Back in March I took my old bike into a local dealership I trust for a service. I was also pleasantly surprised that they told me they were actually busy. Using social distancing, they were doing everything by appointment only. The service tech told me that they were servicing lots of bikes for spring, and there is a big increase in the demand for cheaper used bikes. Plenty of people getting a cheap bike for a second vehicle so they don't have to use mass transit, etc.

I sold that bike and bought my TW200 at the end of May. Again, the same story. The showroom is now open, but they are limiting it to 3 customers on the floor (it's a big place). They are selling quite a few scooters, cheaper bikes, riding gear, parts, service. The larger or more expensive bikes aren't selling as well, as folks don't want to make big financial commitments, but even some of those are selling.

I suppose also that people are looking for something to do in spare time that encourages social distancing, and certainly motorcycles are good for that!

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Bruce Clarke - 2020 Yamaha XV250

Last month I took my bike to my BMW dealer in Victoria, BC and chatted with the owner. He told me that business was "solid" with service accounting for a large part of it. So it's good to see the industry holding its own.

I get to visit all of the motorcycle dealerships & gear retailers in my mid-sized city in the southwestern USA for my job, and across the board, all have near record-setting sales numbers over the past couple of months.
The motorcycle riding school I work for & manage is also having a great couple of months.

I have to say that it is good that this is not in isolated dealership in experiencing a boom. Again, the hard part is going to make the new comers stick with bikes. I wonder if organisations like the UK’s Motorcycle Industry Association have detected the numbers and what they are doing to ride the wave.

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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.

My friend is a sales manager at at Honda/Yamaha/BRP dealer and he tells me they have been selling a lot of bikes this year.

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Alaska 2014: Hotel Budget ZeroXmas in Death Valley, New Year in Urique

I recently got in contact with the Motor Cycle Industry Association (in the UK) about this surge in numbers of scooter riders and he replied. I have his permission to reproduce the reply here:

As you point out, the desire of commuters to find an alternative to public transport has fuelled a significant post-lockdown demand for small motorcycles and scooters. Year-to-date sales of up to 125cc machines are already ahead of this time in 2019 and rider training schools are reporting a surge in demand for CBTs and tests.

Responders to the industry-wide “Unlock your Freedom” campaign, which MCIA co-ordinated to target those looking for transport alternatives, are younger and more female than the traditional leisure motorcyclist. This is positive news for an industry perennially seeking younger riders and where currently 95% of licence holders are men, typically in their mid-fifties.

These new riders, motivated by Covid-related requirements, are part of a trend that has seen Powered Two Wheeler (PTW) use split into two, roughly equal, camps; leisure use and commuter or delivery use.

Among MCIA’s goals is the wider usage of PTWs in general, as well as the Government’s recognition of the potential of PTWs as part of the future transport mix and the creation of an environment that supports them.

Whether these new riders remain as commuters only, or move onto bigger bikes is not an MCIA strategy, but it is probable that some of them, having experienced a PTW will be hungry for more. Our job is to secure a world where motorcycles and scooters can show their true worth.

Anyway, have America’s and other countries equivalent got strategIes and are the manufacturers getting behind them?

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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.

Just "thinking" out loud - I suppose the other thing that could be done is for individuals to support younger / newer riders. Possibly through clubs, possibly in conjunction with dealerships. How this would be done I don't know - anyone got any suggestions or pointers to things that are already being done?

At the end of the day I would like to see younger riders coming through - if nothing else it means that there are more bikes in regular use so supporting the whole industry. I don't want to steer them into any particular sector / niche of the market, they will find their own niche over time, but to generally increase the use of motorbikes - it makes us all more visible.

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You will have to do without pocket handkerchiefs, and a great many other things, before we reach our journey's end, Bilbo Baggins. You were born to the rolling hills and little rivers of the Shire, but home is now behind you. The world is ahead.