H. Yoo
Research expert covering South Korea
Motorcycle industry in the United States - statistics & facts
With the first U.S. model produced by the Metz Company in 1898, motorized two-wheelers have become a staple in the United States and global vehicle market. The global motorcycle market was estimated to grow from 158 billion U.S. dollars to nearly 180 billion in 2030 as the market continues to recover from the revenue decline recorded at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. This rebound was somewhat dampened amid supply chain issues in 2022.
In 2023, the United States motorcycle, bicycle, and parts manufacturing gross output reached around 8.4 billion U.S. dollars, a year-over-year increase of approximately 7.4 percent. While sales climbed slightly, the average price of two-wheelers remained relatively stable.
California records highest number of motorcycles
At over 6 billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2025, on-road motorcycles were the best-selling segment in the U.S. motorcycle market, dwarfing their off-road and scooter counterparts. On-road motorcycles represented over 90 percent of sales value that year. The cruiser was the leading on-road motorcycle type in the country, which recorded about 3.6 million motorcycles of this type in circulation at the beginning of 2023. As of 2024, most motorcycle owners resided in New York, where over 794,800 motorcycles were registered. Other states with large numbers of motorcycles included California, Florida, and Arkansas. Arizona was the state recording the highest average annual motorcycle insurance premium in the U.S. as of 2024, at just over 1,000 U.S. dollars per year.
Harley-Davidson and its competitors
Wisconsin–based Harley-Davidson lost its position as the leading motorcycle manufacturer in the U.S. market to its main competitor Honda in recent years. In addition to Honda, Harley-Davidson's key competitors are primarily Asian motorcycle brands, including Yamaha and Kawasaki. Honda and Yamaha are also among the leading motorcycle manufacturers worldwide. In the 2025 fiscal year, Honda sold around 20.6 million motorcycles worldwide and about 548,000 to motorcycle shoppers in North America, a significant jump compared to the previous year.
