Sluggish US Economy Affects Japanese Motorcycle Manufacturers - The number of motorcycles produced by Japanese manufacturers dropped in January 2008, according to a report by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA).

http://www.brainbucketmag.com/News/a.../sid=3380.html
http://www.americanbikernews.com/New.../sid=3380.html

 

I just quit working at a major metric dealership in my area. It's always ranked in the top 100 of Honda dealerships in the U.S. The market would not support two salesmen so since I hate Honda's anyway, I quit and let the other salesman have at it. Metric bikes never go for MSRP around here and haven't in a few years. You can still buy a new 2006 VTX 1300 straight from the warehouse.

 

You're kidding! A top 100 dealership couldn't support two salesmen?

Ouch!

 

Wow! Interesting factoid there Terry... Didn't realize it was that bad! You'd think with gasoline reaching all time highs that motorcycles would make a serious alternative to those who never formerly thought about it. Nothing like filling up at the gas station for $15 to $20instead of $80 to $100!

 

It wasn't that long ago that I read motorcycle sales would increase due to gasoline prices. Guess it was wishful thinking. No shock about metric bikes after reading Honda's closing their Ohio plant. With gas prices expected to be over $4 a gallon this summer, I'll bet you see a lot of people riding to work.

 

It's been proven many times on this forum that nobody saves any money riding a motorcycle......tires that cost $150 each and last less than 10,000 miles, insurance, gear, high labor, chrome....etc.

That's just a line we give our gals to get them to agree to let us buy them !

 

Salesmen get payplans reflective of profitability. If everything's being blown out, them $25.00 mini's need a huge amount of volume to even come close to justifying going to work much less killing all your Saturdays. Everybody I know in the car biz wants me to come back, it's just not worth it. Because of a highly profitable service department, I was able to pay my salesmen $75 minis on Vespas! The smart ones took advantage of my generous bonuses to sell accessories along with them, most quadrupled their commissions. Then they went back to the car side and battled for their minis with people buying $40K SUV's! And no opportunity for accessories and then get any chance of bonus killed by the CSI call answers. Again, not worth it in the least bit.

 

Can't believe that anyone is naive enough to count out Honda... Honda has deep pockets and has proven time and time again to be a tough competitor. Currently, the bloom is definitely off of HD's rose. I am confident that HD will come through this latest blip in the economy with flying colors but changed. In my immediate area there is not a dealer in my neck of the country that is worth squat... I have ended up with my friends going to Terre Haute, IN. for a dealer. Really think that HD needs to clean up the dealer network!

 

When the economy affects the japanese bike sales it has a two prong affect, the neck tie manufactures here also take a hit.......

 

My point in my previous post is that all motorcycle dealerships are taking a hit, not just Harley. One thing Harley has going for it is that it's a one of a kind vehicle. American made V Twin. The top three Metrics (Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki) are cookie cutter bikes. They all try to copy Harley's style and there just isn't that much difference in the three.

I can tell you too that Metric dealers don't treat their customers any better than Harley dealers. The guy I was working for was not a customer oriented person at all. Hell, we hardly sold anything locally due to the fact that if you knew him you didn't buy from him.