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NEWS
BRIEFS
Harley ' s new megastore for the Cologne-Bonn region in Germany has opened , plugging the gap created by Harley Europe ' s controversial termination of the dealer contract for K & K Holding ( Gerog Kierdorf ) at the end of 2021 . Being operated by Managing Director Max Sedacek and Workshop Manager Peter Blittersdorf , it is the fourth location in the successful group owned by Andreas Reibchen , Stephan Kaminski and Peter Eul , the Manging Directors of H- D Bielefeld , Dusseldorf and Osnabruck .
PSB reports that in 2022 the North American UTV market dropped in unit volume for the second straight year by -5.6 % in 2022 (" to just under 550,000 units "). This follows ten consecutive years of growth . Of the ten best-selling UTV models , four were made by Polaris and they accounted for 7.2 % of the market . For YTD 2023 , the ATV market ( as it is referred to in MIC data ) was down by a further -8.7 % to 89,724 units for the first six months ( -8,586 units ).
Motorcycle thefts rose 7 % last year , according to a new NICB report . Motorcycle thefts increased 7 % from 2021 to 2022 , marking a third year of rising thefts according to the NICB ' s 2022 Vehicle Type Theft Report . An average of 4,561 motorcycles were reported stolen each month in 2022 . Thefts climbed steadily from a low of 2,879 in February , peaking in July at 6,394 . Californians again led the pack in reporting the most motorcycle thefts with 9,838 stolen bikes in 2022 ( 30 % of all motorcycle thefts in USA ), followed by Florida ( 4,563 ) and Texas ( 4,145 ). The top 10 states for motorcycle thefts made up 60 % of the 54,736 motorcycle theft reports in the U . S . in 2022 . More than 40 % are recovered .
USA - Motorcycle Sales + 4.7 % Through Q2
The MIC is reporting that among leading brands , sales of new motorcycles and scooters increased by + 4.7 % through the second quarter of 2023 ( 315,257 units YTD ) compared to the same period the previous year . At + 16.5 % ( 86,583 units YTD ) " Offhighway sales in the second quarter of 2023 have seen the most substantial [ segment ] percentage increase year over year ," said Buckner Nesheim , MIC Director of Research & Statistics . " There is strong growth across several product categories , and this is particularly interesting as these sales happened amid rising interest rates . Year-to-date sales of ' dual motorcycles ' ( ADV models ) are up again for the seventh year in a row [+ 4.4 %, 45,057 units YTD ].
Quarterly Retail Sales Flash Report - June 2023 YTD
Vehicle Type |
General |
2023 |
2023 |
Unit |
% |
|
Type |
Current |
Prior |
Change |
Change |
Motorcycle |
SCOOTER |
10,470 |
12,426 |
-1,956 |
-15.7% |
Motorcycle |
ON-HWY |
173,147 |
171,346 |
1,801 |
1.1 % |
Motorcycle |
DUAL |
45,057 |
43,168 |
1,889 |
4.4 % |
Motorcycle |
OFF-HWY |
86,583 |
74,304 |
12,279 |
16.5 % |
Motorcycle |
TOTAL |
315,257 |
301,244 |
14,013 |
4.7 % |
ATV |
ATV |
89,724 |
98,310 |
-8,586 |
-8.7% |
GRAND |
TOTAL |
404,981 |
399,554 |
5,427 |
1.4 % |
MotoAmerica , the AMA sanctioned race promoter , has announced the appointment of UK based MotorSport Vision Racing ( MSVR ) as its European promotional partner for the MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers Series . Based at the iconic ( some would say infamous ) Brands Hatch race circuit in England , MSVR is the promoter of the hugely popular and highly rated British Superbike Series and has been selected to bring the King Of The Baggers to European race fans . MotoAmerica and MotorSport Vision Racing ( MSVR ) have inked a deal that will see MSVR bringing highly modified American-made Harley- Davidson and Indian V-twin touring motorcycle model racing to the heartland of Superbike and MotoGP racing . This new agreement will see MSVR evaluate different venues , series and events throughout Europe and plan a series of races . " The growth of the MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers series has been phenomenal and its popularity has brought a lot of new spectators to our championship ," said MotoAmerica President Wayne Rainey . " Our relationship with MotorSport Vision Racing and Stuart Higgs makes them the perfect partner to help us get the MotoAmerica King Of The Baggers to European race fans ."
" On-highway sales have increased [+ 1.1 %, 173,147 units YTD ], and the market share of Off-highway bikes among motorcycles is currently the second highest it has been in the past ten years , only surpassed by the 30 % achieved in 2020 ." Scooter sales declined by -15.7 % so far this year ( 10,470 units ). A strong June saw 34,580 On-Hwy motorcycles sold (+ 9.2 %, well above the first half monthly average as the U . S . market hits peak mid-season ) out of a total of 60,175 units sold in June ( 11.0 %). The YTD market in USA for ATV models was down by -8.7 % at 89,724 units . The grand total of new motorcycles and ATVs sold was + 1.4 % at 404,981 units . ATV sales remain , marginally and for now at least , the largest single sales segment YTD .
MotoAmerica Plans King Of The Baggers Expansion to Europe
Higgs is quoted as saying : " I have watched with great interest as the King Of The Baggers series has captured the attention of fans , the motorcycle industry and the media alike across the USA . It is a totally unique , seen-to-be-believed motorsport spectacle . I am confident that we can develop the series to a new European audience and replicate the success already achieved ."