2011 Q2 Motorcycle Sales Flatten

Motorcycle sales through the first half of 2011 are holding steady with 2010 sales data. Numbers released by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) show 258,762 units sold for the year through the month of June. The figure is a 1.7% increase of the 254,382 units sold during the same time period in 2010.

The 1.7% increase is down from the promising 7% increase reported in April for the first quarter. The Quarter 2 data displays similar gains and losses as the Q1 report, with on-highway rides, particularly scooters, growing while off-highway bike sales dropped.

Scooters led the way with the largest growth at 28.9%, though the total is a significant drop from the 49.6% Q1 figure – which corresponded with steep rise in gas prices. On-highway models, the largest segments, netted a 3.3% sales gain – up 6023 units to an 187,565 total. Dual-sport sales are up 13%, meanwhile off-road sales slashed 16.9% from 2010 figures, a drop of 7550 units. The 16.9% slide worsens the 5.5% drop in Q1.

The ATV segment didn't decline as much in Q2, but dropped slightly from its Q1 stats to drop 17.3% from 2010 numbers. That’s a 21,684 unit sales drop for the year at 103,730 total. It bears mention that the MIC's ATV data does not include sales for popular UTV/side-by-side models.

The MIC sales data is culled from participating manufacturers, including the four Japanese brands, North America’s Harley-Davidson, Victory and Can-Am, as well as the major Euro marques BMW, Ducati, KTM and Triumph. Final sales figures are later totaled in the year-end MIC Statistical Annual, which includes estimates of non-reporting manufacturers. 

	2011	2010	Change	%Change
DUAL	15,876	14,045	1831	13.0%
OFF-HWY	37,123	44,673	-7550	-16.9%
ON-HWY	187,565	181,542	6023	3.3%
SCOOTER	18,198	14,122	4076	28.9%
MC TOTAL	258,762	254,382	4380	1.7%
ATV	103,730	125,414	-21684	-17.3%