Slumping sales aren't, apparently, a factor of four wheels and some doors -- motorcycles and scooters have been hit brutally hard, according to a new piece in the Los Angeles Times.

After 14 years of steady growth (ending in 2006, but not precipitously so that year or the following), sales of 2-wheel vehicles have been in free fall. Second-quarter sales fell 53.5 percent year-over-year, followed by a 37.3 percent drop in the third quarter of this year.  Harley-Davidson reported an astonishing 84 percent decline in quarterly earnings, recently shuttered its Buell sport-bike line and is looking to sell the high-end Italian MV Augusta line it bought last year. Victory is down 56 percent from July to September; Ducati 30 percent. Scooter sales are down 62 percent through the first three quarters.

An interesting take-away from all this, though, is that -- like the automobile industry -- the scooter and motorcycle companies are working very, very hard to attract new customers. If you're in the market, it's a great time to take advantage of recent deals; for example:

• Ducati is now giving its customers a full year of free scheduled maintenance.
• Victory upped its warranty to five years to show "significant confidence" to buyers.
• Twice in the past year, Harley-Davidson offered an incentive program in which buyers of the new Sportster model could get the full retail price credit if trading in for a more expensive model.
• Piaggio Group Americas, which sells Vespa scooters, is offering a 7.9 percent, 36-month loan.
• A federal stimulus program is in place that lets new buyers write off the sales tax of a motorcycle.
  

Considering that peak riding season is over for most of the country (meaning better deals), that most motorcycles enjoy excellent fuel economy versus regular cars, and that the monthly cost of owning a scooter is, according to the American Automobile Association, $300 versus an average of $750 for an automobile, it could be a good time to look into a scooter or motorcycle. And don't forget the helmet.