischer. Senior Advisor at Yamaha Motor Europe
John Lenkeit. Technical Director at Dynamic Research Inc
Matthias Mörbe. Engineering Two-Wheeler and Power Sport at Robert Bosch GmbH

Registration

If you wish to attend and participate in the discussions please register at: http://itsworldcongress2017.org/registration/

Place and time of the roundtable

Palais des Congrès Convention Center (room 515 ABC), Montreal, Canada.
1 November between 16:45 and 18:00.

Additional information

For further information about this roundtable please contact the event organizer: Dr Veneta Vassileva, ACEM’s safety coordinator: or visit http://www.cmc-info.net

About ACEM

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

ACEM manufacturing members, which include some of the largest multinationals in the sector, are: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha.

18 Sep 2017

The French Association for the Training of Motorcyclists receives the ACEM-DVR European Training Quality Label

The French Association for the Training of Motorcyclists (AFDM, Association pour la formation des motards) has been awarded the European Training Quality Label by ACEM-DVR. The award follows an on-the-sport inspection of ADFM’s programme “Stages of perfectionnement” carried out by independent experts on 13 and 14 May 2017. The programme delivered by the AFDM was considered to be a robust and high-quality post-license scheme that helps motorcyclists to substantially improve their riding skills.

The AFDM, a non-for-profit organisation that has been working to promote motorcycle training in France for more than 35 years, also applies different quality monitoring systems in the riding schools that are part of its network, to ensure that their programmes are delivered to a high standard.

Commenting on the award, Dr. Veneta Vassileva, ACEM’s safety coordinator, said:

“We are delighted to announce that the AFDM is the first French organisation to have been granted the European Training Quality Label. This award is a testament to the quality and to the long-standing commitment of the AFDM in the field of road safety. We are particularly impressed by the quality of the work done by the AFDM and would like to encourage French riders to apply to these training programmes”.

“Only 10 months after the launch of the European Training Quality Seal, 21 training programmes in different countries have already been assessed and awarded the label. We hope that more training providers will soon apply and that this scheme will make a positive difference for the safety of motorcyclists in Europe”.

About the European training quality label

The European Training Quality Label is a label that helps riders to clearly and easily identify high-quality post-license training programmes. This voluntary certification procedure is open to a wide range of organizations based in Europe, including, amongst others, training schools, motorcycle manufacturers and public authorities. Voluntary post-license training is vital since it allows riders to increase their safety awareness, as well as enhance their hazard perception skills.

About ACEM

About DVR

The German Road Safety Council (DVR) is a German NGO active in the field of safety. It deals with policies related to traffic engineering, traffic law, awareness-raising campaign and traffic education. DVR coordinates a wide range of activities for its 200 members, including the European Training Quality Label. To learn more about DVR please visit: https://www.dvr.de/

Press contacts

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua
ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.

28 Jul 2017

European Union motorcycle and moped registrations down 3% in the first half of 2017

Combined registrations of motorcycles and mopeds in the EU have reached 682,008 units during the first six months of 2017, representing a decrease of 3% compared to same period of the previous year, according to the latest figures released today by the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM).

Italy was the best performing market with 137,483 units (+5.9% compared to 2016). Registrations also went up in France (134,036 units, +4.5%). This contrasts with the situation in other large European markets such as Germany (102,929 units, -12.6%), Spain (76,558 units, -5.3%) and the UK (56,677 units, -14.1%).

Motorcycle and moped registrations

Between January and June 2017 registrations of motorcycles reached 520,846 units (-4.9% compared to 2016). The Italian motorcycle market is currently the largest in Europe with 124,913 units registered (+6.6%). Motorcycle registrations also increased in France (91,494 units, +2.6%), but decreased in Germany (88,322 units, -12.3%), Spain (67,373 vehicles, -8.1%) and the UK (53,549 units, -13.4%).

Registrations in the moped segment in the EU increased by 3.66% (161,162 units), led by strong growth in the two largest European markets, namely France (42,542 units, +9%) and the Netherlands (37,032 units, +8.4%). Moped registrations declined in Germany (14,067 units, -14.8%), but remained stable in Poland (12,586 units, +0.5%) and Italy (12,570 units, -0.5%).

Registrations of electric vehicles in the EU

Total registrations of electric mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles during the first six months of the year reached 13,089 units, an increase of 30.5% compared the same period of 2016, when 10,576 units were registered.

