Motorbike Insurance

Triumph motorcycles showed a huge increase in French sales last year.

Statistics launched by the FIEV claim that the British bike company increased its sales by 56 per cent in France during 2005.

The firm, which builds all its bikes at its plant in Hinckley, has a 100-year tradition and continues to be a big name with biking enthusiasts around the world.

Nearly 3,050 Triumph bikes were sold in France last year, with the Speed Triple being the marque's most popular machine.

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The company also sold 565 Sprint ST models and Triumph France boss Christophe Couet expects around 1,000 Scrambler machines to be bought this year.

The overall plus 125cc sector of the French market saw sales up around six per cent last year, at 110,000 units.

As well as Triumph; Harley-Davidson, BMW, KTM, Kawasaki and Honda, all saw increases in over 125cc bike sales - although Honda saw a drop in its sub 125cc class purchases.

French company Voxan is not having as successful a time as its foreign counterparts.

Having laid off a large number of workers in December, the company expects to sell only a few hundred vehicles in its homeland in 2006.