The good news. Motorcycle sales are forecasted to increase in the next few years. The bad news. Not in the U.S. It seems that Harley-Davidson’s shuttering of Buell is just a harbinger of things to come for motorcycle sales in this country. Total U.S. motorcycle sales through the first nine months of the year were 434,370. A 44% decrease from the 771,950 bikes that were sold during the time same period in 2008.The outlook for the global market is more optimistic with a research organization known as the Freedonia Group forecasting 7.6 percent annual growth through 2013. China and India are the two biggest markets for motorcycles, and both of those markets will continue to grow. Yamaha of India reported that sales for the month of September increased from 10,142 to 26,394 units sold when compared to September of 2008. The company’s success with selling bikes like the YZF-R1 has led them to selling the VMax in the Indian market.
Hero Honda is another Indian motorcycle company enjoying increased sales. The company that’s been the world’s largest manufacturer of two-wheeled transportation for the last seven years announced a 28.5 percent increase in sales for the second quarter (July-Sept). That increase is in comparison with the second quarter of 2008 and represents 972,095 units sold and a 50 percent growth in profit after tax. Honda Motor Company has a 26% stake in Hero Honda which features bikes like the Hunk and the Splendor in its lineup.
In other motorcycle news rumors that Volkswagen is interested in buying Ducati are resurfacing. The German auto manufacturer considered purchasing Ducati back in 1985 when the Italian company was struggling financially, and Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Peich's recent comment that, "I would still like a small, valuable motorcycle manufacturer”, was all that was needed to fuel the Volkswagen-To-Buy-Ducati stories. At this point the Ducati rumors are just that, but it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch for the company that also controls Lamborghini, Bugatti, Bentley and Audi to add the Ferrari of motorcycles to their lineup.
