By many accounts, the annual growth in motorcycle audio sales appears to be stalling, as some vendors and retailers report flat or lower sales.
Vendors are challenged by an increasingly crowded market as many new brands have entered the segment.
Also, Harley-Davidson’s shift to a digital audio bus for late 2023 and up bikes has left many retailers without the tools and expertise to work on them.
Higher tariffs and price tags are also putting a damper on sales.
Adrenaline Autosound, Clayton, NC said motorcycle sales are down, and fewer people are inquiring about it. But part of that may be the shop is focusing more on traditional car audio. “I think I have just placed more priority on the automotive side of things,” said Dave Evans.
Car Tunes, Detroit MI also stepped back from motorcycle audio. It found a high rate of returns as customers were blowing out their systems. Said owner Mark Constantakis, “The customer pulls up with blown speakers and wants you to stop everything and fix them on the spot or they will go somewhere else.” Customers are basically cranking up the speakers for bragging rights, he said. The chain de-emphasized the category about three years ago. That said, Car Tunes is now trying out a different brand.
Proline Car Stereo, Brooklyn, NY said motorcycle audio sales are flat. Columbus Car Audio said sales in the category are down about 10 to 15 percent. Soundcrafters, FL agreed that motorcycle audio is not showing growth. Owner Paul Papadeas blames the economy. Customers are now asking for piecemeal jobs rather than full blown new systems due to people keeping a closer tab on their wallets. The same is true in marine audio, he said.
Diamond Audio said sales had been flat, but it is starting to see an uptick as the popular Sturgis Rally nears (August 1-10 in South Dakota).
Sound of Tri-State, DE said sales are flat, but it is also looking to a Harley rally in Ocean City, MD in September for a boost in sales.
Harley rallies can attract up to hundreds of thousands of bikers for the top events, and have become key sales drivers in recent years as vendors and retailers set up pop up sales/installation centers at the events.
Bucking the trend is Soundstream, which, after some adjustments, kept prices at the same level as before the tariff hike in April. Sales took off, it said. “It’s what the retailer customer is willing to pay. We are going to eat the whole tariff. But if the tariff goes up, we’ll have to add it to the product.”
Carlos Ramirez, of NVS Audio, NJ, a leading motorcycle audio retailer and technician, also said sales are up. He noted that the shop has invested in the tools and knowledge to work on the newer Harley models, which other shops might turn away.
Also Cicada, a dedicated motorcycle audio company said it’s sales have exceeded projections by 50 percent.
NOTE: Since we posted the story, we’ve received a number of additional comments on sales. Hertz said sales are up by high double digits.
Tunes N Tint, FL said, “We too have seen a lot of growth in the motorcycle category. We added an entire division dedicated to rallies. We do Sturgis, Bike Week, Myrtle Beach, Panama City, Laconia and a handful of others,” according to Joe Cassity.
We welcome comments on your motorcycle audio sales this year.
Shops that cater to the lower end customers will always take the biggest hit during a slowdown. On the other hand, shops that cater to the high end customers who buy without asking the price, tend to roll through the slowdowns mostly unaffected. Their clients are well off with funds for those rainy days.
My business in general has hit a wall. I have done one total motorcycle this summer, for an LED lighting kit. Gave maybe one quote so far to someone with a bike. Pretty rough times.
Cicada Audio has and continues to see exponential growth.. full steam ahead!
Believe nothing of what you hear, and half of what you see.
Soundcrafters bike system sales have always been stable, but somewhat lower than we care to see them. A lot of our bike work is more about service to messed up systems done elsewhere. Several shops are selling / installing 2nd tier products that do not fare well. Bikers buy them cheaply, many claim they never got great consultation/presentation, they’re buying the price. They come to us for remedy which, many times, leads to supplemental sales, and a “farewell” to crap…
This news is unsurprising, given the significant advantage that RF enjoys, plus the large number of other brands now in this space, chasing an ultimately limited and clearly declining domestic niche market. That inescapable reality, coupled with the huge economic uncertainty and Tariffs tumult we have witnessed this Spring and Summer, is bound to negatively impact business.
Hertz has high double digit grown in the Motorcycle category.