There were more than 11.6 million motorcycles in use throughout the U.S. last year, contributing to a $48 billion industry according to the 2024 Motorcycle Industry Council Statistical Annual. There are also 10,690 dealerships employing 116,000+ dedicated powersports professionals in their stores. Let that sink in for a second.
“This is the industry’s most comprehensive assessment of the U.S. motorcycle market, from examining the market volume, to motorcycle usage, motorcycle owner profiles, and more,” states Scott Schloegel, Acting President and CEO of the MIC. “Having it available now makes more sense for our members. They can use the data to make more informed decisions at the start of the year to help their businesses succeed.”
“We are a nearly $48 billion industry, with more than 10,000 retail outlets in all 50 states, employing more than 100,000 people,” Schloegel said. “We are a consequential industry that provides important transportation options for work and is the third largest contributor to the outdoor recreation economy.”
“The Stat Annual is packed with data that gives a good reflection of what motorcycling is like in the United States,” adds Buckner Nesheim, Director, Research & Statistics for the MIC. “For example, if you look under motorcycle population data, you can find population and penetration by state and region. In the Northeast, there’s an estimated 3.2 motorcycles per 100 persons. In the West, we’re looking at 3.9 motorcycles per 100 persons. Texas has 2.6 motorcycles per 100 persons, Tennessee has 3.2, and Wyoming has 7.3.”
The Stat Annual offers additional insights and information, including: interest in technologies (communications systems, navigation, and apps), on-highway and off-highway requirements for motorcycles by state, rider surveys, rider training, dealer associations, notes Nesheim. “There’s also marketshare data, new motorcycle sales by model type, a comparison of new unit registrations vs. used, information on the economic value of the industry, the number of motorcycle retail outlets by state and employee payroll, and more,”
The MIC Statistical Annual is free for MIC members. Non-members can purchase the report for $3,000. Keep up with the industry association on X @followMIC, online at MIC.org and through the weekly MIC RideReport.