Motorcycle/ATV sales rise over 2 percent in 2012
Combined motorcycle and ATV sales were up 2.2 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, the Motorcycle Industry Council reported.
Scooters saw the biggest jump in 2012, up 7.7 percent to 34,294 units. Dual sport motorcycles followed with a 7.4 percent increase to 28,452 units sold in 2012. On-highway motorcycles were up 1.8 percent to 318,105 units in 2012. The off-highway segment saw a 2.1 percent year-over-year gain in 2012, to 71,535 units. Total motorcycle sales, not including ATVs, were up 2.6 percent in 2012, compared to 2011, to 452,386 units. ATV reported a gain of 1.4 percent over 2011 sales, with 225,244 units sold.
Motorcycle sales for December, not including ATV, were up 3.4 percent, but with the drop in quad sales, they combined to drop 6.5 percent overall compared to December 2011.
Off-road motorcycle sales saw an increase of 6.6 percent in December compared to December 2011, to 10,544 bikes. Dual sport bikes rose 16.8 percent to 1,755 sold in December, compared to December 2011. Scooters had a good month in December with a 4.8 percent increase compared to the year-ago month.
Sales of on-highway bikes were flattish in December, with a 0.5 percent decrease, or 68 bikes less than were sold in December 2011.
ATV sales, meanwhile, dropped 15.6 percent in December compared to December 2011. Sales were 24,658 in December, compared to 29,216 in the year-ago month.
