Motorcycle more popular than ever

3,294 new motorcycles were sold in the Netherlands in March 2026. A year ago there were 2,651 in the same month. January and February also already saw a strong increase in sales.

Right drop in car sales

The strong interest in motorcycles is quite remarkable. Car sales actually fell in the first quarter of 2026, by 10.8% to be exact. That’s according to figures from the RAI Association. That drop was mainly because a higher additional tax rate would initially come into effect on January 1 for electric cars. That caused an EV sales peak in December 2025.

Interest in motorcycle license increases

The increasing popularity of motorcycling is reflected in other figures as well. For example, the motorcycle fleet grew along with it: from 828,456 (December 2024) to 848,214 (December 2025), a plus of 19,758 motorcycles (+2.4 percent). The number of Dutch with a motorcycle license also continues to rise. By 2025, 20,145 were added. By the end of 2025, 1,564,091 Dutch had a motorcycle license.

New sales at record high

Sales of new motorcycles remained almost the same in 2025 with 19,608 registrations as in 2024 (19,819). With this, the Netherlands deviates positively from the European trend. In Europe, 1,002,848 new motorcycles were registered in 2025, 36 percent less than in 2024 (1,555,640), while the Netherlands remained almost stable at a historically high level. And now that is rising even further.

Upward trend for ten years

Moreover, new sales have shown an upward trend for ten years: from 12,575 motorcycles sold in 2016 to 19,608 in 2025. 2024 was the record year with 19,819; 2025 was almost at that.

Shift to lighter engines

Motorcycles with a displacement of more than 1,000 cc are still the largest category. Within new sales, however, a clear shift can be seen towards slightly smaller motorcycles. The share in the 650-850 cc and 850-1,000 cc categories has increased in recent years.

Interest from younger buyers

The profile of the buyer also changed with it. The share of 18- to 25-year-olds grew from 6.6 percent (2020) to 9.9 percent (2025) and the share of over-65s from 5.7 percent to 8.9 percent. In addition, the share of women in news registrations grew from 7.5 percent (2020) to 9.7 percent (2025). A total of 87,630 new motorcycles were sold in the Netherlands during the 2021-2025 period.

Mobility solution for the future

Tom Crooijmans, section chairman motorcycles at RAI Association: “Motorcycling is more than just an experience: it is a mobility solution that allows more and more Dutch people to get from A to B in an affordable way. We still see a lot of potential for motorcycle use, especially in the area of commuting. We challenge employers to look more broadly at mobility plans: the motorcycle is part of that.”