2012 Models
STATE OF SCOOTER SCENE 2012 - PART 2: SALES UP 11.8%
March 18, 2012 -
Part 2 - Scooter Sales Rise Nicely in 2011
USA Scooter sales had been marching higher most every year from 2002 to 2008, with actual sales increasing from about 70,000 scooters up to around 200,000 in the peak year of 2008.
That all changed with the 2009 recession and subsequent lower fuel prices that combined to trigger a pancaking of the scooter market. 2009 sales were a staggering 59% lower than 2008, which led to a huge clog in showrooms as dealers had stocked up for another year like 2008.
Dusty showroom scooters were in everywhere 2010 except in buyers hands, as sales dropped 9.5% further despite the widely available discounts on surplus scoots. 2009 and 2010 combined sold less scooters than 2008. The motorcycling industry in general was hit hard by the recession, but no other segment suffered as hard as scooters.
The pendulum always swings a bit wider with scooters, and thankfully for 2011 it swung the other way. The motorcycling industry in general was stagnant with a 0.3% decline last year, but scooters enjoyed a healthy 11.8% rise. Total sales were still a far cry from the 2006 - 2008 glory days, but over 70,000 scooters found homes last year.
For the first time in several years, the future really does look bright. Dealer inventory from the 2009 collapse is mostly cleared out, the economy might be recovering and even if it doesn’t, gas prices and austerity measures are going to push more people onto scooters in 2012. We could easily see double digit growth again and the scooter market return to six figure sales in 2012. We won’t crack the 2008 record, but we should see a nice increase again which will hopefully be the start of a new era of growth.
As an aside, Piaggio publishes a neat little market brief that describes their North American fortunes. 2011 data isn’t up yet but in 2010 Piaggio is claiming about 28,000 scooters.
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STATE OF SCOOTER SCENE 2012 - PART 1
February 23, 2012 -
Part 1 - A Look At The New and Dead Models for 2012
Part one of this address looks at the new scooter models are set hit the market for 2012. Please use the poll to vote for what you think is the best and most significant new scooter for 2012.
Part two will look back at scooter sales in 2011 and evaluate the health of the scooter market specifically in the context of the larger motorcycle market. It will be another month until the full 2011 data is out, but so far 2011 looks to be a big recovery over the painful recession years (2008, 2009) and the slightly better 2010.
New 2012 Scooters:
Aprilia SR Motard 50 / 125
Genuine Buddy 170i
Genuine Psycho Buddy
Kymco People GT 200 / 300
Kymco New Sento 50 / 110 (Canada Only)
Kymco Agility City (Canada Only
Piaggio Typhoon 125
Yamaha TMAX 530 (Canada Only)
Yamaha Zuma 50F
Honda PCX 125
Kymco Sting 50
Kymco Grandvista 250
Kymco Xciting 250
The scooter scene is in a positive upswing right now and enthusiasm is high for 2012. Scooters sales recovered quite a bit in 2011 (more on that in Part 2) so the back logs of dealer inventory from 2008 and 2009 are now largely cleared out. The only model to die for 2012 without an obvious replacement is Honda’s PCX 125. The PCX strangely makes it three one year wonders in a row for Honda (SH150 & Elite 110 being the other two), which indicates either sales haven’t been good for Honda or they’re indecisive about what they want to offer to North American scooterists.
The other three dropped scooters for 2012 are from Kymco. The Xciting 250 and Grandvista 250 have been replaced in the last year or two by the newer 2011 Downtown 200 / 300 and People GT 200 / 300 scooters that are a big step up technologically. The People GT is perhaps the first truly good looking large wheeled scooter sold in North America. The smaller Sting 50 is just a scooter who’s time has come, with nicer replacements like the Like 50 already introduced a couple years back.
The new scooters for 2012 are an exciting bunch. The Aprilia SR Motard and Piaggio Typhoon 125 are basically the same machines with tweaked styling and an extra 2-stroke 50 motor option for the Aprilia. These scooters don’t break any technological ground, but they do offer great styling and low MSRPs that will reduce the number of value oriented sales that the Taiwanese (Kymco, Genuine/PGO and SYM) have been snagging.
Lastly Yamaha made news in summer 2011 with their early release of the all new 4-stroke Zuma / BWs 50. They played it pretty safe with the styling - choosing to just refine their existing bug eye look rather than try something new. The 4-stroke engine in itself was probably a radical enough change for the Zuma fan base. Having long been known as a peppy 2-stroke that is easily modified, the 4-stroke model will alienate some enthusiasts but attract quite a few more due to it’s increased fuel economy and refinement. While it’s always sad to see one of the last remaining 2-stroke engines go, Yamaha did replace it with perhaps the best 4-stroke 50cc engine on the market right now. No one else can claim to have a fuel injected, liquid cooled 4-stroke engine that uses more than 2-valves.
