www. PowersportsBusiness. com

Powersports Business • August 2025 • 23

BY BRENDAN BAKER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As new-unit powersports sales plateau in 2025, one sector of the industry is accelerating: pre-owned. And nowhere is that momentum clearer than through the auction lanes of National Powersport Auctions( NPA), long a bellwether for used powersport values, trends, and dealer behavior.

At the halfway point of the year, the story of the pre-owned market is one of resilience, value, and opportunity, driven by economic headwinds, smarter dealers, and the evolving preferences of riders nationwide.

NEW-UNIT SLOWDOWN The U. S. powersports industry has faced a series of headwinds this year. New-unit sales across key segments— street bikes, ATVs, scooters, and side-by-sides— have declined due to tightening consumer credit, inflation-driven caution, and lingering inventory imbalances. According to Statistical Surveys( SSI) data, new-unit retail fell nearly 8 % in April 2025 alone.

But while new sales slow, used powersports vehicles are gaining ground. April 2025 saw used sales rise 2.04 % year-overyear, led by categories like UTVs, dual-sport motorcycles, and touring bikes. That uptick isn’ t isolated— it’ s part of a larger shift in consumer behavior and dealership strategy.

THE PRE-OWNED ENGINE Much of the story can be seen in real time through NPA, which serves a majority of the franchised powersports dealers in the U. S. In its March and April updates, NPA reported average wholesale prices( AWP) increasing across several categories, especially domestic cruisers, UTVs, and marine units. Their NPA Value Guide tool— a data-driven valuation platform built on over 20 years of historical auction data— has helped dealers dial in smarter bidding, better margins, and faster turnarounds.

SEGMENT HOTSPOTS Based on NPA’ s internal auction tracking and SSI retail trends, here’ s where preowned is performing best:

• Used UTVs: + 13.8 % YoY in April 2025. Still the king of used growth.

• Dual-sport motorcycles: + 7.2 %. Great value, growing popularity.

• Used touring bikes: + 3.9 %. Especially for older riders looking for comfort at a discount.

• Motocross dirt bikes: + 2.9 %. Youth and amateur racing keep demand steady.

• RV & Marine crossovers: NPA sold more than 600 RV units at June auctions alone.

These aren’ t just data points, they’ re revenue streams for dealerships watching margins shrink on the new side.

WHY PRE-OWNED IS WORKING Five clear trends are driving the shift toward used so far in 2025: 1. Affordability: Used units are simply more cost-effective, and come with more predictable financing in today’ s high-interest climate.

2. Inventory access: While new units face delayed shipments or floorplan constraints, used inventory is flowing freely through NPA’ s auctions and direct-buy programs.

3. Higher Margins: According to NPA, profit margins on used units are usually higher than on new models, especially when combined with reconditioning and accessories.

4. Digital Discovery: More consumers are shopping online and filtering for price, availability, and reliability, making used units more competitive than ever.

5. Smarter Tools: Platforms like NPA’ s Value Guide and real-time lane tracking help dealers bid accurately and adjust quickly in volatile market conditions. Thanks to NPA’ s live and weekly auctions, franchise and independent dealers alike are accessing units that align with their local riding communities, even if they’ re outside their core OEM relationships.

DEALER BEHAVIOR Dealers that traditionally focused on OEM new-unit programs are now turning to pre-owned to backfill their showrooms with specific price point inventory that turns quickly. Thanks to NPA’ s live and weekly auctions, franchise and independent dealers alike are UTVs, golf carts, PWCs, and small accessing units that align with their RVs are showing steady traction and local riding communities, even if they’ re end-user demand, especially in regions outside their core OEM relationships. driven by outdoor recreation. And it’ s not just motorcycles and ATVs. See NPA, Page 25

• Complete, Mobile-Friendly CRM

• Automated Marketing Tools

• Online Reputation Management Suite

• Major OEM Integrations

• Built-in Unlimited Texting and More!

TrafficLogPro. com | 727-241-4633

» Smart Inventory Management » Automated Tasks & Smart Notifications » Turn a Quote into a Sale in One Click » Responsive, Easy-to-Use Website » Control Your Entire Dealership from

One Dashboard

DEMO TODAY( 800) 700-4391 www. DX1app. com

Lead Manager | Sales | Parts | Service | Website | Accounting | Marketing Tools