No bikes to sell

[Kansas kymco]

I was talking with the owner of Dan's Cycle, (he was busy taking a Yamaha training course) about the availability of motorcycles. He said he can't get in motorcycles to sell. His showroom is devoid of inventory from Yamaha and Kawasaki and he doesn't know when he'll get new inventory back in. I wonder how many other dealers are in the same predicament of paying staff with no sales Revenue coming in. He does have a handful of Kymco Agility's 50cc and 125cc.. His shop on the other hand has been busy all summer.

[Iahawk]

my local full line shop is in a similar situation. They normally have the full sales floor and an upstairs level also filled with bikes but they've moved everything down to the main floor and spaced them all out to try to fill the space. They carry the Big 4 Japanese, BMW, Triumph, Royal Enfield, Kymco and a few other brands..inventory seems to be getting lower all the time.

Service is sure busy, though.

[Kansas kymco]

my local full line shop is in a similar situation. They normally have the full sales floor and an upstairs level also filled with bikes but they've moved everything down to the main floor and spaced them all out to try to fill the space. They carry the Big 4 Japanese, BMW, Triumph, Royal Enfield, Kymco and a few other brands..inventory seems to be getting lower all the time.

Service is sure busy, though.

Well at least he has some inventory,  Dan's is almost complete out, if it wasn't for a few consignment bikes and his personal not for sale collection the showroom would be empty. He said the importanters never dreamed it would last this long.

I thought it was funny Yamaha had the dealers taking a CBT course on how to increase sales when they had zero inventory to sell.

[Iahawk]

I was at my bike shop this afternoon after I received the call that my swingarm (for my Helix) with new oil seals and bushing was ready!!
They probably have about 40 or 50 (mostly new) bikes on the floor..along with another 15 or so side by sides parked outside.

That's probably 1/4 of their typical, non covid inventory.

[rjs987]

Well, the story is taking shape. I read this about inventory/supply issues from several sources. That seems more the issue rather than what some might say about scooters or even motorcycle not being as popular. Though admittedly scooters have really never been really popular in the USA, and likely a little less so over the years. But gas prices going up does tend to increase the desire to ride something that doesn't burn as much. Modern cars are better about that but still nowhere near as good as a gas sipping scooter. At least I don't know of a car able to go 100 miles on a gallon of gas, but I do, or my wife does actually, own a scooter that does just that. The results of the pandemic have messed up a lot of stuff and the supply chain is just one more example of that. Kind of reminds me of when I was looking for wet wipes last year. Running out of stock on stuff is only part of the problem. Getting more stock IN is another part.

Can't wait until scooter supply issues get better. Hopefully soon. I really would like to sit on an AK 550 before Kymco brings out something to replace it. Then again, that might be a better model. One can only hope. Or worse, discontinues that model in the USA altogether. That would be bad.

[klaviator]

The dealers around here that I have visited have inventory to sell but its about half what the normally have.  Hot sales combined with trouble getting new inventory is what's causing this problem.  The Japanese brands seem to be the worst.  A local Yamaha, Kawasaki, Royal Enfield, Triumph dealer has had more luck getting new Royal Enfields and Triumphs to sell than Yamaha or Kawasaki.  Another dealer I visited had plenty of Vespa's but was short of Kymco, KTM and Suzuki.  Dual sport bikes sales in particular have really surged and used bikes sometime sell for more than the MSRP of new ones. 

[Stig / Major Tom]

Yeah, my mega brand big dealer had fewer bikes on the floor, too.
I hope it's not a sign they're going under. I would really hate to be trying to make a living as a bike/scooter salesman!!
On the way through the building with my Liberty wheel I noticed that all but one of the young tight jeans female staff are gone.
Stig