According to the Motorcycle Industry Council’s RideReport, OEMs remain confident despite the MIC’s first-quarter report showing that sales of new motorcycles and scooters among leading brands have decreased -7.8% in Q1 2025, despite strong sales in certain motorcycle segments and on the four-wheel side.
“Overall, we feel the industry is still healthy and strong,” said Bill Savino, MIC Board member and Director, Powersports National Sales at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “While Honda has seen a small dip in two-wheel sales, especially among smaller bikes, our 50th Anniversary Gold Wing and other larger-displacement models are doing quite well, as are our four-wheel powersports models.”
Derek Brooks, MIC Chairman and Motorcycle Product Line Manager at Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., shared a similar sentiment. “Although January started a bit slow due to some unusual weather – snow on Florida beaches! – first-quarter retail sales for Yamaha motorcycles were quite good and on pace with our forecast,” he said. “Sportbikes are a segment where we’re seeing an encouraging number of new and younger riders, and it continues to be one of the strongest in the industry. At the same time, the number of competition and off-road bike sales remain higher than the pre-COVID era. This is encouraging because we all saw the big bump during COVID, but the question was, would that added volume be sustainable? It appears it is.”
“There continues to be uncertainty in the market regarding forthcoming tariffs and their impact on powersports OEMs and customers,” said Anthony J. Kestler, Vice President, Sales & Marketing at Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. “The U.S. motorcycle market is down in the first four months of 2025, but Kawasaki has realized strong retail results in overall motorcycle sales.”
“Ensuring we have the right inventory to the dealers at the right time is key,” Savino said. “Where we are off (on sales), we know why.” With the fast-changing economic news, many in the powersports industry are approaching the sales season with caution.
“We’re monitoring this daily and are making plans to ensure we’re ready to react quickly,” Brooks added. “In the end, we still feel confident that the interest, excitement, and family fun around motorcycling has never been higher.” Federal Highway Administration data supports this view. According to 2023 figures, the latest year available, there are 9.5 million registered motorcycles in the United States, a record high.
“At AIMExpo, our powersports industry trade show, we saw more attendees this year than in years past, with many excited about the future of powersports,” said Christy LaCurelle, MIC President and CEO. “We also had a lot of new products and innovations introduced, so the interest is there. I think overall, people have been a bit nervous about the economy, leading many to wait on purchases, but the powersports industry is forging ahead.”
“It’s more important than ever for the industry to come together to promote motorcycling and share the excitement,” she said. “And the MIC’s Ride With Us program is doing just that – inspiring new riders to experience life with motorcycles, keeping existing riders engaged, and helping connect dealers with customers ready to take the next step. More riders, riding more. That’s the goal.”
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