The UK’s new bike market kept up its 2026 recovery in July, with fresh figures from the Motorcycle Industry Association (MCIA) showing registrations climbing across almost every category.
A total of 10,644 machines were registered in July 2026, up 17.5% on the 9057 recorded in the same month last year. That leaves the market up 15.6% year-to-date compared with last year.
The standout story is the Honda CB1000GT , which topped the adventure category in July – its first month on sale. The £11,999 tall-rounder only reached UK dealers from July , after Honda delayed its launch to prioritise a permanent fix for the excessive oil consumption affecting the related CB1000 Hornet .
And the CB1000GT was far from Honda’s only success. The big H was the runaway best-selling manufacturer with 2292 registrations, more than double second-placed Yamaha, with BMW, Triumph and Lexmoto rounding out the top five.
That dominance ran right through the model rankings, too, with the PCX125 topping the scooter class, the CB125F leading the nakeds and the £3999 GB350S heading the modern classics. BMW continued to rule the premier classes, with the R1300GS and R1300RT leading their respective charts.
“July’s market reinforces the important role mopeds, motorcycles and other L-Category vehicles play here in the UK,” said MCIA CEO Tony Campbell, “with demand remaining positive despite ongoing economic challenges for both consumers and businesses.”
Behind the headline growth, adventure bikes were the standout category, up 41.8% in July and 26.2% year-to-date – comfortably the fastest-growing sector, and the one the CB1000GT now leads. Nakeds weren’t far behind, up 24.5%, while touring recorded its first month of growth in 2026, up 18.2%.
As is generally the case, it’s the smaller, cheaper machines doing the big numbers. The 51-125cc class was the busiest of the lot, with well over 3700 registrations in the month. Comparatively, 1000cc+ sales fell 11.9% – the same big-bike softness we saw at the start of the year .
The electric motorcycle market went backwards again, too, falling 15.1% for the month and down 12.7% year-to-date. It’s a familiar story: electric bikes dropped in January and again in February , underlining a continued lack of appetite for battery power among UK riders even as petrol sales recover.
Campbell used the figures to renew the industry’s calls for progress on the long-running rider licence review – something he has pushed for repeatedly through 2026.
He added: “To build on this growth, our sector needs Government action now so L-Category vehicles remain a reliable and accessible transport solution for people and communities across the UK.”
Six months of growth is genuinely encouraging, and it’s good to see riders still spending on new metal. The CB1000GT topping its class straight out of the gate shows how much appetite there was for it – though it’s worth remembering the wider adventure boom is flattered by 2025’s Euro5 pre-registration hangover, and the numbers remain some way off pre-slump levels. The bright spot is real demand at the small and mid-capacity end – proof that bikes still make great, affordable transport.
Ben Clarke began riding (legally) at 21-years-old when he passed his direct access one month before shipping his Yamaha XT660 R to Miami and embarking on a 13,500-mile tour of the USA and Central America. He's worked at MCN for the last six years, riding everything from super nakeds and superbikes to small-capa…