Motorcycles Fall for the First Time While Scooters Surge: Reading the July 2026 Data

A growing market, but not in the expected direction

ANCMA figures for July 2026 show an Italian two-wheeler market in decent overall health: 46,605 vehicles registered in the month, up 4.01% on the 44,810 recorded in the same month of 2025 [1]. Nothing surprising there, given that 2026 has been a positive year for the sector so far.

The interesting part sits inside that total. Scooters closed July with 29,657 registrations, up 11.41% year on year, while motorcycles stopped at 14,988 units, down 6.51% from the 16,032 of July 2025 [1][2]. That is the first monthly decline for motorcycles in a year of expansion, and it arrives just as scooters accelerate. Mopeds follow motorcycles into negative territory, at 1,960 units and down 9.22% [1].

The year-to-date tells a different story from the month

Before jumping to conclusions, the seven-month picture is worth looking at, because it changes the framing considerably. From January to July 2026 motorcycles remain comfortably positive at 103,354 units, up 5.57%; scooters have surged to 162,010 vehicles, up 15.97%; mopeds close at 9,424 units with a solid 9.21% gain [1][3].

So July's decline does not erase a good year for motorcycles: it interrupts one. But the year-to-date gap between the two segments, five and a half points against nearly sixteen, says that growth in the Italian two-wheeler market is increasingly driven by scooters and decreasingly by traditional motorcycles.

Why it is happening

Two readings, not mutually exclusive, explain the movement well.

The first is economic. A scooter is on average more affordable than a motorcycle and gets bought out of urban mobility necessity rather than passion. When purchasing power tightens, discretionary spending, meaning the bike bought for the pleasure of riding it, is the first thing postponed, while the scooter used to get to work remains a hard expense to avoid. The parallel fall in mopeds alongside motorcycles suggests the most price-sensitive buyers are shifting toward the 125cc scooter, which in Italy can be ridden on a car licence without an additional test.

The second is structural and concerns cities. Congestion, limited-traffic zones and parking costs push riders toward the most practical machine, and in urban traffic a twist-and-go scooter beats a motorcycle comprehensively on ease of use.

Electric consolidates, but stays niche

A third figure deserves attention because it runs counter to what is happening with electric cars. The electric two-wheeler segment posted its fifth consecutive positive month in July, at 1,340 vehicles and up 20.07%, bringing the seven-month total to 6,717 units and a 20.59% gain [1][4].

It needs reading in proportion, though: 1,340 vehicles out of 46,605 registered means a share of roughly 2.9% of the monthly market. The percentage growth is solid and consistent, but the starting base remains small. Anyone considering a used electric scooter should factor that in: the vehicle population is still limited, which means less choice, fewer pricing reference points and a thinner service network than for combustion machines.

What changes if you are buying or selling used

New-registration data does not transfer automatically to the used market, but it does indicate direction. Some practical guidance:

• If you are selling a motorcycle, this moment calls for patience. With new sales falling, segment demand is less tight, so presentation matters, service records matter, and starting from an unrealistic price is costly because negotiation room has widened.
• If you are buying a motorcycle, the window is reasonably favourable. Slowing demand means more bargaining power, particularly on less sought-after models and out of season once summer ends.
• If you are selling a scooter, demand is strong and time-to-sale tends to be shorter, especially on 125cc machines that a car licence covers.
• If you are buying a used scooter, expect less negotiating room and more competition on well-kept listings. Moving quickly on good examples pays.
• On anything electric, always verify battery health and the cost of an eventual replacement before closing. On a second-hand machine that single item drives real value more than anything else.

An overlooked figure: quadricycles

The recovery in quadricycles is also worth flagging, up 25.03% in July with 1,963 units registered [1]. It is a small segment but expanding fast, driven largely by younger riders who can use them on an AM licence and by buyers wanting an enclosed urban vehicle without stepping up to a car. For anyone watching the used market it is a growing niche worth attention, with pricing that is still far from standardised.

The bottom line

July 2026 does not mark a motorcycle crisis: it marks the point where growth in Italy's two-wheeler market becomes explicitly scooter-led. For buyers, the moment rewards anyone after a motorcycle and mildly penalises anyone after a scooter; for sellers, exactly the reverse applies. In both cases the old rule still holds: on a second-hand machine, documented maintenance and genuine condition set the right price far more than any single month's market percentages.

Further reading

1. Moto.it, Motorcycle and scooter market, July 2026: registrations up but motorcycles slow, August 2026
2. Motorionline Moto, Motorcycle and scooter market July 2026: up 4%, scooters +11% and motorcycles down for the first time, August 2026
3. HDmotori.it, Motorcycle market 2026: scooters drive July registrations, August 2026
4. Motorbox, Two-wheeler market July 2026: scooters growing, motorcycles braking. The best-selling models, August 2026
5. Crazywheels, Motorcycles down but scooters unstoppable: the ANCMA data for July 2026, August 2026