Ducati's sales surge in China because of increase in sales among women. (Photo : Getty Images)
According to the China Association of Automotive Manufacturers, the new ensemble of bikes made sales double this year for Ducati and 74 percent for BMW.
This huge spike in sales for Ducati will mean that China will become the second to the biggest market in the world. Ducati has already sold 1,000 units in the country for the first six months of the year.
In an interview with Marco Elli, head of Ducati China, the executive said that Monster, Diavel, and Scrambler models are the bestsellers, and will even surpass Thailand and fall second to Japan.
The bike manufacturer's Scrambler is selling for 83,800 yuan or $12,600. The highest end bike sells at 489,000 yuan.
Laura Wu, a big bike enthusiast and an owner of a Ducati 899 Panigale, said, "We used to assume motorcycles are toys either for middle-aged paunchy men or for young street hoodies. Riding a motorcycle can also be a symbol of the independence of women."
Euromonitor International reported that China will have a "wave of consolidation" in terms of bike sales because local low-end manufacturers will be edges out by middle-class consumers who are looking for middle to high range bikes.
The country's bike industry is valued at 380.7 billion yuan ($57 billion) in 2016. There were 234,000 units imported last year.
Wang Dong, a researcher from the automotive association, said, "The market of big-displacement motorcycles has great potential, with the living standards of Chinese people picking up quickly and the leisure demand increasing."
He added, "If the motorcycle bans and restrictions can be removed, as we are urging the government to do, the market shall see a big jump."
There has been an increase of motorbike restrictions in big cities but smaller areas are loosening bike regulations.