Between January and June 2017, 10,204 electric mopeds (+78.1%), 1,995 electric motorcycles (+23.5%) and 1,610 quadricycles (-50.2%) were registered in the EU.

Documents available to download

ACEM - Statistical data - January - June 2017 [xls]

ACEM - Statistical press release - January - June 2017 [pdf]

About ACEM

ACEM, the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers, is the trade association that represents manufacturers of powered-two and three-wheelers as well as quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. Its members include 17 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations in 14 different European countries. About 156,000 jobs in the EU depend on this economic sector.

ACEM works closely with the EU institutions and other stakeholders in a wide range of different policy-areas including road safety and mobility policies, type-approval of vehicles, environmental legislation and international trade negotiations.

Press contact

For further information or to receive future market updates, news or press releases please contact:
Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM communications officer
E.
P. +32 (0) 22 30 97 32

01 Jul 2017

Stefan Pierer begins term as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers

Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG, will start serving today as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM), the industry association that represents motorcycle manufacturers in Europe. Mr Pierer succeeds Mr Stephan Schaller, whose mandate comes to an end.

Mr Schaller, who serves as President of BMW Motorrad and the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association, will become one of ACEM’s Vice-presidents. Mr Michele Colaninno, member of Piaggio’s board of directors and CEO and COO of the Immsi Group, becomes the other Vice-president of the European association.

This team of motorcycle industry executives will lead ACEM until July 2019, when the association’s general assembly will decide on the next senior leadership team.

It is not the first time that the CEO of KTM AG is appointed President of ACEM. He had served in this position between July 2007 and 2011 and ad interim between September 2012 and March 2013.

Quote

Commenting on his election, Stefan Pierer said:

- “Mr Schaller has done an excellent job at positioning ACEM for the future. I know I speak for the whole European motorcycle community in stating how much this work is appreciated”.

- “Our sector is confronted to several important challenges. The European motorcycle market has not completely recovered from the economic crisis and the conditions to export to countries like the UK and the US can no longer be taken for granted. We also need to work to ensure that our sector has a reasonable amount of lead-time to implement the new European rules on type-approval of motorcycles, particularly the new Euro 5 requirements”.

- “I am excited to be leading a team that will work hard to ensure that motorcycling has the place it deserves in Europe and beyond – as a solution for mobility and leisure opportunity. Within a forward-looking vision, the motorcycle industry will continue to play this role”.

Antonio Perlot, the Secretary General of ACEM said:

- “I am looking forward to start working again with Stefan Pierer, a widely-respected business leader with substantial global experience, as well as with our two new Vice-presidents. Together, with the full ACEM membership, we will continue engaging with the European institutions and other stakeholders”.

Documents available to download

Press release - Stefan Pierer begins term as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (pdf)

Note for editors

An Austrian national, Mr Stefan Pierer began his career in 1982. In 1987, he founded the CROSS holding group (now KTM Industries group) in which he acts as majority shareholder and member of the Board of Directors. Further to being the CEO of KTM AG, he is also the Chairman of the board at Pankl Racing Systems AG.

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,000 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

ACEM manufacturing members, which include some of the largest multinationals in the sector, are: BMW Motorrad, Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), Ducati Motor holding, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Kawasaki, KTM, KYMCO, MV Agusta, Peugeot Scooters, Piaggio, Polaris Industries, Renault, Royal Enfield, Suzuki, Triumph Motorcycles and Yamaha.

Press contact

Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM Communications Officer
+32 (0) 22 30 97 32.

02 May 2017

Moped and motorcycle registrations in the European Union down by 3.3% in Q1 2017

Combined registrations of motorcycles and mopeds in the EU have reached 254,487 units during the Q1 2017, representing a decrease of 3.3% compared to same quarter of the previous year, according to the latest figures released today by the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM).

Registrations in France, the best performing market since the beginning of the year, reached 51,164 units (+3.35% compared to Q1 2016), whilst registrations in Italy went up by 1.11% (50,230 units). This contrasts with the situation in other large European markets such as Germany (42,525 units, -6.05%), Spain (28,851 units, -8.93%) and the UK (23,313 units, -14.9%).

Quote

Commenting on the latest figures, Antonio Perlot, Secretary General of ACEM, said:

“The slowdown in the motorcycle and moped markets is the result of the final transition to the new Euro 4 standard. A large number of Euro 3 vehicles were registered in late 2016, which explains why fewer mopeds and motorcycles are being registered in the beginning of 2017”.

