8 • October 2026 • Powersports Business

One of the nation’ s largest and fastest-growing powersports retailers, Sonic Automotive, continued its record-setting tradition at the country’ s largest motorcycle event, the 86th annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, after selling 1,135 bikes.

The total included a record 511 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles, securing Black Hills Harley-Davidson as the No. 1 Harley-Davidson dealership in the nation for year-todate new motorcycle sales, the company said in a statement.

During last year’ s Sturgis Rally, Sonic’ s five dealerships in the Black Hills topped the 1,110−bike mark during the 10−day event. This year, Sonic says it deployed more than 1,200 new and pre-owned motorcycles across its Black Hills locations.

“ What we accomplished represents far more than another record at the Rally,” says David Smith, Sonic Automotive chairman and CEO.“ It validates the strategy behind the platform we are building: expanding our Harley-Davidson footprint, investing in the selection riders want, and giving our teammates the scale and support to execute at the highest level.

KEY FACTS

• Record retail performance: 1,135 new and pre-owned motorcycles sold, Sonic’ s highest rally sales volume to date.

• Record new-motorcycle sales: 511 new Harley-Davidson motorcycles sold during the rally.

• Sturgis Harley-Davidson: 348 new and pre-owned motorcycles sold, a dealership record.

• Rally operating scale: More than 550 Sonic Powersports teammates deployed across five Black Hills locations.

Riders gather at Sturgis Harley-Davidson, which achieved a dealership record of 348 new and pre-owned motorcycle sales.( Photos: Sturgis Automotive)

“ Sturgis is the Super Bowl of motorcycle retail, and our team came ready to compete,” says Jeff Dyke, president of Sonic Automotive.“ We brought more motorcycles, more teammates, and more resources to the Black Hills than ever before.”

Dyke adds that the company will continue with this strategy to maximize sales, not just at Sturgis, but at other major motorcycling events like Daytona Bike Week— a key benefit, he says, of having a diverse dealership portfolio throughout the country.

Across Sonic’ s six-state powersports portfolio, Harley dealerships represent a little more than half, including nine full-service Harley-Davidson dealerships and four H-D retail locations focused on apparel and accessories.

In a recent Ride Report, the Motorcycle Industry Council cites a University of Michigan study showing consumers’ growing caution about spending in the upcoming months, which it says could hurt the powersports market.

The University of Michigan’ s Surveys of Consumers showed the Index of Consumer Sentiment falling 6.3 % in August and down 11.2 % from a year ago. Consumers also said they expressed greater concern about future business conditions and the cost of living. The Conference board also found that year-ahead inflation expectations rose, and consumers are generally less optimistic about the future.

WHAT IT MEANS The survey results point to a declining economic

The survey results point to a declining economic environment for discretionary purchases such as powersports vehicles.( AIgenerated image)

environment for discretionary purchases such as powersports vehicles. MIT says that consumer attitu des

See Economy, Page 9