Industry new unit retail sales have dropped close to 11 percent in the first three quarters of 2008 compared to the year-ago period, according to Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) data.

Included in that drop was a rough September, where new unit sales dropped more than 23 percent compared to September 2007, according to the MIC report. The report only includes MIC-member manufacturers and does not take into account UTV or new entry OEM sales.

For the year to date, on-road motorcycle sales, which represent the largest MIC retail category, is down 2.1 percent from a year ago. ATV sales, however, have declined 25 percent and off-road motorcycle sales have dropped by a similar percentage.

For more on the first-quarter report, see a future edition of Powersports Business.

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