The Powersports Industry & M/C Roadracing

Of course they’re not. They are wholly own subsidiaries. They are still the same company when it comes down to it. They certainly are more than just “distributers”. They are very much Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki as their mother companies are in Japan. They aren’t a third party company. Their designation of being an OEM certainly doesn’t change simply based on the country they are located in.

 

WhollyFknHairSplitting...is there a point to the OEM, NON/OEM BS?? If there is please MAKE IT..and move on to something more tasty...like The RedMeat of why Motorcycle Sales are down.

 

I agree. I need my hate super focused so let’s get back to if we are supposed to hate boomers or millennials. Or was it OEM’s or Distributors? And can we still call the Japanese companies the big four?

 

But It really isn’t splitting hairs.
And to answer your question, millennials are the red meat.

 

I thought your hate was super focused on me. after all I did ask you for your name after taking a personal shot at me. If you want to get personal and hate then step out and tell us all your name.

 

He might know a thing or two about the "big four", that's all.

 

Well then enlighten us all. If someone wants to get personal with me regardless of who they are they should at least have the stuff to tell me who they are.

 

People in the powersports industry have always seen the motorcycle OEMs in the same light as the automotive manufacturers because they basically do the same thing. They both sell new units to a dealer network that are either titled or have MSOs. And aftermarket distributors traditionally do not sell things that need titles or MSOs. One should note the OEM dealers are franchised with specific sales territories and they must follow the guidelines set by said OEM as a franchisee. Aftermarket distributors do not use franchise agreements and they sell to independent stores/shops that do the majority of their business in the powersports industry.

 

What I am getting at is how people in this industry perceive them needs to change, I hear all the time, why does Honda, Yamaha, Etc, not produce this product for our needs in the USA. Well that's because the USA is not the driving force for those OEM's in Japan, and unless it is a global model then Japan will not produce it and send it over here. The Japanese companies here in the USA have to beg and plead and make a case for Japan to make them certain products and then if those products can be sold in other global markets than it gets produced.

 

the usa is currently in more debt than any entity in the history of debt, with a deficit increasing at an almost all time high. luxury markets almost always suffer when the economy does. not rocket science......

 

I believe, you’re misspeaking. Hobbyist activities, such as motorcycles, boats, campers, etc, don’t fall into the luxury market; that’d be motorcoaches, yachts, upmarket aircraft, upmarket vehicles, etc.

 

Here's an update. For the first 9 months of the year M/C sales are flat vs PY for the same time frame. Small bikes (think Grom & Z125s) and off road sales are helping to hold up the sales figures. But replacement tire sales are down about 20% in this same period.

And I have been hearing some interesting and bizarre rumors so some weird stuff may happen in the next 6 weeks or so.

 

C'mon man, you can't leave us hangin' like that!

 

I rode the mountains a lot this summer and where there used to groups of dudes in leathers on sportbikes I can count on one hand how many I saw this year. Virtually none. I won't be surprised when the major players eliminate sportbikes completely from the lineup with the exception of a $30k homologation special to race. Yeah it sucks but the writing is on the wall.

 

It's a tough time right now. I know a few people around my age bracket that ride, but they are all track-only at this point, and none of them are buying new bikes besides the one guy who bought a Kramer. The used market is so full of barely-used bikes at 60% of MSRP of a new bike, and a lot of bikes haven't really changed much in the past 10 years.

I'd love to see more track-only stuff come out like the new Aprilia 250, but I'm sure the market for that kind of stuff is pretty small.

 

the demographic for motorbikes is "aging" out and parking their rides permanently. in other news millenial women are the fastest growing demographic at the moment. OEMs introducing smaller, less intimidating bikes.
Funny because its almost the same thing for mountain bikes... women are the largest buying segment.

 

On the flip side parallel twins are very interesting right now and the Adventure segment as well, even Harley had to get in on it.

 

PDV is that units sold or dollar values?

I would guess actual units sold- the issue for most dealers is that they don't make as much on a Grom or little bike, but it is a good way to get new riders in the door...