HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL, which is a good thing for those who believe in it, as I do. There is no place in this business for those
who don't use such ammunition against all sorts of unexpected, unwanted measures that seek to close the doors of their businesses
before their time. (Click on charts for larger view.)
TOURING Sales Forecast Calendar Year 2009
While I would like to be able to talk about how the economy is improving, there isn't much out there to whistle about. There
are four or five indices that I tend to lean on when it comes to keeping an eye on how the banks are getting through the government's
"stress tests." I haven't figured out yet whether it's the banks that fail their tests that get another billion dollars or
so of our money, or whether it's the other way around. Will it matter?
DIRTBIKE Sales Forecast
Calendar Year 2009
What's this got to do with the powersports industry? Plenty! When the economy starts to improve again, guess what's bound
to accompany that otherwise welcome trend? Higher interest rates! As I have said before, I am not in the game of preaching
my view of what's happening with the economy, but it's at least a good idea to know what to expect. Those who remember the
Reagan years will know what it means to operate a business when interest rates are running as high as 22 percent.
CRUISER Sales Forecast
Calendar Year 2009
Fortunately, that period didn't last too long, but it sure hurt both sides of the selling-and-buying equation of motorcycles,
ATVs, scooters, personal watercraft and — well, you get the idea. Why the high interest rates? Inflation! Nothing is feared
more by the government, by consumer-based companies or by Wall Street companies (depending on which side of the equation they
are playing).
SPORTBIKE Sales Forecast Calendar Year 2009
So much for the sense of dollars. The sale of products in the powersports industry hasn't been especially encouraging, even
though it has been only a while since double-digit sales increases were still encouraging buyers and sellers alike. We still
have double-digits, but now they're colored red, and they aren't just for the cash-strapped manufacturers — it's across the
board in too many categories for us to be comfortable.
RSS
Follow Us