All told, there are now 52 scooters available to the USA market for 2012 from the eight largest brands which are covered on this site. The number of offerings is the highest its been in a few years and in general the lineups are fresher. With warm weather right around the corner these new models and the annual favourites will by flying out of showrooms soon.
CANADA: NEW YAMAHA TMAX & HONDA RUCKUS RETURNS FOR 2012
December 15, 2011 -
New Generation of Yamaha TMAX and Honda Canada returns with 2012 Ruckus
This week Yamaha Canada quietly updated their website with the addition of the hugely revised and improved 2012 TMAX maxi-scooter. This new generation of TMAX was announced at Milan last month and the updates have really made this a strong sports-maxi scooter. The styling is significantly overhauled and the best news is the reworked motor
Yamaha only briefly offered the earlier generation of TMAX in Canada for 2009, so its been a few years for Canadian fans. Most likely Yamaha USA will announce the new generation of TMAX soon, but since the previous TMAX was offered there in 2011 they likely need a bit more time to clear out dealer stock. This TMAX addition to Yamaha Canada’s 2012 line likely completes their 2012 scooter stable, which began to take shape way back in mid summer with the new BWs/Zuma 50. The full 2012 scooter line from Yamaha Canada is BWs 50, Majesty and TMAX. Curiously missing for 2012 is the BWs 125 (aka Zuma 125).
2012 news is a bit more sparse from Honda Canada, who quietly updated their website today with the 2012 issue of just the Ruckus. Just like Honda USA announced a month ago, the 2012 Ruckus gets no real changes aside from a spiffy new red/white paint option which joins the always popular black color scheme. The 10th anniversary Ruckus (as it’s called only in Japan) is essentially a white Ruckus with a neat red seat and red decals. Canadian MSRP is unchanged from 2011 at $3069. The Ruckus looks to be the only 2012 scooter offering from Honda Canada, although there are still a few dusty 2010 SH150i in showrooms.
2012 KYMCO'S: PEOPLE GT, NEW SENTO & AGILITY CITY
December 12, 2011 -
2012 Kymco Scooters in USA & Canada - New People GT 200 / 300, Agility City and New Sento
Hands down the biggest news for 2012 is the new People GT scooter, which is arriving in 200i & 300i sizes in the USA and just in the 200 variant to the Canadian market. Kymco has really stepped up with this new scooter that replaces the old People S. The new People GT models feature way nicer styling - perhaps the best yet from Kymco and certainly a big step beyond the previous People and People S lines.
These scooters also leap frog past the People S with their advanced new motors. The People S scooters used the same long running motors Kymco has been using for years, while the People GT 300 gets the new 4-valve fuel injected motor also found in the nice Downtown 300i model. The GT 200i scooter gets a new 205cc fuel injected 4-valve motor that it shares with the new smaller 200i sibling to the Downtown 300i. Accordingly, power and fuel milage are both much improved. Check out the People GT and Downtown pages for complete info on these great new models from Kymco.
In the USA, quite a few older or redundant models were dropped for 2012 to make way for these new scooters. Kymco USA has axed the Sting 50 (similar to the Like 50), the 4-stroke Super 8 50 (being outsold by the 2-stroke 50) and the Grandvista 250 and Xciting 250 are gone with the Downtown 300i filling this spot.
Kymco Canada had a less congested line up to being with, so the only casualty for 2012 is the older Sento 50 which is replaced by the New Sento scooters.
2012 HONDA's RELEASED: RUCKUS AND SILVERWING
November 08, 2011 -
2012 Honda Scooters Announced: Ruckus & Silver Wing
The best news for 2012 is ‘10th Anniversary Edition’ of the Ruckus, which gets some special design touches including a classy red seat. Honda USA isn’t calling this Ruckus a 10th anniversary model, but this same color scheme was announced by Honda Japan (who designed this scooter) as a 10th anniversary model two months ago. Honda USA is calling this a White/Red Ruckus and it joins Black as the second color option for 2012. The White/Red Ruckus is essentially a white Ruckus (sold in 2006) but with a red seat and red side decals. Look for it in showrooms in February.
On the other end of the scooter spectrum, Honda’s steady selling Silverwing scooter will be around for another year (its 11th). No new colors are being made available for this scoot, so your choices for 2012 will be black, black or black.
