USA 2020 Motorcycle and Scooter Sales +11.4%
New-model powersports sales increased +18.4% in the United States in 2020, with motorcycle and scooter sales rising +11.4%, according to the Irvine, California based Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) retail sales report.
"Overall, the industry had a good year under difficult circumstances," said Erik Pritchard, MIC president and CEO. "The COVID-19 pandemic forced all of us to be nimble and to make the changes we needed to survive. In the end, many in the industry saw strong growth, and now our opportunity is to keep all of these new riders riding and to inspire even more people to join us on two, three and four wheels."
The MIC retail sales reporting system gathers new motorcycle, scooter and ATV retail sales data from 14 leading manufacturers and distributors in the U.S., providing a strong indicator of sales trends.
Sales of on-highway motorcycles, which include scooters and dual-purpose bikes, were steady compared with 2019, while interest in off-highway motorcycles spiked, with sales up +46.5% year-over-year. Off-highway motorcycles include dirt bikes, trail bikes, competition motorcycles and other motorized two-wheelers that cannot be used on public roads. Sales of ATVs also jumped, rising +33.8% over 2019.
"We are happy to see that more people are getting the chance to enjoy the outdoors and find new adventures with motorcycles," Pritchard said. "As many riders know, motorcycles and scooters are not only fun, efficient ways to commute, but they open up many recreational opportunities."