Has the improbable happened?

Could you imagine a day when the average Harley-Davidson franchise dealership is selling over the course of a year more used units than new units?

If this was just a year or two ago, that scenario probably would seem pretty far-fetched. But today, it’s probably reality. Sources who have a keen handle on the industry’s wholesale business tell Powersports Business that 2010 may mark a watershed year where that scenario happens for the first time ever on a national scale.

Of course, it’s too early to tell if that’s merely conjecture, but the fact that it’s possible tells you just how much the industry’s unit sales landscape has changed in the past couple of years.

What’s equally apparent is that this wave of increased used business really stands to only heighten in intensity for the industry at-large in the next year. Consider that for the bulk of the industry, this portion of their business has been limited by the size of their checkbook. There are, for most dealers, very few options for flooring of used units.

We see that changing in the coming year. And when it does, can you imagine what that used-to-new ratio will look like then?