Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers Revenue Benchmarks
The average motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers business in the United States generates $4.4M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 5,952 motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers businesses in the U.S., employing 70,809 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers Business Actually Do?
Motorcycle and powersports dealers — motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, personal watercraft. Franchise-heavy (Harley, Honda, Polaris).
Who buys: Enthusiasts, recreational riders, commuters (motorcycles).
Average Revenue
$4.4M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$371K
per year
Total Businesses
5,952
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$176K
small business avg
Labor Cost
14.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.8
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers Charge?
Motorcycle and powersports dealers earn on new/used plus parts, apparel, and service.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
New motorcycle gross margin | 10–20% |
Used motorcycle gross per unit | $1,000–4,000 |
Apparel/gear markup | 40–80% |
Service labor rate | $100–150/hour |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $61 | $2.7M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $14 | $617K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $8 | $362K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $181K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $8 | $362K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $176K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
6.46%
openings/year
Closure Rate
6.88%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-0.56%
annual
Businesses Closed
734
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
16 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers business do?
- Motorcycle and powersports dealers — motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, personal watercraft. Franchise-heavy (Harley, Honda, Polaris). Enthusiasts, recreational riders, commuters (motorcycles).
- How much do motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers charge?
- Motorcycle and powersports dealers earn on new/used plus parts, apparel, and service. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers make per year?
- The average motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers business generates $4.4M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $176K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers businesses are there in the US?
- There are 5,952 motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 70,809 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers business?
- Startup costs for a motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -0.6%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 6.5% and 6.9% respectively.
Approximately 70% of motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 734 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The motorcycle, atv, and all other motor vehicle dealers industry has declined 13% since 2000 (from 12,174 to 10,610 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Motorcycle, ATV, and All Other Motor Vehicle Dealers revenue with other industries: