"That market has collapsed completely, " said Galbraith. The cost of ownership for even the smallest bikes has rocketed in recent years. Insurance for a 49cc scooter costing less than 2,000 can be as much as 3,000 for a young biker on a provisional licence in Dublin.

Insurance companies AON/Axa and Carole Nash cite the risks and poor safety record for Irish motorcyclists as the reason for the high premiums.

Galbraith and the Association of Irish Motorcycle Importers and Distributors (AIMID), the industry lobby group, say insurance costs for bikers are disproportionately high because of a lack of competition. "I firmly believe these companies are making huge profits, " he said.

Equally, however, there is no denying that the poor safety record of Irish motorcyclists is a major factor in those high premiums. Motorcyclists represent only 2% of licensed vehicles on Irish roads but account for 12% of road deaths. Galbraith accepts that the industry needs to do more to promote road safety among its customer base.

"We haven't been responsible for getting good motorcyclists on the road.

In the past a customer was going into a shop, the dealer was ringing up the insurance company, insuring him there and then, he was getting a new bike and then walking out the door with a helmet on his head having no instruction, " he said.

Dealers now take safety a lot more seriously. Honda, for example, is funding 2,500 motorcycle simulators which will be installed across its dealer network to ensure that all new customers receive basic instruction before even test-driving a bike.

Galbraith said the industry hopes new legislation to make compulsory basic training a legal requirement will make a difference to the lamentable road safety statistics, and to insurance costs.

In the meantime AIMID has made representations to the two insurers, Axa and Carole Nash, and has tried to encourage other insurers to enter the market. Despite the distributors' belief that the two motorcycle insurers are milking the Irish market, however, no other insurance companies have taken the bait.

Asked why, if the Irish market is so lucrative only two insurers deem it worth their while, Galbraith said that in overall terms the pie is still relatively small.

Honda, for instance, sells about 1,000 new bikes a year in Ireland and claims to be the market leader, with a 40% share. Motorbike sales peaked in 2001, when 6,919 new vehicles were sold. Last year that number was down to 3,240.

Harley-Davidson, by contrast, reports that its Waterford Harley is on target to shift 120 bikes this year, but is working to a different sales model. "All our '06 models were bought and pre-deposited in '05", said Burns.

The bikes, which range in price from just under 10,000 to around 30,000, are usually bought by bikers in their 30s and older, according to Burns, and don't tend to be an option for the younger buyer.

Galbraith admits that the drop in sales has pushed the motorcycle distribution business into the red. Honda Distributors Ireland (a separate company from Universal Honda, which distributes Honda cars in Ireland) posted a profit of 900,000 in 2004, according to its most recent set of accounts. The company has retained profit of 10m but, while motorcycles have been the backbone of the business in the past, nowadays it is lawnmowers and all-terrain vehicles such as the quad bikes used by many Irish farmers which underpin its profitability.

Entry-level bikes are proving difficult to shift but top-of-the-line ride-on mowers are flying out of the showrooms. Honda's lawnmower business is growing at 25% a year, Galbraith said. "Now, for people to spend 1,000 on a lawnmower would be nothing, " he said. Honda's premium line ride-on mowers, at 3,500, are out of stock, as the distributor has already sold its entire quota for the year.

Meanwhile the company has a significant challenge on its hands to kick-start its once powerful bike business.

To begin with, there are major changes afoot at Honda's dealer network.

The company has cut back its network of approved dealers by three-quarters over the last two years, to just 12. All have turnover around the 1m mark and, according to Galbraith, all are trading profitably despite the tough climate.

Those 12 are in the midst of a 10m refurbishment programme. The costs are being borne mainly by the dealers though finance, in some cases, is being provided by Honda.

Galbraith said the company wants to focus on single-brand dealerships.

Honda now believes it is best served by sales people who deal exclusively with its brand. It wants new, revamped shops to showcase the brand and dedicated dealers who know the bikes inside out. "The most important thing is that the customer has a good experience when he goes into the shop, " he said.

With 75% of the SSIA money flooding into the economy next year, the company expects strong demand for its 2007 range, due to be launched in Waterford on 19 August.

"It's a huge influx of money into the system and we'd be vying for our little bit of that market, " said Burns.

Galbraith is looking to make a strong impression over the next two years on drivers who are sick of traffic congestion and hoping that the swanky new showrooms will help give a much-needed boost to Honda's bike business.

With the insurance issue still hanging over the market, motorcycle dealers will be keen to make hay while the sun shines.

Otherwise they may well be tempted to switch to lawnmowers in time for the next summer heat wave.