Average size of motorcycles engines in Great Britain 1994-2021

The average engine size of motorcycles registered in Great Britain increased between 1994 and 2019, dipping slightly in 2020 but then beginning to rise again. By 2021, engines with a volume of 612 cubic centimeters had become the norm. This corresponds to an increase of just about 63 percent since the beginning of the reporting period, but a year-on-year increase of less than one percent compared to the 2020 average.

Most common engine size

As of 2021, most registered motorcycles had an engine size either between 51 and 125 cubic centimeters or greater than 1,000 cubic centimeters. There were over 235,000 licensed motorcycles in the United Kingdom with an engine size of more than 1,000 cubic centimeters, and close to 300,000 registered motorcycles with an engine size between 51 and 125 cubic centimeters. Battery electric engines were so far the least popular, representing less than just over 9,200 of the motorcycles registered.

Motorcycle stock

In 2021, there were some 1.32 million motorcycles in use in Great Britain. Figures have now risen above the pre-financial crisis peak, with nearly 1.28 million units registered in 2009. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a small decrease in the number of cars in use in 2020 while the number of motorcycles kept increasing to some 1.27 million units, as a socially distanced alternative for commuters. However, cars still remain the preferred vehicle type for private users and rose to close to pre-pandemic levels again in 2021.