UK vehicle statistics / Buell

How many Buell S1 Lightning motorcycles are left?

At the end of 2026 Q1, DfT recorded 75 licensed and 336 SORN vehicles in the UK within the Buell S1 Lightning generic-model group.

Looking at a S1 Lightning?

Population figures cannot tell you whether one particular car is taxed, MOT-valid or safe to buy.

Check its registration free for the official tax, MOT and mileage record. If the car is still worth pursuing, the optional £9.99 full history check adds outstanding-finance, stolen and insurance write-off checks.

Wondering whether one particular S1 Lightning is off the road? A free SORN check shows whether it is currently SORN, taxed or untaxed.

Is the S1 Lightning disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 203 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 75 in 2026 Q1, down 63%. That is down 26% in the five years since 2021 Q1.

A falling population is worth knowing before you buy: it usually means fewer donor cars, fewer specialists and slower parts supply, and it is why a good example of a scarce model can hold its price while a neglected one is hard to sell at any price.

Fuel

DfT codes every vehicle in the Buell S1 Lightning generic-model group as petrol.

Before you buy

  • Budget for a shrinking fleet — Licensed numbers are down 63% from the 2014 Q3 peak of 203. Fewer cars on the road usually means fewer donor parts and fewer specialists.
  • Check the actual S1 Lightning — These figures describe the model group. Enter the registration for that vehicle's free MOT, tax and mileage record before you pay a deposit.

Quarterly licensed and SORN counts

Every quarter DfT has published for this model group, newest first.

QuarterLicensedSORN
2026 Q175336
2025 Q481328
2025 Q3109299
2025 Q2112295
2025 Q183323
2024 Q487320
2024 Q3115294
2024 Q2108295
2024 Q183313
2023 Q480321
2023 Q3111296
2023 Q2117290
2023 Q181309
2022 Q492323
2022 Q3128282
2022 Q2129276
2022 Q198296
2021 Q4100312
2021 Q3128284
2021 Q2125279
2021 Q1101296
2020 Q495313
2020 Q3124287
2020 Q2111282
2020 Q190314
2019 Q499312
2019 Q3139275
2019 Q2130266
2019 Q1101284
2018 Q4107305
2018 Q3156258
2018 Q2150246
2018 Q1108271
2017 Q4118293
2017 Q3163249
2017 Q2165247
2017 Q1120265
2016 Q4138273
2016 Q3169239
2016 Q2151240
2016 Q1124270
2015 Q4135269
2015 Q3183221
2015 Q2173225
2015 Q1129248
2014 Q4136264
2014 Q3203203

Other Buell models

See how many of every Buell model are left

Common questions

How many Buell S1 Lightning motorcycles are left in the UK?

75 were licensed and 336 were SORN at the end of 2026 Q1, according to DfT and DVLA statistics for this generic-model group.

How many Buell S1 Lightning motorcycles are SORN?

336 are declared SORN, alongside 75 licensed, at the end of 2026 Q1.

Is the S1 Lightning disappearing?

Licensed numbers peaked at 203 in 2014 Q3 and stand at 75 in 2026 Q1, down 63%. That is down 26% in the five years since 2021 Q1.

What fuel is the S1 Lightning coded as?

DfT codes every vehicle in the Buell S1 Lightning generic-model group as petrol.

Does this say whether one S1 Lightning is a good buy?

No. These are population figures for the model group. Enter that vehicle's registration for its own free MOT, tax and mileage record.

Source and limitations

Source: Department for Transport and DVLA, df_VEH0120_UK. Released 2026-07-15 under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

DVLA make and model fields are administrative data and can contain omissions or inconsistencies. These statistics describe model groups, not an individual registration.

Confidential cells marked [c] represent between 1 and 4 vehicles and are treated as zero in aggregates, so totals can be slightly understated.