Registration figures for 2025 with a decline for all manufacturers, but Southern Europe shows a completely different picture
Why the 35 percent decline in new registrations affects all manufacturers and why Southern Europe shows a completely different picture at the same time
The registration figures for 2025 are available. The motorcycle market in Germany in 2025 recorded a decline from 246,870 to 158,944 new registrations, a drop of 35.6 percent. For Harley-Davidson The statistics show 3,656 units, compared to 8,706 in the previous year. At first glance, these figures are irritating. At second glance, however, they tell a different story.
Why 2025 was not a normal market year
The stricter Euro 5+ emissions standard came into force on January 1, 2025. Motorcycles without this certification could no longer be newly registered after this date. In the final months of 2024, the entire industry reduced its stocks through one-day registrations and special offers. This has brought forward purchases that would actually have taken place in 2025 to the previous year.
The official registration data for motorcycles from 601 cubic centimetres in Germany is impressive proof of this. In the fourth quarter of 2023, a total of 10,440 motorcycles were registered, divided into 5,586 in October, 2,890 in November and 1,964 in December. A normal end to the season. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the figures exploded to 28,893 units. October was at 6,776, November at 8,959 and December 2024 was a historic outlier with 13,158 new registrations.
That is almost seven times the figure for a normal December. In the last quarter of 2024 alone, around 18,500 more motorcycles were registered than in the same period last year. These are exactly the vehicles that are missing from the 2025 statistics. The fourth quarter of 2025 confirms the normalization with 4,359 in October, 2,388 in November and 1,814 in December, a total of 8,561 units and thus well below the Q4 level of 2023.
This pull-forward effect affects all manufacturers without exception. Honda, the market leader, lost 14.3 percent. BMW Motorrad was down 26.7 percent and Yamaha was down 33.9 percent. KTM recorded a special effect of minus 78.5 percent due to insolvency, Suzuki minus 68.3 percent. The decline at Harley-Davidson should be seen in this context and should not be assessed in isolation.
Anyone who celebrated the Harley-Davidson registrations in 2024 as a success with an increase of 19.9 percent must, to be fair, read the 2025 figures as the flip side of the same effect. At the end of 2024, dealers brought a considerable number of vehicles onto the market through one-day registrations. December 2024, with 13,158 new motorcycle registrations over 601 cc, shows the extent of this sell-off more clearly than any analysis. If both years are added together and averaged, a much more differentiated picture emerges than the isolated annual analysis.
A German problem, not a brand problem
In addition to the Euro 5 effect, the decline reveals something more fundamental. Germany has a location problem that extends far beyond the motorcycle market. Purchasing power is stagnating, financing costs are high and consumer confidence in leisure spending is depressed. This affects not only motorcycles, but the entire premium market.
At the same time, the discussion about possible EU punitive tariffs on US motorcycles in spring 2025 has led to a noticeable reluctance to buy. Customers who finance a premium product from EUR 16,000 upwards react sensitively to uncertainties regarding future pricing. The fact that these tariffs will ultimately affect all US motorcycles, including those manufactured in Thailand, has added to the uncertainty.
The decline in registration figures is therefore less a sign of waning interest in the brand than a reflection of the German economic situation. This becomes particularly clear when you look beyond the country's borders.
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A look at southern Europe shows a different picture
Anyone taking the German market as the sole yardstick is overlooking an interesting development. In Southern Europe and France, the market trend for Harley-Davidson is much more positive.
Italy set a historic record for motorcycle registrations in 2024. For the first time since records began in 1957, more than 166,000 new motorcycles were registered, an increase of 14.5 percent. With 4,060 units, Harley-Davidson increased by 731 units compared to the previous year.
Anyone who has been to the HOG Rally in Senigallia or the event in Saint-Tropez in the last two years will have seen this with their own eyes. A conspicuous number of riders from Italy, France and Spain were there on the latest models, including the high-priced CVO variants. The willingness to invest in new motorcycles seems to be higher in southern Europe and France than in German-speaking countries.
Same EU rules, different reality on the road
One factor that is often overlooked in this discussion is the handling of EU regulations. The noise regulations for motorcycles are formally the same in all EU countries. But anyone who has ridden through Italy knows that there is a considerable difference between the regulations and everyday life. In the southern countries, there is a fundamentally different attitude towards motorcycles. There is a more tolerant approach to noise, aftermarket exhaust systems are part of the street scene and there are virtually no checks.
