MMIC Report – Motorcycle Sales 2020 vs. 2019

As expected, the numbers are in for the year end and motorcycle sales in Canada are up in 2020 over 2019. Here’s a closer look at the details from Canada Now/MMIC.

From Canada Now MMIC:

The December 2020 is a bonus edition for Canada Now/Actualité Canada as it also contains the 2020 Year End Summary. It is very interesting to see the yearly trends. The optimism from a quick start to the heart stopping OMG phase in March and April. In May a quick transition from heart failure to a full out sprint happened. As the seasons changed the crazy sales stayed consistent. Fear of sales quickly transitioned to fear of available inventory.

Unbelievably powersports had an amazing year in 2020. In some cases it took a pandemic to create a reset. “Recreational distancing” became a cure for social isolation. People from around the world rediscovered how cool it is to ride a motorcycle or an off highway vehicle. Canadians rediscovered that they live in one of the greatest countries in the world. They discovered great roads and great trails right in their own backyard. Off road (including dual purpose) bikes and vehicles led the sales success. Street based bikes didn’t share the same success as off road. Licensing and training restrictions delayed the sales of street bikes. Scooters suffered due to lack of people commuting to the urban core.

If you look further into the Year End Summaries you will still see some amazing sales trends and others that are a little disturbing. 2020 sales were rosey but not without challenges. Off road sales were off the charts. Street and scooter sales failed to meet 2019 levels. “Recreational distancing” rocked. “Commuter distancing” is still waiting the for post-pandemic return to the office.

The question that remains is, was 2020 an anomaly? Was it a black swan, an albino moose or the new normal. The biggest message was that the pandemic was not or is not a business plan. It taught us about masks, plexiglass and the importance of online technology. It taught us about our talents to change and evolve. Going forward the big challenge will be to keep riders engaged in the sport. Will these new riders continue to ride when movie theaters, restaurants and vacation destinations?
How do we keep the new riders engaged and who is responsible for this challenge? If you’re reading this, it is probably you. The industry needs your help. We are all responsible for keeping riders engaged. Its a co-operative effort.

To do this we need to keep it fun and keep it social. Two reasons people stop riding are boredom and fear. Boredom comes when you don’t have someone to ride with. The cure to boredom is to have someone to ride with or hang out with at social events and destinations. Dealerships can be social destinations too. Fear comes from a scare. The cure, never stop learning, never stop training. Be the best rider you can be!

We hope that 2021 will bring an end to the social distancing and signal a return to social events and recreational distancing. As we return to the office and the commute consider the benefits of commuter distancing on a motorcycle or scooter.