Increased interest in power sports here to stay?

[GeorgiaGuzzi]

So we decided to buy a side by side. About 6 weeks ago! After doing about a week of research I decided on a Kawasaki Mule. Then I started shopping. All the ads that I found were not actually for actual units but rather stock photos. When I started cross referencing ads on cycle trader or whatever shopping site I could find with the actual dealers stock I only found two units within two hours. And both of had sold by the time I called! We ended up pretending we were dealing with Harley’s in the 90’s and put a deposit on the next unit that arrives. That was FIVE weeks ago. Thursday a unit came in. Not one that had been pre-ordered. A top of the line limited edition. Since we were now at the top of the list they offered it to us first. We took it!
 
We went by to take care of the paperwork and I was shocked by the interior of the dealership. They’re a multi-line dealership, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, Suzuki, and Polaris. There were 8 street bikes in the entire store. That includes a sweet Monkey and a H2 that I tried not to drool on! There were 4 dirt bikes. And 2 used UTVs. Their sales floor was always packed pre -. Well over one hundred units with barely room to walk. Now they are selling units as fast as they come in. Literally faster than they can assemble them! There was a customer looking at the H2 who wanted a pure sport bike. The sales guy showed him a gixxer 750 that had just come in and and was still crated up and as yet unspoken for. One or the other will be gone by Tuesday.

That makes me wonder if people’s buying habits will have permanently changed. This all started with the need to social distance. Avoiding crowded places. Getting out of public areas. As time continues to march on I wonder if this trend will continue. Personally I hope so, even though we had to wait over a month for our model. I love the increased interest. Now if we can only get interest in power sports to increase responsible stewardship of nature as well as increased motorcycling etiquette. That last parts probably a pipe dream tho.

[Perazzimx14]

The recreational market has never been stronger but the wave will crest and then slam into the seawall. As things get back to a more normal setting and people go back to work time recreational toys are going to be flooding the market.







 

[moto-uno]

  4 wheelers from Japan this year are near non-existent , shipping,and manufacturing there etc. with --19 isn't going well . Peter

[John Croucher]

I went to 3 dealerships yesterday. All were empty of new and used units of all types including water crafts.  All I wanted was turn signals and couldn't find them either.

[twowheeladdict]

The Local Harley shop is packed with bikes, new and used.  They are selling 300 bikes a month according to the salesman I talked to.  I've sat on the Pan America twice now and working myself up to a test ride.

The Triumph, Kawasaki, Yamaha, Royal Enfield dealer has plenty of Triumphs for sale, but no Royal Enfields and a slim selection of Japanese bikes.  A good friend waited 5 1/2 months for the Yamaha Tenere 700 he ordered to come in.  He as had it a few weeks now.

Yesterday's ride brought me to a multibrand dealership that took over a Sears store in a close to dead Shopping Mall.  The bikes were almost 20 feet apart from each other and there weren't many to chose from.  There were a bunch of side by sides in the back of the store, but I'll assume those were Polaris.

The local new car dealerships look like they are about out of business because they have so few cars on the lots.

New RVs are up 30 percent this year over the last several years. 

Now is the time to be selling, not buying. 

[Motormike]

I think a lot of the "shortage" is simply the fact the assembly lines were all shuttered for so long.  So production numbers of anything made overseas is way down.  I still don't know were all this "new-found wealth" is coming from though.  A couple of checks from Uncle Sam aren't enough to buy a $18,000 side-by-side.  I suspect people are going into hock, as usual.  There will be tremendous bargains when the next recession hits, and it will sooner or later.

[ozarquebus]

Another factor in the arrival of new bikes may be significantly higher freight and other expenses to get the bike to the dealer than before -.

[twowheeladdict]

I think a lot of the "shortage" is simply the fact the assembly lines were all shuttered for so long.  So production numbers of anything made overseas is way down.  I still don't know were all this "new-found wealth" is coming from though.  A couple of checks from Uncle Sam aren't enough to buy a $18,000 side-by-side.  I suspect people are going into hock, as usual.  There will be tremendous bargains when the next recession hits, and it will sooner or later.

Or people were holding off in 2020, so are buying now.

The local Harley dealer was selling bikes like crazy this weekend.

[JJ]

Up here in Vortex-Land (aka, northern AZ), the sale of Side-x-Sides and Quads is what is keeping most motorcycle dealers afloat...

[GeorgiaGuzzi]

We decided to buy ours for use as a capable property runabout that is more substantial than a gussied up golf cart.

The side by sides and atv’s are manufactured in Lincoln NE. The only items from Japan are the engine and transmission, which are shipped in as long block assemblies in containers. Almost the same process as Yamaha side by sides and atv’s (and golf cars and wave runners) that are made right here in GA. The foreign content is surprisingly low.

Even tho it’s a sellers market the dealership did right by us. No markup from msrp and a very low interest rate. It IS a sellers market for sure tho. The used prices are stupid high.

[Motormike]

It’s a bubble.  The next recession is going to be a doozy.

[Cam3512]

I was having my work car serviced at the local Ford dealer the other day.  The showroom and lot was empty.  I asked my buddy in service what’s going on?  He said thousands of trucks are sitting in a lot in Kentucky awaiting a microchip they can’t get.  Then it’s tough to find transport trucks to ship them out.  Said the only vehicles they could get are Ford Focus’s.  So the shortages aren’t limited to recreational stuff.   

Another friend sells Subaru’s.  Same thing.

[Moparnut72]

It’s a bubble.  The next recession is going to be a doozy.

I am afraid you may very well be right. Fortunately I am retired and my income is secure.
kk