Leasing is just a financing method.

Leasing cars is a bit different because cars are used for business purposes and therefore have an income tax effect. Bikes may have an income tax effect, but only for those who use the bike for a business purpose. Commuting is not the business purpose, neither for cars nor for bikes.

Not far from me is Fletcher Jones Mercedes. Its got to be one of the highest grossing MBZ dealers in the U.S. Partly because its in Newport Beach, CA. A high percentage of their sales is by way of leasing. Its the business deduction that makes this possible.

When leasing companies determine how much they will finance on a car, they need to calculate the residual value at the end of the term. For example a high end Lexus, or Mercedes, may have a high residual value, maybe as high as 50%. Therefore, the leasing company is willing to structure the monthly payment based on this information. With bikes, its way too difficult to calculate residual values. Back a few years ago, Fletcher Jones in consort with MBZ offered an 80% lease on certain models. Nowadays, its gone by the wayside.

As I see it, these are the two hurdles: after-tax business deductions, and residual value.