Motorbike sales plunged in the first quarter of 2008 and continued to fall in the following two months, a trend which some observers considered an indication of the economic crisis.
Sales of motorbikes and scooters dropped 8.2% for the first three months of the year, while for the first five months they sank 10.6%, sector sources said.
The 10.6% drop for the first five months included a 9.4% decline for motorscooters and 12.6% for motorcycles.
Despite the reduction in sales so far this year, sector operators said they were hopeful sales would pick up in June with the arrival of summer.
In order to boost sales of the two-wheeled vehicles, some sector analysts have suggested revising a 1959 law which allows only motorbikes with engines of 150cc or over to operate on regional highways and city roadway connectors and ring-roads.
