1945-1985 --- Motorcycle Growth

1945 - 198,000 motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1955* - 450,000 motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1958 - Over 500,000 motorcycles registered in the U.S
1962** - 646,000 motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1965*** - 1.4 million motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1970**** - 2.8 million motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1975***** - 5 million motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1985****** - 5.4 million motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1990******* - 3,650,000 million motorcycles registered in the U.S.
1998 - 4,809,000 million motorcycles registered in the U.S.

* 1953 --- Movie The Wild One released
** 1959 --- First Japanese motorcycle manufacturer (Yamaha), enters U.S. market
***1962 --- “You meet the nicest people on a Honda” campaign launched
****1969 --- Stock motorcycles run quarter-mile in less than 13 seconds, 1970 --- Movie Easy Rider released
***** 1972 --- FMVSS 123 standardizes motorcycle controls, 1973 --- MSF created
****** 1978 --- Stock motorcycles run quarter-mile in less than 12 seconds, 1980 --- First International Motorcycle Safety Conference sponsored by MSF, Stock motorcycles run quarter-mile in less than 11 seconds
******* 1986 --- Superbike ban proposed and defeated, Stock motorcycles run quarter-mile in less than 10 seconds