Dealer survey: Harley-Davidson U.S. retail sales fall in third quarter
Harley-Davidson’s U.S. retail sales are down in the high single digits to low double digits in the third quarter, according to a national dealership survey.
The survey of 40 dealerships by Wachovia Capital Markets shows the East as the worst region in the country, with sales down 12-14 percent compared to the year-ago period. The Midwest was similar, with retail sales declining 11-13 percent, while the West and the South were down slightly less, at 7-9 percent.
Dealer inventories, however, have improved significantly, the survey found. Sixty-eight percent of dealers defined their inventory as “light” while only 5 percent described it as “heavy.”
The survey found the Touring family remains the most popular followed by the Sportster and Dyna families.