Modern Vespa

From Bike World

Q2 U.S. Motorcycle Sales
The numbers aren't looking good for the first six months of 2009 compared to the same time period in 2008. Sources tell us that street bike sales for the first two quarters of the 2009 year so far totaled 212,130, down 46% from the same time period in 2008. Dual sport sales are down 47%; off-road motorcycle sales down 37% and scooter sales are down a whopping 67% from the first 6 months of 2008.

Meanwhile, some numbers from Japan indicate motorcycle production in May 2009 was down 28,445 units or 40.9% of the May 2008 number of 69,626 units produced. Motorcycle exports from Japan in May 2009 totaled 33,845 units, down 28,203 units or 45.5% of May 2008 figure of 62,048 units.

Just for comparison, Japanese automobile exports in May 2009 were 233,217 units, down 295,400 units or 55.9% from the May 2008 figure of 528,617 units.

Really, comparing sales to LAST YEAR ( which was a record year for most scooter shops ) is a bad idea, as you're going to get inflated figures. Comparing it to 2 years ago is more apt. That said, sales are down from 2 years ago ...and it's by a double digit percentage, ..but it's not anything like 40% IIRC.

Those results are not surprising, unfortunately. As Eric mentioned, sales of scooters soared last year. Consumer confidence was high, and gas prices were headed even higher. This year, quite the opposite. Gas prices were way off their highs in 2008 to start the 2009 year, and consumer confidence was falling by the day.