Rising car prices and urban traffic congestion in Turkey are radically changing transportation habits. According to an analysis conducted by Arabam.com using TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute) data, the number of registered motorcycles has surpassed the number of cars in six provinces, including major cities like Aydın, Manisa, and Muğla. This demonstrates that motorcycles are no longer just a hobby vehicle but a primary transportation alternative.

Why Are Motorcycles Preferred?

So, what lies behind this remarkable increase? According to a survey conducted by Arabam.com with 350 people in August, price is the most important purchasing criterion for consumers (32%). The biggest motivations for using motorcycles are saving time in traffic (30%) and providing an economical means of transportation (25%).

Here Are the Cities Where Motorcycles Lead

According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) data for July, the cities where motorcycles surpassed cars and the current figures are as follows:

• Aydın: 241,055 motorcycles / 233,003 cars
• Iğdır: 12,702 motorcycles / 7,972 cars
• Kilis: 39,422 motorcycles / 13,540 cars
• Manisa: 319,634 motorcycles / 268,668 cars
• Muğla: 301,772 motorcycles / 273,997 cars
• Şanlıurfa: 116,384 motorcycles / 113,719 cars

Aramam.com CEO Önder Oğuzhan commented on the situation: “Due to the recent rise in car prices and the economic climate, some consumers are turning to more flexible and economical transportation options. While motorcycles are known primarily for hobby use, It has been attracting attention as an alternative means of transportation, especially recently. TÜİK data also supports this.

While cars still account for 51.7% of nationally registered vehicles, the rise of motorcycles to 20.6% and their rise to leadership in certain provinces is the clearest evidence of a significant transformation in transportation preferences in Turkey.