The motorcycle market in 2025 is under pressure. Registrations are down, margins are tighter than ever, and dealer closures are starting to stack up. Yet despite the growing need to convert every opportunity, too many leads are still slipping through the cracks.
Our recent mystery shopping exercise contacted 120 dealers across multiple motorcycle brands. The goal was simple - to measure how many responded, how quickly, and through which channels. The results reveal a widespread failure to follow up - and in a market like this, that failure comes at a cost.
In this article, we break down the numbers and explore what they mean for sales, customer experience, and brand reputation. We’ll also show how top-performing brands understand the need to follow up on sales leads and are leading the way - and what others can learn from them.
The Reality of the 2025 Motorcycle Market
It’s been a turbulent year for the motorcycle industry. According to MotorCyclesData.com, new motorcycle registrations in Europe fell by 13.4% for the first four months of 2025 compared to the same period last year. And in the UK, several high-profile dealerships have permanently shut their doors, including multi-brand groups such as Saltire, Completely Motorbikes, and Thunder Road Motorcycles.
The financial pressures are clear. Manufacturers are scaling back electric investments, and consumer appetite for big-ticket purchases is more cautious than ever. Buyers are hunting for value, but that doesn’t mean they’re always buying cheap.
In fact, most are doing the opposite.
Today’s Motorcycle Buyers Expect More
Motorcycles are no longer entry-level alternatives to cars. In 2025, they’re expensive, aspirational, and deeply personal purchases. Today’s motorcycle buyer is increasingly older, wealthier, and more discerning.
The average buyer isn’t necessarily a 20-something first-timer. Many are midlife professionals, often in their 40s, 50s or older, business owners or early retirees, with disposable income and high expectations. They’re not looking for a cheap way to get around - they’re shopping for a lifestyle, not a necessity. A new bike might be a second or third vehicle. It’s often a high-end toy, rather than a practical tool.
The purchase experience matters just as much as the product, and this group are used to quality service in all areas of life – whether that’s from their car dealership, their travel agent, or their financial advisor. They expect the kind of service they’d get from premium car brands - fast replies, personal contact, and the sense that they’re a valued customer.
When they enquire about a bike, they’re doing more than asking for a price. They’re testing the dealership’s interest, knowledge and professionalism. A slow, sloppy or missing response isn’t just poor service - it’s a broken first impression.
So when a dealer doesn’t call back, or responds two days later with a generic email, it sends a clear message: We don’t value your business. And with plenty of brands competing for attention, there’s always someone else ready to respond faster and better.
What the Mystery Shop Found
Our mystery shop exercise tested how well dealers followed up on online enquiries across phone and email. We contacted 120 dealers covering all major motorcycle brands in the UK.
Here are some of the results we found for brands who are NOT TrackBack clients:
- 6 motorcycle brands responded to 26% of enquiries by phone on average
- 74% of enquiries received no phone call at all
- Just 8% of enquiries received a phone call AND an email
- 43% of enquiries received neither a phone call nor an email
Let that sink in – more than four out of every ten of potential customers never got a reply. No call. No email. Nothing.
And this isn’t just about losing a sale. It’s about damaging reputation, trust and long-term loyalty. When a lead is ignored, it’s not the product that’s judged - it’s the brand.
How Did TrackBack Clients Perform?
Check out the results for motorcycle brands who are TrackBack clients:
- TrackBack brands responded to 97% of enquiries by phone on average
- Just 3% of enquiries received no phone call at all
- 77% of enquiries received a phone call AND an email
So TrackBack clients are doing their best to make sure they make the most of every lead.
This didn’t happen by accident. These brands work closely with their dealer networks to track performance, train staff, and implement tools that support effective lead handling.
It shows - and it sells.
The Cost of Missed Follow-Up
Motorcycle sales leads aren’t cheap. Depending on the channel, each one can cost anywhere from £25 to £120. If 74% of leads are going uncontacted, OEMs could be throwing away thousands in marketing spend.
But the real cost is in missed revenue. Every unanswered enquiry is a potential bike, accessory package, finance deal and service plan that never happens. It’s a rider who either buys elsewhere - or walks away altogether.
And again, this isn’t necessarily a price-driven crowd. These are serious buyers with money to spend. But they won’t wait around. If you don’t follow up, someone else will.
Why Motorcycle Dealers Don’t Follow Up - and How to Fix It
So if follow-up is this important, why do so many dealers get it wrong? The common reasons:
- Leads aren’t tracked properly
- Staff are unclear on who owns the follow-up
- No system alerts or reminders
- Poor handovers between online and showroom teams
- Lack of accountability or visibility
But the solutions are simple - and affordable.
Dealers using tools like TrackBack can see exactly who called, when, and how quickly. They get real-time data on performance, automated alerts, and reminders to follow up. It’s not about extra workload - it’s about clarity and consistency.
Even basic steps can help to improve lead follow up rates:
- Daily lead reviews
- Scripts to help staff personalise responses
- Setting time targets (e.g. call every lead within 1 hour)
- Making follow-up part of the sales process, not an afterthought
Most of all, it requires leadership. Someone in the business has to own the customer’s first contact.
What OEMs Can Do to Support Better Lead Follow-Up
Manufacturers have a role to play too.
Many OEMs focus heavily on lead generation - but leave the rest to the dealer. That only works if the dealer has the tools, training and support to maximise every lead and follow up properly.
The brands that performed best in our mystery shop are also the ones investing in dealer systems, visibility and support. They measure what matters. They hold dealers accountable. And they help them improve.
It’s not just about lead quantity. It’s about quality of response - and the systems that make it possible.
The Need to Follow-Up on Sales Leads: No More Missed Opportunities
Motorcycle buyers in 2025 aren’t choosing based on price alone. They’re choosing based on trust, service, and how they’re treated - from the first click to the final delivery.
When dealers fail to follow up, they’re not just losing a sale. They’re damaging the customer relationship before it’s even begun.
The data doesn’t lie. Nearly eight out of ten of all leads in our study received no call. Almost half got no reply at all.
But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Brands using TrackBack are showing what better lead follow-up looks like. Fast, professional, consistent follow-up - and real commitment to their customers.
If every dealer followed their lead, the motorcycle industry wouldn’t be wasting nearly half of all its sales opportunities.
Want to know how your brand performed in our mystery shop? Get in touch to receive a personalised report.