“We expect the market to gain positive momentum over the coming months, particularly thanks to the launch of the new models and the beginning of the motorcycle riding season. As a matter of fact, some of the largest European markets have already surpassed Q1 2016 registration levels”.

Motorcycle and moped registrations

Registrations of motorcycles in the EU reached 193,097 units during Q1 2017 (-5.9% compared to Q1 2016). The Italian motorcycle market is currently the largest in Europe with 45,433 units registered in Q1 2017 (+1.71% compared to the same quarter of the previous year). Motorcycle registrations remained stable in France (33,884 units, +0.45%) and decreased in Germany (35,401 units, -7.12%), Spain (24,898 vehicles, -12.7%) and the UK (21,874 units, -14.28%).

Registrations in moped segment in the EU increased by 5.9% (61,390 units), led by strong growth in the two largest European markets, namely France (17,280 units, +9.5%) and the Netherlands (13,863 units, +6.47%). Moped figures remained stable in Germany (7,214 units, -0.32%) and decreased in Italy (4,797 units, -4.23%).

Registrations of electric vehicles in the EU

Total registrations of electric mopeds, motorcycles and quadricycles reached 5,447 units during Q1 2017, an increase of 31.5% compared to Q1 2016.

A total of 3,859 electric mopeds and 787 electric motorcycles were registered in Europe (+62% and +35.5% respectively), whilst figures for electric quadricycles went down from 1,178 to 801 (-32%) over the same period.

Quote

Commenting on the latest industry figures Antonio Perlot, Secretary General of ACEM, said:

“The launch of new electric models to the market confirms that our sector continues to make a valuable contribution to the sustainability of Europe’s transport systems”.

“The growth of registrations of electric vehicles in the EU reflects both the increasing interest from public authorities in electromobility, and the proliferation of shared vehicle schemes across Europe”.

“At the same time, our sector still needs a consistent approach to incentives – fiscal and otherwise – for electric vehicles, as well as a greater investment in the charging network. Although some European governments have launched subsidies to incentivise sales of electric vehicles, mopeds and motorcycles are not always eligible for these schemes”.

“This situation, which creates an unequal playfield between our sector and other means of transport, should be addressed by European and national authorities”.

Documents available to download

ACEM - Statistical data - Q1 2017 [xls]

ACEM - Statistical press release - Q1 2017 [pdf]

ACEM - EU - Electric vehicle registrations (chart) [jpg]

ACEM - EU - Combined registrations of mopeds and motorcycles in Q1 2017 (chart) [jpg]

About ACEM

Press contact

For further information or to receive future market updates, news or press releases please contact:
Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM communications officer
E.
P. +32 (0) 22 30 97 32

11 Apr 2017

ACEM and IMMA host joint Spring Congress in Berlin from 3 April until 7 April 2017

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) and the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IMMA) hosted a joint Spring Congress in Berlin, from 3 April until 7 April 2017. The event was attended by close to 200 delegates, including some senior industry leaders, from Europe, India, Japan, South East Asia, and South and North America.

A new leadership for ACEM and IMMA

Both associations elected a new leadership team. The ACEM General Assembly appointed Mr Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG, as President of the association as of 1 July 2017. Mr Pierer will succeed Mr Stephan Schaller, President of BMW Motorrad, who will start serving as Vice-President of ACEM on the same date. The association will also have a new Vice-President: Mr Michele Colaninno, who is member of Piaggio’s board of directors as well as CEO and COO of the Immsi Group.

The IMMA General Assembly appointed a Vice-President: Mr Johannes Loman, who currently serves as Executive Vice President Director of PT Astra Honda Motor, President of the Federation of Asian Motorcycle Industries (FAMI) as well as President of the Indonesian Motorcycle Industries Association (AISI). Mr Loman will work closely with Mr Stephan Schaller, the current President of IMMA.

Key topics discussed during the Congress

As part of the Congress, ACEM and IMMA organised an international conference on motorcycling and sustainability. The discussions addressed a wide range of issues including the challenges and opportunities for motorcycling in urban areas, recent developments in the fields of sustainability and road safety, and the need for further harmonisation of technical regulations at global level.

Panellists included renowned policy experts and representatives of civil society organisations: Stefano Ammirati (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile, FIA), Edwin Bastiaensen (International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association), Antonio Erario (Italian Ministry of Transport, UNECE), Vito Ippolito (Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme, FIM), Hannes Jaenicke (actor, author and motorcycle rider), Angel Lopez (Barcelona’s City Council), Dr. Margie Peden (World Health Organization) and Prof. Fred Wegman (International Traffic Safety Data and Analysis Group).