The Elite 110 and SH150 are two Honda scooters that had already taken a year off after being only offered in 2010. Since these scooters weren’t announced for 2012, that pretty much confirms Honda isn’t going to sell those scooters here again. That’s really too bad, as the Elite 110 is a really nice little Honda. It’s got all the right attributes of a good Honda scooter - physically small size, clean styling, modern engine and lots of well engineered aspects like the storage areas.
Finally, all hope can now be extinguished for the return of Honda’s Metropolitan / Jazz scooter, having most recently been offered in 2009. The only Honda scooter to ever return the North American market after 3+ years away is the Helix, which accomplished this feat twice (not sold 1988 - 1991 and 2001 - 2003). The absence of the Met leaves a hole in Honda’s thin lineup. Hopefully we’ll see some new great small scooters from Honda for 2013.
2012 HONDA SCOOTER LINEUP PREDICTIONS
September 10, 2011 -
Honda Scooter Lineup Predictions for 2012
I do expect we’ll see the PCX 125 return as Honda has high hopes for that scooter as a world wide model and it is indeed a great scooter. Scooter sales were slower in 2011 though, so it’s possible Honda will skip a year. The Elite 110 is a tough call, because this is a great little scooter but it also overlaps a lot with the PCX 125.
One of these years the long-running Silverwing is going to get the axe, but it has avoided being dropped for a decade now so I bet it’ll hold on for another year yet. Since Honda doesn’t really have a replacement for it, most likely the Silverwing will return with the usual new color offering and continue to sell at low numbers.
The most interesting area for 2012 is the 50cc segment. The Metropolitan wasn’t sold for 2010 or 2011, but Honda definitely needs to fill this spot (50cc aimed at urban/retro/female riders) in it’s lineup now that existing dealer inventories are pretty much depleted, so I think we’ll either see the return of the Met or a replacement sometime in the next year or two. My guess is we’ll get something new, but not until 2013 or later. I think the safest bet for 2012 is that the rugged Ruckus will again be offered because Honda has little else like it and it’s a popular scooter every year. The Ruckus design is long paid off and I think it’ll continue to be sold until sales eventually drop too low...which could be many years away.
Honda Canada usually has a very similar lineup as Honda USA, so we can learn a bit from the situation there. In Canada, the SH150 and Jazz (same scooter as Metropolitan) are both being cleared out a steep discounts (ie. $1000 off a Jazz) so it’s pretty clear these scoots aren’t coming back to Canada or likely to the USA. The Silverwing is also completely gone from Honda Canada’s website (last offered for 2009 there) so it’s days are likely numbered in the USA as well.
So without further ado, my predication for Honda’s 2012 Scooter Lineup is: Ruckus, PCX 125 and Silverwing. I’d love to see a 50cc replacement for the Met which is going to be less retro and more modern - perhaps the Honda Today or Giorno - but I don’t think that’s going to happen until 2013 or 2014. While I’m at it, I’ll guess Honda USA’s 2013 lineup is going to be Ruckus, new modern styled 50cc and PCX 125.
Besides the soon to be hugely popular Dio, of course they would keep the Ruckus, but please upgrade it to the fuel injected, 4 valve engine found in Europe. Maybe the carb can stay to make working it easier, but please give us 4 valves for a little more power.
The Elite 110 would stay because it’s a great little Honda and so would the PCX 125. Fleshing out Honda’s lineup would be the nice 250cc Forza. The Forza is an awesome new model that looks a lot like a big brother to the PCX 125. I’d be fine to see the Silverwing go away for a year or two (or maybe try offering the Silverwing 400 GT instead to mix it up). The Silverwing has been a good scooter but it’s due for a redesign. If Honda isn’t going to give it any attention then they axe it.
The Metropolitan could stay, but I’d rather Honda mixed it up for a couple year and offered us the Today or Giorno that are sold overseas. For a look at some of the fine scooters Honda offers overseas, check out Honda’s Japan Lineup.
NEW YAMAHA ZUMA / BWs 50 FOR 2012
August 19, 2011 -
New Yamaha’s for 2012
It’s now mid-August, which means we’re only a couple months away from the main period of announcements for the 2012 scooter lineups from the major manufacturers. Yamaha has early announced their new 2012 Zuma 50 / BWs 50, so check out that page for complete information on that new model.
The other early Yamaha news for 2012 is the return of Majesty, which was missing for 2011. Sometime in September or October, we can expect to learn which existing Yamaha scooters will continue to make the cut for 2012.
Honda has been a bit more unpredictable in recent years, but traditionally they announce their 2012 scooter lineup in the first week of October. You can be sure all the information will be here when it happens. I’ll also be keeping a close eye on every other manufacturer to get the news posted as soon as it happens.
Scoot safe.