Sales of Harley-Davidson motorcycles have been declining over the past few years. In 2021, Harley-Davidson sold 126,276 motorcycles in the United States. The most significant decline occurred between 2021 and 2022, when sales fell to 109,190 units. So far, things don’t appear to be improving, with the company’s U.S. sales in the first nine months of 2025 down nearly 20% compared with the same period in 2024.
Declining sales may be a big factor in Harley-Davidson’s loss of dealers across the United States. The brand isn’t the only one experiencing declining sales. The latest data shows that motorcycle sales nationwide are generally on a downward trend. Rider Share says this decline represents a trend of fewer motorcyclists:
“The typical motorcycle owner is getting older every year, and younger generations aren’t replacing them at anywhere near the same rate.
Gen Z and Millennials don’t have the same relationship with motorcycle ownership. It’s not that they don’t think bikes are cool, it’s that they don’t consider owning one a priority with everything vying for their money and attention. “
Honda was the U.S. sales leader in 2024, but sales dropped the following year and the “best-selling” spot was lost to Japan’s Kawasaki Motors. Kawasaki’s sales performance in 2025 was exceptional, with a year-on-year growth of 14.2%, far exceeding Harley-Davidson’s ability to manage.
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Kawasaki’s popular 2025 motorcycle lineup
Kawasaki motocross lineup. -Osandi Yenulya/Shutterstock
Kawasaki produces a variety of popular motorcycles for the 2025 model year. The brand’s product lineup includes off-road vehicles (such as the professional motocross and off-road racing KX models) and off-road models (such as the KLR, KLX and the recently revived KLE500). For new riders, some of the best-selling Kawasaki motorcycles are the Ninja and Vulcan models. Whether you’re on the fence about buying a naked bike or a sportbike for your first motorcycle, or you’re just interested in a cruiser style, Kawasaki has a variety of options available for you.
The advanced 2025 Kawasaki Ninja 7 Hybrid is nearly as good a motorcycle as it gets, but it might take a while to become the sales leader. While it’s based on the Ninja 500 platform, it’s been expanded to accommodate a hybrid drivetrain and weighs 121 pounds more. It has a reverse gear for pulling out of (or into) a parking space and superbike-like acceleration, but it lacks the familiar clutch lever and toe shifter. Despite the Kawasaki’s current popularity, these shortcomings may lead to it being overlooked by the large existing ninja audience.
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