- CFMOTO’s 450MT is New Zealand’s best-selling motorcycle with 135 registrations YTD.
- KTM’s 390 Adventure range has recorded 98 registrations so far this year.
- Smaller-capacity adventure and LAMS motorcycles continue to dominate the market.
New Zealand riders are increasingly choosing smaller-capacity adventure bikes and LAMS-approved machines, with the CFMOTO 450MT, KTM 390 Adventure and Royal Enfield Himalayan emerging as some of the market’s biggest success stories.
Suzuki remains New Zealand’s top-selling motorcycle brand, but the real story is the continued success of smaller-capacity adventure and LAMS motorcycles as riders respond to economic pressures and rising ownership costs.
The New Zealand motorcycle market continues to show surprising resilience in 2026, with riders increasingly gravitating toward smaller-capacity adventure bikes and learner-approved models rather than the large-capacity machines that once dominated showroom floors.
While Suzuki continues to lead the overall market, a closer look at the individual model figures reveals a clear trend. Affordable, fuel-efficient and versatile motorcycles are driving sales, with machines such as the CFMOTO 450MT, KTM 390 Adventure and Royal Enfield Himalayan proving particularly popular with Kiwi riders.
The numbers suggest many buyers are prioritising value, practicality and lower running costs in an economic environment where fuel prices remain a consideration and registration costs are increasingly under scrutiny.
With ACC levies for larger-capacity motorcycles expected to increase in the future, it’s possible some riders are also choosing smaller-capacity machines that are cheaper to own, insure and register, while still offering plenty of real-world performance.
CFMOTO 450MT Continues To Shine
One of the standout performers of 2026 remains the CFMOTO 450MT.
The middleweight adventure bike recorded 25 registrations during May and has amassed 135 registrations year-to-date, making it comfortably the country’s best-selling motorcycle model.
The 450MT’s combination of adventure-bike styling, genuine gravel-road capability, approachable seat height and aggressive pricing has clearly struck a chord with New Zealand buyers.
It also reflects the growing popularity of the middleweight adventure category, where riders are increasingly favouring lighter, more manageable machines over the traditional litre-class adventure bikes.
KTM’s 390 Adventure Still A Hit
Another notable success story is KTM’s 390 Adventure range.
Combining both Adventure and Adventure R variants, KTM has registered 98 examples year-to-date, with the off-road-focused Adventure R accounting for 62 of those sales.
The Austrian brand’s smallest adventure model continues to prove that capacity isn’t everything. With LAMS eligibility, low fuel consumption and genuine adventure-bike credentials, the 390 Adventure has become one of the smartest choices for riders wanting to explore beyond the seal without spending adventure-bike money.
It’s also evidence that riders are increasingly looking for motorcycles that can commute during the week and tackle gravel roads on weekends.
Himalayan Momentum Continues
Royal Enfield’s new Himalayan 450 continues to build momentum.
The updated adventure model recorded 10 registrations during May and sits on 54 units year-to-date, placing it among the country’s strongest-selling motorcycles.
Royal Enfield’s growth is one of the more significant stories in the market over the past two years. Once viewed as a niche retro brand, it has become a genuine volume player, helped by the success of the Himalayan, Bear 650, Guerrilla 450 and its broader 650 twin range.
Learner Bikes Remain Strong
The figures also show that learner-approved motorcycles continue to underpin much of the market.
The Kawasaki Ninja 500 has recorded 49 registrations year-to-date, while Yamaha’s YZF-R3 has accumulated 26 registrations and the YZF-R7LAMS has reached 33 units. The new version we recently headed to Australia to test should see those numbers pick up when it lands in NZ dealers.
Honda’s GB350 continues to perform strongly with 30 registrations year-to-date, proving that simple, affordable motorcycles still have plenty of appeal.
These figures suggest that, despite economic pressures, people are still entering motorcycling and looking for practical machines that offer strong value for money.
Big Bikes Still Have Their Place
While smaller-capacity motorcycles dominate the volume charts, larger-capacity machines continue to attract enthusiasts.
The Yamaha Ténéré 700 has registered 36 units so far this year between the standard and World Raid versions, while KTM’s 890 Adventure R sits on 20 registrations.
BMW’s flagship R1300GS has also managed 15 registrations despite its premium pricing, demonstrating that there remains a healthy appetite for high-end adventure motorcycles among committed riders.
However, compared with the volumes being achieved by the 390-500cc adventure class, it’s clear where the bulk of current demand sits.
A Market Reflecting Economic Reality
The 2026 figures paint a picture of a market adapting to changing conditions.
Fuel prices remain significantly higher than many riders would like, while the cost of ownership continues to be a factor in purchasing decisions. At the same time, modern middleweight and learner-approved motorcycles have become dramatically more capable than their predecessors.
As a result, many riders are discovering that a 390cc, 450cc or 500cc motorcycle can comfortably handle commuting, touring and gravel-road adventures while costing substantially less to buy and run than a larger-capacity machine.
That reality is increasingly being reflected in the sales charts.
What To Watch
With winter now underway, registrations traditionally soften before picking up again in spring.
The big question for the second half of 2026 will be whether the CFMOTO 450MT can maintain its remarkable lead, and whether KTM’s 390 Adventure range and Royal Enfield’s Himalayan can continue their strong momentum.
If current trends continue, New Zealand’s motorcycle market may be entering a period where lighter, simpler and more affordable adventure bikes become the new mainstream.
For riders, that’s unlikely to be a bad thing.
