The number of motorbikes in Turkey’s major cities, including Istanbul, Ankara and Izmir, has grown considerably this year and shows a trend of drivers using more motorbikes to the detriment of cars to cope with traffic congestion, although experts warn that many of these ‘new’ motorcyclists lack the necessary expertise to handle such a vehicle.
Turkish media reported, citing data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), that in the last 10 months the number of motorbikes in Turkey’s major cities grew by 25% compared to only 6% registration of new cars, to the point that motorbike sales in Turkey have exceeded one million units per year for the first time.
Istanbul – precisely considered one of the cities with worst traffic in the world – is leading this shift to two-wheelers, and between January and October 2024, 24.1% more motorbikes were registered to 771,880, while the number of cars increased from 3.55 million to 3.78 million in the same period.
Antalya saw a 16% increase in new motorbike registrations in the first ten months of this year to 485,000, Izmir saw a 19.6% rise to 455,000, while Ankara saw a 34.4% increase in the number of registered motorbikes to 135,000.
More electric motorbikes, but fewer quadracycles
Up to 20% of newly registered motorbikes are electric vehicles, with sales of electric motorbike models up 50% compared on last year; in contrast, sales of electric quadricycles, mainly imported from China, fell by 5% in the same period.
Among the main factors behind this spectacular growth in motorbike registrations in Turkey’s major cities is not only traffic; the general rise in car prices is another key factor explaining this phenomenon: in fact, 63% of motorbikes sold in 2024 were under 125 cc, precisely those that can be driven with the B driving licence used by car drivers. But this in turn is causing a problem that worries experts: many of these new ‘bikers’ lack the experience and skills needed to ride a motorbike, which could lead to an increase in the number of accidents.
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Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
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