About the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association

The International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IMMA) represents the combined skills and interests of the powered two- and three-wheelers manufacturing industry at the global level. It promotes mobility through safe, sustainable motorcycling by advocating the development and harmonisation of technical regulations affecting the motorcycle industry and by advancing inclusive policies for motorcycling. IMMA members include regional and national industry associations from Australia, Canada, Europe, India, Japan, South-East Asia and the United States.

About the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,300 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

Press contact

For further information or to receive future ACEM news and press releases please contact:
Manuel Ordonez de Barraicua. ACEM communications officer
P. +32 (0)22 30 97 32
E.

06 Apr 2017

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers elects new top management

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) has elected a new leadership team during its 2017 Spring Congress celebrated in Berlin. Mr Stefan Pierer, CEO of KTM AG, will become President of ACEM as of 1 July 2017. He will succeed Mr Stephan Schaller, President of BMW Motorrad, who will start serving as Vice-President of ACEM on the same date.

The European Association will also have a new Vice-President: Mr Michele Colaninno, who is member of Piaggio & C. SpA’s board of directors as well as CEO and COO of the Immsi Group, which controls the Piaggio Group and also holds investments in a number of important Italian industrial groups.

Mr Stephan Schaller said: “I am delighted to announce that Mr Pierer will become the President of our European association. He is a widely-respected business leader with substantial global experience and an excellent choice by our General Assembly to continue leading ACEM”.

Mr Stefan Pierer said: “Mr Schaller has done an excellent job at positioning ACEM for the future. I know I speak for the whole European motorcycle community in stating how much this work is appreciated. I look forward to start my term as President and to work for a stronger association that promotes motorcycling across Europe”.

Mr Michele Colaninno said: “The Presidium will work to ensure that issues such as free trade, road safety and environmental protection remain at the core of the work done at ACEM, taking into account the strategic directions adopted by the European institutions”.

About ACEM

The European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) represents manufacturers of mopeds, motorcycles, three-wheelers and quadricycles (L-category vehicles) in Europe. ACEM members include 18 manufacturing companies and 17 national industry associations. About 156,300 jobs depend on the motorcycle, moped, tricycle and quadricycle industry in Europe.

About Mr Michele Colaninno

Michele Colaninno was born on 23 November 1976 in Mantua. He holds a degree in Business and Economics from the Catholic University of Milan. He is CEO of Omniaholding S.p.A., the holding that controls the Immsi S.p.A. company, which has interests in finance, real estate and manufacturing through a series of equity investments, with turnover of more than 1.3 billion euro (2016). Michele Colaninno is CEO and COO of the Immsi Group, which controls the Piaggio Group and holds investments in a number of important Italian industrial groups.

In addition to his positions as CEO of Omniainvest S.p.A. and Chairman of the Board of ISM Investimenti S.p.A., he is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Piaggio Fast Forward Inc. (headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA), Vice-President of ACEM and director on the boards of Piaggio & C. S.p.A., Intermarine S.p.A., RCN Finanziaria S.p.A., Is Molas S.p.A., Immsi Audit S.c.a.r.l.

From April 2010 to August 2016, he was Deputy Chairman and a Director of Banca Popolare di Mantova.

About Mr Stefan Pierer

An Austrian national, Mr Stefan Pierer he began his career in 1982 at HOVAL GmbH in Marchtrenk as sales assistant and then later as sales manager and authorised officer. In 1987, he founded the CROSS holding group (now KTM Industries group) in which he acts as shareholder and member of the Board of Directors.

He is also the Chairman of the board at Pankl Racing Systems AG.

He graduated from the Montan-University in Leoben (Business and Energy Management).

About Mr Stephan Schaller

Stephan Schaller is a mechanical engineer with 30 years of experience in the automotive sector. He serves as President of BMW Motorrad, the motorcycle brand of the BMW Group since 2012, as President of the European Association of Motorcycle Manufacturers (ACEM) since 2014, as well as President of the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association (IMMA) since 2016.

Mr. Schaller has held a large number of management positions in different companies including Member of the Production Board of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and Spokesman for the same Board. He is also Member of the Supervisory Boards of Voith GmbH and TÜV Nord AG. Mr. Schaller began his professional career in in the Technology division of the BMW Group in 1981, and holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the RWTH Aachen University.