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Motorcycle sales soaring with gas prices
By Phil Weaver
Soaring gas prices have forced millions of people to cut back on everything from going to the movies and eating out to taking summer vacations. But while some industries are hurting from the spike in fuel prices, motorcycle sales have been riding a wave not seen in the past decade.
Phil Weaver, marketing director for Sunrise Honda, Sunrise Yamaha and Shawnee (OK) Honda, said sales records have been set at all three stores for each of the past two months, and June is on pace for yet another set of records.
"We've not seen anything like it," Weaver said. "People are trying so hard to cut back in other areas to save money for gas, but you can only cut back so much. There comes a point where you've just got to quit using so much gas, and motorcycles and scooters are the obvious choices to do that."
The most popular sizes have been mid-size cruisers (600 to 1300 cc), but scooters have also been big sellers, he said.
"There used to be a bit of a stigma about scooters not being 'real' motorcycles, which they aren't technically. But instead of stereotyping scooter riders as 'wimps' or something like that, the stereotyping has changed to 'now there goes a really smart guy."
While Metropolitan 50s (100+ mpg) are fine for running around small towns or the college campus, many riders are opting for Elite 80s (80+ mpg), 250 Helixes (60+ mpg) or 600 cc Silver Wings (50+ mpg). Even motorcycles can get 40-60 mpg, depending on engine size and riding style.
Motorcycles, however, have been the hottest sellers, Weaver said.
"Arkansas is one of the biggest commuting states in the country (second only to Montana), so lots of people are buying ride to their jobs instead of driving the 12 mpg truck or van," he said. "At today's prices, it's very easy to more than cover the monthly payment on a motorcycle just with gas savings. And the fun of riding to work vs. driving is just icing on the cake."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z24nH2A2OnE
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