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Times Are Tough All Over
Published November 27, 2009 | 
The US isn’t the only place where motorcycle sales have been dismal this year. ACEM, the Motorcycle Industry Association in Europe, is reporting that, as of September, year-over-year motorcycle sales in Europe are down by 27%. Here’s the ugly, ugly chart:
ACEM Sales 2002-2009 (September)
That’s definitely not the sales results graph you want to see.
Hmm…what a contrast to the Indian motorcycle market. Companies which make and sell motorcycles in India have been posting growth rates of 24-87% yoy. This is not a fair comparison, of course, since markets in the US are leisure based, where as India motorcycle sales are utility based – 2 wheels in India are just a cheaper alternative to cars, and most of people who buy and ride motorcycles in India are commuters who lug their families around on them.
http://www.wheelsunplugged.com/ViewNews.aspx?newsid=4969
By the way, you have a great blog going on here! I stumbled on your website while I was searching something on Harley-Davidson in India. Agree 100% with what you said there – HD will be lucky if they sell more than 150 motorcycles a year. I am a motorcycle enthusiast in India, a single bachelor earning 30 times the Indian average salary but will never put my money on a Sportster or a Street Bob. The idea of paying 110% more than the US price is hard to digest – besides, air cooled Harleys are not meant for the Indian weather, unless getting your legs burned is one’s idea of fun.