Motorcycle sales last year jumped to their highest level since 1979, the Motorcycle Industy Council says.

Pushed by an increase in female riders and the broadening appeal of motor scooters and other small, less-expensive two-wheelers, sales rose 4.7% to top 1 million for the second-consecutive year, according to MIC. (Photo gallery: Motocycles sales roar)

Demonstrating the success, iconic Harley-Davidson reported strong fourth-quarter earnings Thursday.

There's "new interest by a wider age group and more women riders," notes Smith Barney analyst Gregory Badishkanian. Women are about 10% of riders, he says.

A slowdown could be looming, though. Badishkanian notes that Harley dealers' inventories tripled late last year. A weak dollar makes foreign bikes more expensive. Foreign brands account for most U.S. motorcycle sales.

Costs of steel and other materials are rising, eroding profits and pressuring makers to raise prices.

Top brands in 2003, the latest available market-share data, according to the MIC: Honda, with 27.4% of sales; Harley-Davidson, 23.7%; Yamaha, 17.4%; Suzuki, 10.8%; and Kawasaki, 8.7%.

Two-wheel prices range from less than $2,000 for a low-power scooter that can hardly keep up with traffic to more than $20,000 for a full-dress road bike with as much power as a small car.

"You're reaching across all demographic lines like never before," says Ty van Hooydonk of Discover Today's Motorcycling, the public relations arm of the MIC.

The average age of motorcyclists rose to 41 in 2003, the latest available data, from 32 in 1990. Most were married. A third were college graduates, nearly double the 1990 number. Baby boomers "drive the market," says Larry Little, publisher of Cycle World magazine.

Smaller off-road bikes are attracting families, and "their interest may expand to other kinds of motorcycles," says Gary Christopher, spokesman for American Honda.

Classically styled so-called cruiser bikes account for about one of every three motorcycles sold, making them the biggest segment. But there's "continual growth in all categories," says Tom Orbe of Kawasaki Motors USA.

Scooters such as Vespa and Aprilia, popular on campuses and in some urban areas, accounted for 5% of motorcycle sales last year, MIC says, their sales climbing 3.8% from 2003. That's much slower growth, though. The '03 sales were up 19.8% from 2002.


Harley-Davidson said Thursday its quarterly earnings rose 14.5%, as rising motorcycle sales in the United States offset a decline in Europe.
Fourth-quarter net income rose to $209.0 million, or 71 cents a share, from $182.4 million, or 60 cents, a year earlier. Earnings topped analysts' average estimate of 69 cents a share.

Revenue increased 5.4% to $1.221 billion, with motorcycles up 5.0% and parts and accessories up 12.0%.

Fourth-quarter retail sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles rose 6.7% in the United States and gained 14% in international markets. The company said its full-year sales in Europe fell 5.3%, but it did not provide a figure for European sales for the fourth quarter. Harley-Davidson said the weakness in Europe came mainly from Germany, traditionally the company's largest European market for heavyweight motorcycles.


— Reuters
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/200 ... usat_x.htm

Vicious
interesting...

only a million bones, that seems low to me.

in reality, a million bucks is chump change to businesses and i would think there would have to be more revenue then that for the companies to maintain.

I think that was a million units, not a million dollars. In Harley dollars, that's about 1/2 of the world's industrial output so they should be just fine.

One hundred billion dollars!!!!!

That's ok, we know reading comprehension isn't one of your strong points...




"....sales rose 4.7% to top 1 million (units) for the second-consecutive year..."

"Harley-Davidson said Thursday its quarterly earnings rose 14.5%,...........Revenue increased 5.4% to $1.221 billion"

Sorry, I was drinking and you know how that goes.

<Bastardize on>

Anyhow, you going to the Mistake tomorrow or what?

You forgot the golden rule of drunken posting, grasshoppa

Only post about being drunk when drunk. :-)

I doubt I go to the Mistake tomorrow. Looks like I'm flying solo tonight and the Burg of Greens is a bit far to get my drink on....

right on.....seems the crowd has lost 2 or 3 though

That's alright, I'm not above drinking alone.

No wait, can always count on Wratchit showing up

Word.

Or everyone can drink and crash at my house. I have 4 bedrooms and I only sleep on the couch..........