Eicma 2026, the motorcycle is worth 35.1 billion GDP in Europe

The motorized two-wheeler sector accounts for 35.1 billion GDP in the EU and the United Kingdom. This was revealed by the study "The Economic Importance of Motorcycles to Europe" by Oxford Economics, presented at Eicma during the "Motonomics" conference of Acem and Confindustria Ancma.

In 2024, the sector supported 481,600 jobs and generated 20.6 billion in tax revenue. Three quarters of the impact comes from the production, sale and repair of motorcycles and components (26.7 billion GDP, 356,700 employed); helmets and clothing add 5.7 billion and almost 89 thousand seats, races and events 2.7 billion and 36 thousand seats.

Directly employed are 208,900 and produce 10.6 billion of GDP: each euro activates another 2.30 in the economy, each position supports 1.3 elsewhere. Italy and Germany account for 23% each, then France (13%), the United Kingdom (9%), Spain (7%) and Austria (5%).

In trade, half of EU production was exported in 2024 (43% in 2019): 2.5 billion exports versus 3.5 billion imports. In 2025, exports drop by 22% to 2.0 billion, imports rise by 12% to 3.9 and the deficit reaches 1.9 billion.

There are 42 million motorbikes in circulation in Europe (11% of the fleet) and 6.4 million people use them to go to work, saving 580 euros a year. If 5% of commuter motorists switched to motorbikes, 28 million travel days and 2.6 million tonnes of CO2 would be saved.

"The growth in registrations does not automatically translate into greater production and profitability: to continue investing and innovating in Europe we need clear and proportionate rules, reciprocity in trade and full recognition of two wheels in mobility policies", declared Mariano Roman, president of Confindustria Ancma.