Bike Sales Cruise Ahead
BIKE SALES CRUISE AHEAD
MOTORCYCLE SALES IN the United States climbed 6.4 percent in 1993, with cruisers leading the sales charge, according to Don J. Brown, a long-time industry analyst.
Sales of street, dirt and dual-purpose motorcycles reached 276,559 in 1993, up from 260,056 in 1992. Brown said those numbers reflect strong growth, considering the state of the economy.
Honda and Harley-Davidson enjoyed the largest growth, with Honda sales up 15 percent. Harley sales increased 7.4 percent.
Industry-wide, cruiser sales jumped 22 percent from ’92 to ’93. A Honda spokesman says the company’s sales in that class were up considerably, thanks to the return of the Magna, and to the popularity of the 600 and 11 OOcc Shadows.
Brown said there’s a natural reason for cruiser growth.
“The riding public is getting older, so I think that segment is less interested in sportbikes than they used to be,” he says.
Cruisers now account for 47 percent of streetbike sales, with sportbikes taking 31 percent.
On an industry-w ide basis, streetbike sales are edged out by all-terrain vehicles.
The ATV market has expanded in recent years, with increased sales to hunters, farm owners, ranchers, according to Brown.
-Robert Hough