In Germany, on the other hand, there is strict enforcement. A missing e-mark on the exhaust can lead to the vehicle being taken out of service, decibel measuring devices are regularly available on popular motorcycle routes, and in Tyrol, motorcycles with a stationary noise of over 95 decibels are completely banned on certain routes. Anyone who buys a Harley-Davidson wants to customize it, and for many this includes the sound. This is not a problem in southern Europe. In Germany, it is.
Global registration data also supports this picture. MotorCyclesData, which analyzes registrations in 93 countries worldwide, reported a global increase of 1.8 percent for Harley-Davidson in 2024. While the US market was in decline, Europe showed a recovery. In the first quarter of 2025, the decline in the EMEA region was only 2 percent, while North America lost 24 percent. Europe is therefore currently the most stable global region for the brand.
What Harley-Davidson brings to the market
Despite all the discussion about registration figures, it is worth taking a look at the overall range. Harley-Davidson offers its customers a complete package that is unparalleled in the industry.
The model range is broader than is often perceived. In addition to the Touring models with the Milwaukee-Eight engine are all the cruiser models on the market. The Street Bob, the Sport Glide and the Fat Boy are motorcycles that appeal to a wide variety of rider types. These models are also popular with female riders. Anyone familiar with chapters such as the Mainhatten Chapter or the Biker Ladies knows that women have long since found an active approach to the brand. The idea that Harley-Davidson is bypassing female customers does not correspond to the reality in the chapters.
There is also a tangible incentive. The 2025 models are currently available with a price advantage of 1,903 euros. The Pan America has established itself as a serious adventure alternative, while the CVO models continue to set standards in terms of exclusivity and workmanship. The range of accessories, both original and from the aftermarket, makes the customization options practically limitless.
The dealer network in Germany has nationwide coverage. Financing, insurance and extended warranty come from a single source. The H-D Certified program offers a professional workshop check with a one-year warranty for used motorcycles. And if you don't need an authorized dealer or deliberately want to take a different route, you will find a well-established landscape of independent custom bike workshops, independent garages and specialized mechanics in Germany who have been concentrating exclusively on the brand for years. From inspections and conversions to complete rebuilds, Harley riders have access to a network beyond the official dealer network that hardly any other motorcycle brand has.
But what really sets Harley-Davidson apart from all its competitors is the community. The Harley Owners Group, the events around the globe, from the Hamburg Harley Days to the European Bike Week and the chapter meetings. No other motorcycle manufacturer can boast a comparable community. Bike Days Willingen, which will take place for the first time in 2026 as an official Harley-Davidson Germany event, is further proof of the brand's investment in its European presence.
What the figures mean for the industry
The registration statistics for 2025 are a snapshot in an exceptional market year. The Euro 5 pull-forward effect is a one-off event that significantly distorts the figures. It will not be repeated in 2026.
Why the second-hand market is booming right now
According to Google Trends, searches for used Harley-Davidson models have more than doubled since 2020. Model-specific terms such as Street Glide or Road Glide are also experiencing strong growth. There are specific reasons for this.
The Euro 5 sale at the end of 2024 has brought a large number of one-day registrations onto the market. These are technically up-to-date motorcycles, some with minimal mileage, which are now available as used vehicles. For buyers who do not necessarily need the latest model year, this is an attractive way to get into the brand, often with a significant price advantage over a new vehicle.
At the same time, high new prices in the premium segment and increased financing costs are pushing some of the demand into the used market. This is not a sign of weakness, but a healthy market signal. Anyone looking for a used Harley-Davidson has made a conscious decision in favor of this brand. The demand is there, it is just distributed differently.
At the end of February, the Harleysite marketplace will be launched in response to increasing demand. This will create a central point of contact for buyers and sellers within the largest German-speaking Harley-Davidson community. More on this shortly.
Outlook
There is no question that the current market environment means a temporarily more difficult starting position for dealers. But stocks are full, the new Chapter 2 models with 13 completely new motorcycles on a new platform are about to be launched and the used market continues to show strong interest.
The decisive factors will be how the customs situation develops, whether the economic mood in Germany picks up again and whether Chapter 2 meets expectations. Initial international reactions to the presentation have been promising. And a look at Southern Europe shows that the demand for Harley-Davidson in Europe does not have to slow down if the general conditions are right. The motorcycle market in Germany in 2025 was an exceptional year. No more and no less.
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