Motorcycle News Blog

wBW News Blog:  "Blog" is used in the broadest sense of the term on this page, which consists of personal opinion and observations on news, views and ruminations on motorcycles, accessories and more.  This is info that doesn't really fit anywhere else on the site.  Got a motorcycle blog or news page?  Let's share.  Contact us at

wBW Motorcycle News Blog Archives:  2007  |  2006

More wBW Motorcycle News:  Motorcycle News  |  Motorcycle News Archive  |  Motorcycle Racing News  |  Motorcycle Racing News archive  |  2004 Motorcycle Owner Survey  |  Motorcycle Industry Sees 12th Year of Sales Growth

1Q 2008 Motorcycle Sales
Meanwhile, first quarter 2008 motorcycle sales are down an average of 10.9% to 173,922 from 195,092 compared to the first quarter of last year.  Street bike sales were 116,316, down 11.2%; dual sport sales remain strong at 7,643, up 7.5%; off-road motorcycle sales were down 17.1% at 41,561 and scooter sales were very strong at 8,402, up 23.6%.

U.S. Motorcycle Sales, 1992 - 2007

I updated our chart showing U.S. motorcycle sales figures from 1992 to 2007.  These are gross numbers, including motorcycles (street bike, dual-sport and off-road) and scooters.  The numbers were compiled from various public sources but most of them probably trace back to the Motorcycle Industry Council, who tracks motorcycle sales in the U.S.A.

Note, however, that if a motorcycle manufacturer isn't an MIC member, their sales may not be reflected in these numbers.  But overall, this is about as good of an indication as you will find.

BMW Reports Record Sales for BMW Motorcycles in 2007

January 31, 2008 - BMW Motorcycles succeeded in recording a new sales volume record in 2007.  After surpassing the 100,000 mark for the first time in the previous year, the motorcycles segment continued to grow and recorded a sales volume of 102,467 units in 2007, which is +2.4% greater than the 2006 sales total of 100,064 units.

2007 Not a Good Year for Motorcycle Sales

January 25, 2008 - The stuttering U.S. economy has apparently affected motorcycle sales, which decreased dramatically in December of 2007.  Weak sales in the 4th quarter have dragged down the average for the year.

Comparing December 2007 to December 2006, sales of off-road bike were down 27.7%; street bikes were down 19.7%; scooters were down 21.1% and all motorcycle categories combined were down 23.2%.  ATV sales were also off 28.3%

The poor showing in December brought the year to date sales of off-road bikes (compared to 2006) down 17.1%; street bike sales were down 4.9% and scooter sales remained unchanged.  The dual-purpose motorcycle category showed the only increase at +6.7%.

Initial reports show overall motorcycle sales (all categories) for 2007 averaged a decrease of 7.2% compared to 2006.

New Auto-Dimming Motorcycle Mirrors

December 2, 2007 - The "Digital Auto-Dimming Motorcycle Mirror" by AlphaMirror has sensors to adjust the mirror tint to various lighting conditions and are claimed to improve vision in all weather.  They offer a couple of different shapes, made from 6061-T6 extruded billet aluminum, either polished and chrome plated or black.

The mirror assembly is claimed to be designed to minimize vibration and is fully adjustable.  The auto-dimming feature runs on a CR2450 Lithium battery with a claimed average lifespan of 3 years.  The mirror glass is available in several unique colors, including Red, Purple, Amber, Blue and Orange. 

European Campaign for Synthetic Oil Use in Motorcycles

November 20, 2007 - The MotorCycle Community in Europe (MCC ) has launched a European-wide awareness campaign promoting the use of synthetic oil for Powered Two Wheelers.  This campaign is supported by the European Commission.

It is generally recognized that the type of lubricant oil has a direct and immediate impact on the emissions of Particulate Matters.  Synthetic oil ensures a good environmental performance and correct and long-lasting effectiveness for new technology Euro2 and Euro3 vehicles. 

However, a large number of two-stroke “conventional” pre-Euro1 Powered Two Wheelers in use could contribute to Particulate Matters reduction up to 50% by using synthetic oil.

The objective of the campaign is to inform the owners of these vehicles as to the advantages of synthetic oil, which will contribute to a better and cleaner environment.  The campaign is also intended to safeguard the mobility of two-stroke engine users in congested city centers, where “conventional” pre-Euro1 vehicles are increasingly faced with issues related to air quality.

The MCC also wishes to increase the awareness of the urban mobility advantages of motorcycles and scooters in comparison with cars.  The MCC calls on the authorities to make use of environmental fiscal incentives to stimulate the renewal of the fleet.

The message, reflected by the logo and slogan devised for the campaign, “Be smarter, be cleaner, use synthetic oil!!”, is positive and environmentally friendly.  It intends to reach, through the internet, users, dealers, retailers and the press in order to maximize the efficiency of the campaign.

All material related to the campaign can be found in different European languages and downloaded from a dedicated website www.usesyntheticoil.info.

Adventure Motorcycle Gear Back in Business?

November 17, 2007 - Many visitors have written to us in the past about problems with Adventure Motorcycle Gear.  Some of the issues were discussed in an older webBikeWorld review of the Biker's Comfort in Action and other winter riding gear provided to use by Adventure Motorcycle Gear about 6 years ago.  We received so many complaints about the retailer that we added a note recommending caution when purchasing from the retailer.

Adventure Motorcycle Gear has since moved from Virginia to Arizona, but it's not clear to us whether the company is under the same management.

So as an experiment, last week we decided to place a small order with the retailer to see what happened.  We're happy to report that the entire order process and delivery went smoothly.

We ordered a pair of Orina 118 waterproof winter gloves ($59.95) and a "Bike Pit" neck and chest wind blocker ($36.95) for a total of $96.00 (reviews coming soon).  Shipping charges of $7.35 were added, bringing the total to $104.25.

The order was placed on Sunday, November 11, 2007 at 1:28 PM and charged to a credit card (always recommended when ordering online; check with your card issuer and know your rights before you order anything from anyone).

An order confirmation was immediately sent and received, but it did not include a tracking link.  However, the package arrived mid-day on Friday, November 16, 2007 via UPS, which is a very acceptable response and delivery time for a nearly coast-to-coast delivery.

Based on this experiment, we've removed the "caution" warning for Adventure Motorcycle Gear, but obviously it's not possible to evaluate every retail interaction. 

See our review of the Biker's Comfort in Action and other winter riding gear for more recent comments (including the comments that were previously here which have been moved to that page).

wBW Motorcycle News Blog Archives:  2007  |  2006

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