One barometer of the economy, motorcycle sales, has witnessed a modest improvement.

Sales of motorcycles rose to 440,288 units in August from 370,347 in July, representing an increase of 19%.

The August numbers for motorbike sales were the highest for any month since November 2005 but were still 13% down on the 504,787 figure for the same month last year.

PT Astra International, the nations’s largest motorcycle dealer, which sells Honda motorbikes, extended its market share to 55% (241,416 bikes) in August, 5% up on the previous month when it sold 186,047 units. In August 2005 the Honda seller managed to sell 256,591 motorcycles.

Sales in the first 8 months of 2006 total 2,646,503 units, down 23% on the corresponding period last year.