The US streetbike market remained flat in 2024 according to international Motorcycle industry analysts MC Data. The Rome, Italy-based firm reports that 462,641 new stereetbikes sold in our country last year, despite a roaring stock market and healthy economy. Harley-Davidson is among the biggest losers with dismal third quarter sales and declining numbers overall The two-wheeler market in the United States is the 14th largest in the world and one of the more stable, with annual volume steady in the range of around half a million for over a decade. Even though Americans are blessed with some of the cheapest gasoline prices of all industrialized nations, motorcycles remain slow sellers compared to other countries. Turkey, for instance, has a population of only 83 million (around a quarter of ours) but new streetbike sales topped 1 million units though October, 2024. ‘For Americans, a motorcycle is a vehicle to ride free outside congested metropolitan town and they’re purchased just for leisure and lifestyle, rather than for daily usage. Americans using motorcycle to commute to work are few,” the report says.
Reports like this bring to mind the annual Ride to Work Day event created by touring enthusiast Andy Goldfine. He figured not enough of his fellow riders were utilizing their two-wheelers for daily transport and launched a successful, nationwide campaign to encourage folks to park their cars and trucks for one day each June and commute to work, school or the mall on their streetbikes. It’s a noble, noteworthy effort, but every time I travel to Europe and the UK and witness thousands of people living their daily lives aboard two wheels, it makes me wonder why we need a special day to encourage our fellow Americans to do the same?
One reason was succinctly summed up by Phil, the youthful boyfriend of my former landlady. When the CRM garage was located within the bustling Village of Sewickley for 9 years Phil, like countless other men, would invite themselves in for a look around every time the garage door opened. Phil clearly lusted after a motorbike of his own, but chose, instead, to invest his money in a very loud Dodge Ram pick-up truck. The truck was outfitted with a lift-kit that made entry and exiting a chore; chromed wheels, twin smokestack exhausts and all sorts of accessories had bene added. I asked his one afternoon why he wouldn’t rather ride a motorcycle, he replied, ” my truck is totally bad-ass plus I can’t get wet, cold or break my legs while driving it.”
The big question is, how can we convince youngsters to experience the joys of two wheeling when gas is cheap and trucks are plentiful?
On the bright side, used motorcycles sales in the Us continue to be strong, with over 1.2 million previously-owned streetbikes being registered last year. This figure proves that biking is still popular, especially older machines with lower price tags then new machines.