NADAguides Motorcycle Shopping and Research Trends
The latest data regarding motorcycle shopping and research trends has been released from NADAguides, an online new and used powersports pricing and information resource.
And though the economy has yet to recover from the recent slump, consumer interest and motorcycle sales are gradually increasing. The Motorcycle Industry Council says overall worldwide year-on-year motorcycle sales are up 3.6 percent, and NADAguides research shows that consumer interest and research has grown 15 percent in the second quarter of 2012 over the second quarter of 2011.
NADAguides says the largest segments receiving growth and interest are trikes and touring scooters with a step-through chassis. Industry sales of touring scooters are up 5.6 percent year-to-date and have recorded a year over year traffic increase on NADAguides.com of 24 percent from the second quarter of 2011 to the second quarter of 2012.
Top touring scooter brands searched on NADAguides.com include models from Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and Vespa, making up 96 percent of the traffic in the segment.
NADAguides analysts note that trikes or three-wheel motorcycles are also gaining in popularity, registering a year over year increase of traffic on the site up 27 percent from the second quarter of 2011 to the second quarter of 2012.
Appealing primarily to the baby boomer generation, three-wheel motorcycles offer more stability, more comfort for long trips and can be customized and outfitted with a variety of comfort and convenience packages, such as independent suspension, disc brakes, upgraded audio, large lockable storage and more.
Top trike or three-wheel motorcycle brands searched on NADAguides.com include models from Can-Am, Harley-Davidson, Boss Hoss and Lehman Trikes, making up 93 percent of the traffic in the segment.
Alex Lezama (Motorcycle Market/Data Analysts at NADAguides.com) says: “Over the past five years we’ve seen a shift in popularity towards trikes/three-wheel motorcycles and touring scooters. Touring scooters provide a good starting point for consumers who are new to motorcycling because they have more stability and are easy to mount and dismount.
“Also, more and more consumers have been going to after-market companies to retrofit their bikes into three-wheelers, so OEMs now offer Trike models and/or Trike kits to cater to that market. We’ve seen a definite spike in interest for these types of motorcycles over the past six months and it will most likely continue in that direction in the coming months.”
