Small motorcycles, scooters continue to post sales gains
Click above for a gallery of the Vespa S 150
According to the most recent set of statistics, small-bore motorcycles and scooters are still selling at a good clip. In comparison with the automotive segment, which has seen its sales fall by around 30 percent globally, the overall motorcycle market is down by just over 7 percent. Scooters have led the charge with an amazing 41.5 percent sales increase as compared to 2007. The only other segment that posted gains were dual sport motorcycles that are capable of traveling both on and off the road. Pure off-road machinery took a bit hit, falling by 30 percent as discretionary spending took a nosedive.
Interestingly, many dealers report that they could have sold even more scooters if they had been available. According to the 2008 MIC Owner Survey, purchasers say that commuting and errand running have displaced touring as the second most commonly cited reason to ride a motorcycle.
Gallery: Vespa S150
[Source: Motorcycles.About.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jharlan 3:47PM (2/10/2009)
My Bergman 400 is a terrific tool for going to the market or down to the river for a little fishing. When I bought it in May, gas up here was approaching $5/gal. At $2.40 now I am still glad I have that scooter (and I'm 68). It consistently gets over 60 MPG. Of course I catch a lot of crap from my son's Harley crowd, but I never got the Harley thing. They don't even have a trunk.
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ronEbear 3:57PM (2/10/2009)
Harleys (Harlies?) are expensive noisemakers and are sure fire hits into entering the "bad boy" club of wealthy and bored doctors and dentists.
jpm 9:28PM (2/10/2009)
You know they say loud pipes save lives. Well that's a bunch of b.s. Anyone ever live near a busy street? I'm sure not many harley riders do b/c they're generally well off. But let me fill you assholes in: your goddam loud pipes are keeping me up at night... not to mention the noise pollution during the day. And driving tired is like driving drunk, which leads to road fatalities.
There should be a law limiting the db a vehicle can produce.
harlanx6 10:16PM (2/10/2009)
I think we have such laws, but like many, they are only selectively enforced.
Scooter 3:26AM (4/01/2009)
Thanks for the information on topics.I was excited for this article.
Thank you again.
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Diane 12:33PM (6/14/2009)
When I hear people trash harleys, I have to chime in too. Trolls ride harleys. What's a troll? Someone who thinks their desire to make excessive and unnecessary noise overrides everyone else's need for peace and quiet. They call this freedom. No, it's not freedom. It's lack of inconsideration and civility. I agree, this b.s. about loud pipes saving lives is crap. If it were true, the roads would be littered with dead people and their crashed BMWs, scooters, Yamahas, Hondas, and bicycles. Nope, the trolls just like to make the rest of us crazy. And some of them are SO uncivil that they bully and harrass people who complain about their noise. And the cops (most of whom own harleys) look the other way and claim that harleys have a right to use the nation's roads. Yet, if my car didn't have a muffler, I'd be ticketed. Hypocritical troll cops.
I'm sending an e-mail to my elected officials to help push legislation to stop the trollies from stressing the rest of us out. If the laws are tough enough, they will be required to put silencing mufflers on their bikes... and life would be joyful again for the rest of us! :-)
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