The MCIA Motorcycle Sales Figures for September make for interesting reading. A weak summer, shenanigans in Parliament, inflation, and the fact that there is nothing wrong with the bike you already own, have all contributed to an overall drop in motorcycle sales of 3.7% (Year to Date)
Yet, the number of bikes sold in the 126-500cc range has risen 20% year on year. Triumph’s 400, in its various formats, seems to be driving that market segment forward. Every other capacity segment has seen a reduction in overall sales.
Whereas the figures are engaging, I sometimes wonder what they actually mean. If I moved the capacity boundaries a bit, I would get a different answer. Then again, if I move them I can’t compare this year to the last.
The best-selling model across all capacities in September ’24 was the BMW R 1300 GS (how surprising), and on that bombshell, I was about done with the statistics until an email arrived from Suzuki detailing a jaw-dropping offer.
These offers appear to be generated by the wide selection of excellent 650-800cc P-Twins, which are taking sales away from the flagship models.
Now add the success of the 400cc market, where a brand-new Triumph 400 costs £5,200, and the reduction in sales is felt at the top end of the range.
To make buying a larger capacity model attractive, especially over the next few months when sales will be slow, manufacturers are pulling out all the stops to bring you some cracking deals.
Suzuki GSX-S100GX
I rode 2,000 miles testing the Suzuki and loved every mile. A bike that can tour, scratch on a Sunday, power wheelie at will if you turn off the electronics, and filter through traffic with ease sounds more like the marketing department’s wish list than the results of a road test.
Nonetheless, I found the GSX S100GX could do all that, and I’m no good at wheelies. The low centre of gravity makes filtering a joy, and the semi-active suspension helps keep everything under control when fully on the herbs.
The current list price for the GSX-S1000GX is £14,799 on the road, which includes free panniers (side cases). However…and it’s a big however … Suzuki is currently offering 0% interest on PCP and Hire Purchase deals. Zero … as in nothing, zip, zero, nada, and for free.
You can buy a brand-new Suzuki GSX S1000GX with luggage for around £120 a month on PCP and a £7K final payment. Plus, of course, there is the 7-year, 70,000-mile Suzuki warranty. I have decided to actively avoid any Suzuki dealers until the offer ends, or I’ll end up buying one.
The GSX-S1000GT and the Hayabusa are also included in the offer. You can find all of the details here … Suzuki Offers
New 2025 Honda NT1100
This is not so much a deal that is available right now as one to watch develop over the next few months.
Honda has recently announced an updated NT1100 for 2025. The new version has options for electronic suspension and will come as standard with a 6-axis IMU and a long list of tweaks and other improvements.
Over the last three years, the current NT1100 has been a top seller for Honda, selling well over 12,000 motorcycles and being the best-selling sports tourer in Europe in 2023. The updates for 2025 were inevitable, but there is nothing wrong with the original, either.
Dealers will be looking to move the 2024 models to make way for the new version, which is always good news for us, the motorcycle buyers.
The manual gearbox 2024 NT1100 has a list price of £12,679, yet five minutes on Autotrader and I’m looking at a brand new 2024 model, complete with the massively popular Voyager Pack, for £11,500 in white or £11,695 for the 2024 colours. Only buy the white one if you want everyone to think you are a Policeman.
To get the most from the NT1100, you will need to budget £600-£800 for a replacement rear shock. It is worth every penny. The Maxton shock I have fitted to my NT1100 transformed an already good bike into an excellent one.
Last February, a Honda dealer offered me (a day too late) a blisteringly good deal on an NT1100 to shift what was then an NT in one of last year’s colours. How much of a discount do you think will be offered on 2024 models, once the 2025 version arrives?
Aprilia Tuono 1100 V4 Factory
If you think that the 155 BHP Suzuki GSX-S1000GX will leave you wanting power, then perhaps wander down to your local Aprilia dealer in search of an Aprilia Tuono 1100 V4 Factory.
175 brute horsepower (not a typo), advanced electronic suspension, and swinging arm upgrades can all be yours, brand new, as listed on Autotrader for £13,999 or £4,251 under the list price on Aprilia’s website.
It is a staggeringly fast motorcycle that can stop almost as fast as it accelerates, thanks to the 330 mm floating disks and Brembo M50 monobloc radial callipers on the front. Even the rear gets in on the act, with twin-piston Brembo callipers and “Rear Lift Mitigation” built into the electronics to ensure the rear wheel stays in contact with the road.
VAT Free KTM
Not to be left out of the party, KTM has a very long list of motorcycles, all with 20% off or VAT free if you prefer. Models are mostly 2023 variants, with a few 2024 bikes included as well.
The small print on the KTM website says, “while stocks last,” but given that just about everything is included, from the KTM 1290 Super Adventure to the KTM 125 Duke, there should be a deal you like.
Bottom Line
November and the damp months that follow might not be your favourite time to ride a motorcycle, but it is looking increasingly like the time to buy one.
I wonder if you could squeeze an even better deal if you arrived at Motorcycle Live with a (metaphorical) handful of cash and the stated intention to buy a motorcycle that day?
