Another sign of what is ahead for the motorcycle hobby...

[bobgroger]

5 of the largest Seattle dealerships suddenly close. One pundit blamed the Internet...
1 BMW, 2 Ducati, 1 Indian, 1 full line all owned by someone with no real experience.

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/5-local-motorcycle-dealerships-abruptly-closed-by-their-owner-a-microsoft-executive/

[bobgroger]

Have seen the same thing with Dealers in central Mass. It coincides with my observations of bikes on the road. I typically see 40 Harleys and 5 BMWs for every Japanese bike. I see more trikes being ridden than Japanese sport bikes.

The problem for several of the local dealerships was getting financing for buyers from one of the motorcycle brands. One owner told me he wasn't willing to use his own money to finance the bikes.

I'm guilty of killing the Goose. I fix my own bikes and I buy on the net. Same way with cars and everything else in my life.

Scooters seem plentiful in urban areas.

Here it is about 2:1 Harleys to sport bikes. Hardly see a BMW. But like I have said before my rural full line dealer has replaced the bikes with 4X4s and snowmobiles, 35 miles down the only road to Mt. Rainier in the area. THey say business is a lot better.

[Baatfam]

I guess I am also part of the problem.

The only new bike I ever bought was a 1975 Kawi dirt bike.
Everything else has been used, never over $5K, with the newest being an '01, which was 10 years old when I bought it.
I can't even imagine spending money on a new bike, seems like such a waste, when something for a fraction of the cost is just as fun.

I also work on my own stuff, and any parts I try to buy at the dealers, they have to order anyway.

So I guess what they are selling, I really don't need.
But my used bikes still have to come from somewhere....
'

[bwringer]

One of my bucket list goals has always been to treat myself to a brand new motorcycle.

But I just can't bring myself to do it when the bargains on used bikes are so nuts.

Running a successful dealership is incredibly difficult. The only ones making it are the ones embracing the intarwebnets instead of impotently complaining they can't sell everything at a 200% markup.


As an aside, I can't even begin to imagine where the hell all those side-by-sides are going, but these stupid things are propping up pretty much every dealer I've seen. Lots of people are buying them, but I don't know why, exactly. Motorcycles are just an amusing sideline by comparison.

In Indiana as in many states, side-by-sides are now street legal in quite a few rural counties, so we encounter them regularly.

[Baatfam]

As an aside, I can't even begin to imagine where the hell all those side-by-sides are going, but these stupid things are propping up pretty much every dealer I've seen. Lots of people are buying them, but I don't know why, exactly. Motorcycles are just an amusing sideline by comparison.

In Indiana as in many states, side-by-sides are now street legal in quite a few rural counties, so we encounter them regularly.

Down here, (yes street legal if you want), aside from farmers, hunters, etc., they take them trail driving. Basically a high powered, tiny, baja race car.
Plus, for the general public, they are pretty darn safe. If you're strapped in, with gear, you can roll them over, with no harm done.
I can see how they would be so popular. 'course the good, fast ones, are 20-30K.

I've been told they are a hoot and a half, though. I have a local who wants to take me out this fall.

[trevor]

Motorcycle dealers on the island are doing well. Here I Victoria it’s basically just motorcycles but up island dealers sell a lot of atv’s ...I know a couple of the dealers and employees personally here... they all said business was great this year. Weird that it would be so different just across the border an hour away.

[bccap]

Motorcycle dealers on the island are doing well. Here I Victoria it’s basically just motorcycles but up island dealers sell a lot of atv’s ...I know a couple of the dealers and employees personally here... they all said business was great this year. Weird that it would be so different just across the border an hour away.

I think the Island is a unique demographic... You have a large population of motorcycle enthusiasts... From collectors, to riders, to coffee shops, where enthusiasts gather... Here in Vancouver it's been dying for years..... Now that Murray has lost his Suzuki dealership rights there are no Suzuki dealerships inside the city... It's the burbs or buy a Honda....I could list a half dozen now defunct dealerships in Vancouver........

[trevor]

I think the Island is a unique demographic... You have a large population of motorcycle enthusiasts... From collectors, to riders, to coffee shops, where enthusiasts gather... Here in Vancouver it's been dying for years..... Now that Murray has lost his Suzuki dealership rights there are no Suzuki dealerships inside the city... It's the burbs or buy a Honda....I could list a half dozen now defunct dealerships in Vancouver........

No offence to Murray, but he didn’t do himself any favours. Lol
But yes, you are correct about the island having a great motorcycle culture. We are lucky

[BigD_83]

I've been told they are a hoot and a half, though. I have a local who wants to take me out this fall.

I imagine they are, and you should take them up on the offer, but they just aren't a replacement for a motorcycle. The ones I have seen out here are used mainly in a hunting context, and while I see some of the advantage to having the roll cage and steering wheel, we still find the narrow-track quads better and easier vehicles to use for that purpose.

Now, when the speeds start going up, that's when the SxS starts shining.


In terms of motorcycles here in Vancouver, we still see a tonne of them, of all brands, more new than old. That might be a result of us working at a university, and the promised advantages of "cheap/economic/cheap(er) to insure", but there is has been a growing number of scooters in the parking lots as well.


One of the other things that has really taken off and is affecting both car and motorcycle sales is car-share organizations. The barrier to entry there is really low and we easily have 50+ vehicles from 4-5 different car-shares on campus. Pair that up with a younger, urban crowd that aren't even riding bicycles when they are young and have access to decent transit.


The motorcycle companies are up against tough competition trying to attract new riders.

[Jedz123]

Motorcycles are a hobby?
Pretty sure it's a way of life for me.
I got a couple more decades left in me buying new MCs. Unfortunately we did loose a Yammy dealer in VT but we did acquire a Triumph dealer which has been great for servicing my Bonneville.
I'll keep recruiting new MC riders!

[Baatfam]

My two granddaughters, 7 and 10, do not even know how to ride a bicycle.....And not interested.

[Rob S.]

My two granddaughters, 7 and 10, do not even know how to ride a bicycle.....And not interested.

Wow. Really wow. In the '60's, bicycles were so important to me and all my friends. Tricycle, bicycle, three-speed, then ten-speed.

I can never forget the day, I might have been seven, when the training wheels came off. My sister, two years older, and her best friend, were behind me on either side with a push and much encouragement. I still visit that exact spot on the sidewalk when I go to the old neighborhood.

It meant freedom, pure and simple.

My mother's father insisted he bought all the grand kids all their bikes. New ones every few years, bigger and better.

I still ride my ten-speed English racer that I got new in the early '70's.

[LAB3]

My take on the allure of side by sides is that you can have an off road vehicle that can do things and go places that your pickup never could at a much more affordable price. Let's not forget that you're not trashing a vehicle needed for your day to day transportation while you're out having fun. A friend has a Polaris RZR and I'd never been in one before, that little machine astounded me in what it could do. You certainly wouldn't even TRY some of that in a brand new $60k powerstroke diesel truck.

[GS1150Pilot]

I guess I don't consider motorcycling a hobby, so that may be part of the issue for some folks.

[GS1150Pilot]

My two granddaughters, 7 and 10, do not even know how to ride a bicycle.....And not interested.

I have an 11 year-old nephew like that. I bought him a $500 BMX bike to try to get him away from his PS4 and Nintendo-to no avail.