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For the fourth successive year, Suzuki continued to lead the motorcycle market in New Zealand, capturing a solid 37.1 per cent of all two-wheelers registered in 1999, according to latest figures from the Land Transport Safety Authority (LTSA).
The LTSA figures show 1225 Suzuki motorcycles registered in New Zealand in 1999, and Suzuki New Zealand Motorcycle Marketing Manager Tom Peck says that total would have been even greater had there not been supply problems with some key models. And on top of that, the company’s best selling RF900 went out of production.
“Of course we had some very successful models, but our sales were strong right across the board,” says Mr Peck.
“There is no doubt Suzuki would have recorded an even stronger performance in road sales, if we had not run out of stock in some key models,” says Mr Peck.
He says sales of the GSF1200 Bandit were hampered by supply problems from the factory, with Suzuki Motor Corporation unable to build enough engines at its four cylinder engine plant to meet global demand.
And while demand for the TL1000S and TL1000R V-twin sports bikes eased, sales of the new SV650 showed that the middleweight market is still healthy.
But it’s not just in the big bike market that Suzuki has been scoring a solid lift in sales though – it has also had a major increase in sales of scooters, with the TR50S Street Magic its top seller, while the commuter RGV150 and FXR150 motorcycles also sold very well.
And it’s not just in road bikes that Suzuki has been enjoying strong sales. The off-road motorcycle market, including the farm sector, was also a success story for Suzuki, with the ever-green DR350 a strong performer, along with the long running TF125 Mudbug.
“Buyers are looking for distributors to deliver quality product at competitive prices. We have tried hard to deliver this. Motorcycling as a recreational activity is growing at the moment and the tremendous support we have had from customers has allowed Suzuki to remain the No.1 registered brand and the No.1 motorcycle brand overall again in 1999” says Suzuki New Zealand’s Motorcycle Marketing Manager, Tom Peck. “We are looking forward to another very positive year in 2000 and we have some great new models coming this year to stimulate the market.”
Following are the top registering brands in New Zealand in 1999:
| 1 | Suzuki | 1225 | 37.1 per cent |
| 2 | Honda | 560 | 16.9 per cent |
| 3 | Yamaha | 288 | 8.7 per cent |
| 4 | Harley-Davidson | 267 | 8.1 per cent |
| 5 | Kawasaki | 188 | 5.7 per cent |
| 6 | Piaggio | 126 | 3.8 per cent |
| 7= | BMW & Triumph | 124 | 3.7 per cent |
| 9 | PGO | 87 | 2.6 per cent |
| 10 | Aprilia | 64 | 1.9 per cent |
Contact an online Suzuki dealer for more information:
Phil Turnbull Motorcycles
Red Baron
Ingram & Worsley
