Motorcycle Buying Interest Grows With Gas Price Woes

NADAguides.com says interest in motorcycles increases as commuters seek
two-wheel alternatives.

COSTA MESA, Calif., April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Motorcycle buying interest at
NADAguides.com (http://www.NADAguides.com) increased 48 percent in March 2008
compared to March 2007, even though sales of motorcycles were down over seven
percent at the end of 2007, with NADAguides.com estimating sluggish sales so
far this year. The company, a vehicle pricing and information website, says
it believes this growth in interest -- in spite of lackluster sales -- is an
indicator consumers are increasingly considering motorcycles as 'daily
drivers' versus luxury purchases as concern grows over soaring fuel prices.
The company defines an increase in motorcycle buying interest as the
number of new motorcycle prices provided to consumers at its website, with
analysis for this study comparing data from March 2007 to March 2008.
Lenny Sims, motorcycle editor and vice president of operations at
NADAguides.com, says this increase in interest comes on the heels of a recent
report by the federal Energy Information Administration that predicts
consumers will pay an average of $3.54 per gallon of gas this summer driving
season (April through September 2008), up a whopping 61 cents from last
year -- with gasoline prices in some parts of the country expected to cross
the $4 per gallon threshold.
"We believe the current state of the economy, coupled with recent summer
fuel price predictions, has caused consumer mindset about motorcycles to
shift," said Sims. "In our opinion, motorcycles have become attractive
options as primary vehicles for daily drivers -- due to their fuel efficiency
-- and are no longer considered just a luxury, 'secondary-vehicle' purchase."
Sims says this increase in buying interest, spurred by an interest in
motorcycle fuel economy, should help offset sales declines of on-highway bikes
in the coming months, as consumers who research motorcycle values at
NADAguides.com -- and who use the company's motorcycle buying guide to compare
bikes and to obtain specification information -- are typically in the 30 to
90-day purchasing cycle.
According to NADAguides.com, motorcycle buying interest in March 2008 was
spread across a variety of bikes and scooters that the company has organized
into three separate categories -- Most Researched Short-Range Commuters, Most
Researched Mid-Range Commuters and Most Researched Long-Range Commuters.
Short-range commuters, according to NADAguides.com, are ideal for short
back-and-forth jaunts, used predominantly on surface streets. Mid-range
commuters are ideal for driving moderate distances, either on surface streets
or highways. Long-range commuters are ideal for driving long distances,
predominantly on highways.
Most Researched Short-Range Commuters

1. Yamaha Majesty 400
2. Honda Silver Wing(TM)
3. Suzuki Burgman 400

Most Researched Mid-Range Commuters

1. Honda Shadow Spirit 750
2. Suzuki Boulevard S50
3. Kawasaki Vulcan 500

Most Researched Long-Range Commuters

1. Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard
2. Honda Gold Wing Airbag
3. Yamaha Royal Star Venture

Sims emphasizes the fact that while NADAguides.com categorized its most
researched vehicles into three separate categories for reporting purposes,
there are many different types of bikes featuring many different body styles,
engine sizes, equipment and price tags that could be considered ideal
candidates no matter the commuting distance.
"Not only do motorcycles offer drivers an economical daily driving option,
there are many different types of bikes available in a variety of different
pricing categories," said Sims. "When it comes to motorcycling, consumers
have plenty of choices."
About NADAguides.com
N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides (NADAguides.com) is the world's largest
publisher of vehicle pricing and specification information for new and used
cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs, as well as van conversions, limousines, classic
and collectible cars, boats, RVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal
watercraft and manufactured housing. The company's consumer website,
NADAguides.com (http://www.NADAguides.com), offers a variety of new and used
vehicle services in addition to valuation information. Throughout its 75-year
history, N.A.D.A. Appraisal Guides has earned the reputation as the recognized
authority for vehicle valuations. Its website, NADAguides.com, is the most
comprehensive vehicle information resource on the Internet today.
SOURCE NADAguides.com

Jennifer Lange of NADAguides.com, +1-949-916-4820, cell, +1-949-375-2350,
jlange@nadaguides.com