Restrictions on mobilization due to the number of plates, the fear of using public transportation and the increase in demand for delivery services explain the 8% growth that Guatemala's vehicle fleet experienced between 2019 and 2020.
As a result of the outbreak of covid-19, during the second quarter of 2020, Guatemalan authorities decided to suspend ground passenger transportation and also imposed restrictions on the mobility of vehicles with private plates, which were applied based on their license plate number.
After 198,000 motorcycles were sold in the country in 2019, local businessmen forecast that during 2020 the number of units sold could increase between 12% and 17%.
Data from the Association of Motorcycle Importers (Asim) indicate that on average 16,500 motorcycles are sold in the Guatemalan market per month, but only in February 2020 sales exceeded 19,000 units.
In recent years, the number of motorcycles in Guatemala has increased by 13%, from 1.33 million units registered in July 2017 to 1.5 million reported in the same month in 2019.
According to data from the Tax Registry of Vehicles of the Superintendence of Tax Administration (SAT), up to July 2019 the country's active vehicle fleet registered 3.76 million units, of which 40% corresponded to motorcycle type vehicles.
There are now 730,000 bikes in Guatemala, where sales of powered two-wheelers have increased 20% compared to last year.
Elperiodico.com.gt reports that "According to statistics from the Superintendency of Tax Administration (SAT), dealers imported 59,449 motorcycles during the first half of this year. According to the dealer’s projections, imports could double by year-end, and thereby supercede the record number of 107,307 units imported achieved last year. "
At the end of 2011, 84,000 bikes will have been sold, 33% more than in 2010, when 62,900 were sold.
In September alone motorcycle sales rose by 30% compared to the same period in 2010.
Antonio de Leon, marketing manager of Grupo Sikamotor noted that despite the increase, the market has not recovered to 2008 levels when a total of 88,300 units were sold.