October 26, 2006
USA - Two-wheeler sales during the first nine months of the year totaled approximately 843,074 units, up 30,274 units or 3.7 percent compared to sales of 812,800 units during the same nine-month period in 2005, according to the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), which also splits that sales total into five categories: ATV, Scooter, On-Highway, Dual Purpose and Off-Highway. On-highway motorcycles account for the largest sales segment. Sales of on-highway bikes climbed 6.6 percent, from sales of 550,969 units during the first nine months of 2005 to 587,550 in the first nine months of 2006.
The largest increase in sales was realized in the dual purpose segment, up 23 percent to 29,502 units. The largest drop in sales came from off-highway models, down 5.8 percent to 179,181 units.
Scooter sales for the first nine months of the year totaled 46,841 units, down 701 units or 1.5 percent from 47,542 retailed during the first nine months of 2005.
Reprinted with permission from Ehlert's Powersports Business.
