• by Karl Greenberg , January 16, 2012

The numbers aren't in for the fourth quarter, but if BMW is a bellwether, the motorcycle industry might be patting its back. BMW Motorrad, the automaker's motorcycle division, says last year was its best ever for worldwide sales. The division of Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (a corporation, one might add, that entered the motorcycle market in 1923, well before it got into cars) reports worldwide sales of 104,286 motorcycles in 2011. The number represents a 6.4% increase over 2010 during which the company posted sales of 98,047 units worldwide.

The Munich-based company says its previous all-time record was in 2007 (when it delivered 102,467 units). BMW Motorrad also reports that in bikes over 500 cc, BMW was able to expand its world market share to over 12%, doubling it within four years.

In the U.S. the company posted a 7.4% increase for the year, which the Woodcliff Lake, N.J., company says nearly doubles the gain posted the previous year. Its S 1000 RR Superbike boosted sales, along with core models. The company attributes some of the gains to market conditions, a broad model lineup and a strong dealer network.

The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), which tracks U.S. motorcycle sales, hasn't come out with its final numbers for 2011, but judging from motorcycle manufacturers' numbers from the third quarter, 2011 is likely to turn out strong, and certainly a lot better than 2010. Tempering that somewhat is the fact that about half-way through last year, the Irvine, Calif.-based organization noted that even though on-road motorcycle sales were up 3.3% in the first half, sales of off-road bikes and especially ATV's were down.

The MIC numbers, comprising Aprilia, Arctic Cat, BMW, Buell, Can-Am, Ducati, Harley-Davidson, Honda, Husaberg, Kawasaki, KTM, Moto Guzzi, Piaggio, Polaris, Suzuki, Triumph, Vespa, Victory and Yamaha, showed a 28.9% increase in scooters, a 13% lift in so-called dual-sport bikes (road bikes with off-road attributes), but a big 16.9% drop in off-road bikes. 

The third quarter seems to show sales bearing up, at least for road bikes. In the third quarter last year Harley-Davidson reported retail sales were up 3.5%, versus the quarter in 2010, when it saw sales drop 9.4%. If anything, reports suggest that the company's sales in the key summer months could have been even stronger if dealers had more inventory of Harley-Davidson's most popular bikes. Worldwide, Harley-Davidson saw over a 5% lift in sales. Outside of the U.S. the brand saw a 4.4% increase in the third quarter last year.