With struggling sales closing dealerships across America, it’s hard to understand the optimism coming from the rest of the riding world.

Motorcycle sales were considered as making a turn for the better in Australia when industry experts released the final numbers for 2010. The same could be said in Britain.

Although sales figures were still declining, they didn’t decline as much as previous years, causing some to call it a good sign for the upcoming year.

But is this the turnaround hoped for from the manufacturer's factories to the dealership's showroom's or just a wonderful example of biker optimism?

"The market showed early signs of a recovery in the last quarter of 2010 providing us with some hope of a turnaround in the New Year," FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar said. Official figures released by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) show that 105,766 motorcycles, scooters and all-terrain vehicles were sold last year - a decrease of 8.9 per cent (10,354 units) over 2009.

And while they aren’t as robust as the sales increases seen in India and other relatively new markets currently the apple of motorcycle manufacturers eyes, England might be enjoying two-wheeled comeback as well.

Motorcycle registration statistics released by the Motor Cycle Industry Association (MCI) for the end of 2010 show that despite battling against the economic recession and bad weather the figures aren’t all bad news.

Once again, experts are taking the ‘glass half-full’ approach judging motorcycle sales and where they ended compared to where the figures started. Industry experts in the United Kingdom note the beginning of 2010 started with a 41% drop in total registrations, however over the year a gradual slowing down of the decline in new powered two-wheeler sales seems enough to give hope to many.

The official finish to 2010? Total number of registrations was only down 14% compared to 2009.

For the reasoning for the enthusiastic optimism, one has to look beyond the headlines, according to experts who note there are some important trends developing in motorcycling.

For example, there is a growing interest in the use of motorcycles for commuting, something that could become even more popular if gas prices once again experienced a significant increase.

A reason given for the growth in England is the ‘Get On’ campaign driven by the British motorcycle industry which encourages everyday people to consider motorcycles and scooters as a form of transportation.

“The industry’s Get On campaign is helping more new riders start to enjoy the practical and financial benefits of riding on two wheels,” explains Steve Kenward, MCI’s CEO, “Since the campaign started 21,000 people have booked a free one-hour ride with a local trainer.”

Many feel the campaign has helped with the upward trend in smaller machines with lower capacity bikes (up to 125cc) gaining a 10.4% increase in their market share. ‘Scooters’ also had a 9.3% increase in their market share in the United Kingdom.

According to recently released figures, overall interest in motorcycling remains strong in Britain and the most recent Government statistics show that there were 1.3 million motorcycles licensed for use on the road, a significant increase of 77% since 1995.

“Although the motorcycle industry has been battling the problems associated with a poor economy and the exceptionally bad weather, the industry as a whole is not in decline,” Steve Kenward, MCI’s CEO notes, “It currently employs 65,000 people and generates annual turnover of more than £2 billion to the UK economy.”

For American riders, a better idea of how kind 2010 was to motorcycle manufacturers will become clearer by the end of January when both Harley-Davidson and Polaris Industries (parent company of Victory Motorcycles) releases their year-end financial information. This report not only includes the companies own sales figures but also cites industry trends and information.

While not new motorcycle sales, NADAguides announced earlier this week that its motorcycle sections experienced more visitors, seven percent more to be precise, compared to the year before. This increase of web traffic, and more importantly interest is contrary to the decrease in sales of more than 15 percent reported by the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC).

However, none of those results may matter to some who are happy to find optimism in the simplest of observations.

"To sell more than 100,000 motorcycles in any year is a good outcome," Australia's FCAI Chief Executive Andrew McKellar recently considered.