Dirt bike sales are up 17.1% and we’re all for it
Dirt bike sales in Australia rose 17.1% in the first nine months of 2026. Here’s how off-road bikes are driving growth and why we’re all for it.
Published on: 6 November 2026
Dirt bike sales in Australia are up 17.1 per cent, and we reckon that’s a pretty good excuse to talk about getting out on two wheels.
The latest reported Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) figures show 30,845 off-road motorcycles sold between January and September 2026, compared with 26,340 over the same period last year.
That’s another 4,505 bikes. Someone’s been making room in the shed.
Dirt bikes are carrying the market’s growth
Across motorcycles, scooters and off-highway vehicles, the reported market grew 6.7 per cent to 68,304 units. The entire market added 4,316 sales, while off-road motorcycles added 4,505. So the increase in dirt bike sales was bigger than the overall market’s net gain.
Road bike sales were almost unchanged, scooters grew and off-highway vehicles went backwards.
| Category | January-September 2026 Sales | Change From 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Off-road motorcycles | 30,845 | +17.1% |
| Road motorcycles | 24,163 | −0.1% |
| Scooters | 3,794 | +4.3% |
| Off-highway vehicles | 9,502 | −3.3% |
| Total | 68,304 | +6.7% |
These are sales reported by participating FCAI brands, rather than a tally of every new bike sold in Australia.
You don’t need a race number to enjoy it
The off-road category takes in different kinds of bikes and riders. A fun bike and a competition machine each count as one sale, so these figures don’t tell us that everyone is heading out to race. Nor do they explain exactly why buyers are opening their wallets.
But as someone who rides most weekends with a family who all ride, I can certainly understand the appeal.
Some days it’s about finding a new track or getting a bit further along a track that was too boggy to get through last time. Other days it’s simply the kids zipping around the yard, practising the basics, finding a bit more confidence or simply spending a few hours outside together. You don’t need to be particularly fast to come home feeling like you’ve had a cracking day.
Although you’ll probably still need a shower.
Two wheels fit pretty nicely into the camping life
For plenty of us, dirt bikes sit comfortably alongside the 4WD and camping gear. There’s the trip planning, the loading up, the discussion about who packed what, and the satisfaction of spending a weekend doing something you enjoy.
Of course, taking the bikes adds a few practical questions. How are you carrying them? Where are you allowed to ride? And how do you fit everyone’s gear without turning the back of the vehicle into a s**t fight.
Those are exactly the sorts of stories we’re keen to explore at Unsealed4x4, alongside bike reviews and gear that makes sense for recreational riders. I’ve already kicked things off with a review of my 2025 Kawasaki KLX230 S, based on a year of riding it.
The sales figures don’t prove everyone is buying dirt bikes for the same reasons we enjoy them. But more interest in getting out in the dirt? We’re happy to see it.
Do the bikes come along on your camping trips, or are you strictly four wheels?
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