Think America and motorcycles, and almost instantly, you’re bound to think of Harley-Davidson – such is the cultural weight the brand has carried for more than a century. But here’s the surprise: the Milwaukee-based bikemaker is no longer America’s top-selling motorcycle company. In fact, it’s not even second.
That honor belongs to Kawasaki, of all manufacturers, which now wears the crown, secured through an impressive 14.2% year-on-year sales increase.
Harley-Davidson’s recent struggles were always bound to hurt the brand, but not many would have predicted the extent of the impact. A significant slump in revenue, coupled with the infamous boardroom drama, meant Harley slipped from the second spot to third – all while losing a staggering 15.9% in sales compared to the corresponding period last year.
So who’s in second? That spot is taken by Honda, last year’s top-selling American motorcycle brand. Despite posting a 3% rise at the start of 2025 compared with the previous year, the Japanese manufacturer ultimately recorded an 8% drop in sales. It seems Harley wasn’t the only brand seeing red lately.
This is per a report from MotorCyclesData, which compiled year-to-date sales through September. It’s worth noting that these numbers come during one of the toughest financial periods in recent memory.
US motorcycle sales for the first half of 2025 are down by more than 9%, which the worst start to a year in the last decade. The third quarter remained in the red, though at a slower pace of -0.5%, with year-to-date sales through September down 6.5% from last year. All this for a two-wheeler market that is the 14th largest in the world and historically one of the most resilient.
Interestingly, the US is one of the few markets where Kawasaki is performing well. Globally, the brand has been facing declining numbers. Southeast Asia, which is responsible for nearly 40% of Kawasaki’s worldwide market, saw sales drop sharply by about 15% in the first half of 2025.
So what worked in the USA? The brand’s Ninja and Vulcan range of motorcycles proved pivotal. Both the Vulcan S and the small-bore Ninja sportbikes (500 and 650) have been popular choices for a big chunk of the market.
Following closely behind the top three are Yamaha in fourth (down by 0.4%) and KTM in fifth (down by a mammoth 23.8%). Indian Motorcycle (up by 4.9%), Suzuki (down by 13.7%), and BMW (down by 10.8%) close the rankings in sixth, seventh, and eighth spots, respectively.
Spot the trend? Reliable Japanese manufacturers occupy two of the top three positions, and three of the top five. In total, of the eight motorcycle brands in the study, half are Japanese.
What does this tell us? Buyers appear to be prioritizing reliable, well-built motorcycles over homegrown brands that may offer more power but sit at a significantly higher price point. All the Japanese manufacturers on this list offer affordable, dependable models that undercut their American and European rivals.
Case in point: the cheapest bikes from Kawasaki, Honda, and Yamaha – the Ninja 500, XR150L, and V Star 250 – cost US$5,399, $3,299, and $4,799, respectively. In comparison, Harley-Davidson and Indian Motorcycle’s most affordable models, the Nightster and Scout Sixty, both start at $9,999. Meanwhile, BMW’s aging G 310 R costs $5,195, has sold in modest numbers, and is likely to be discontinued next year.
Also worth mentioning: brands like Royal Enfield and CFMoto continue to gain traction in the US for the very same reasons – solid build quality at a fraction of Western competitors’ pricing. And for buyers at the opposite end of the spectrum, Ducati, MV Agusta, and the newly revitalized Norton remain strong options for a true premium purchase.
All told, American motorcycle manufacturers need to step up if they want to remain competitive in an increasingly crowded market, or risk being forgotten in the annals of motorcycling history.
Source: MotorCyclesData
