Honda dealers in North America sold about 53,000 new Honda units during the first quarter of the calendar year, up 39 percent compared to the same period last year.

Honda's "motorcycle" unit sales include motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and the Big Red side-by-side.

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. announced the sales figure in its financial report for its 2012 fiscal year, which ended March 31 (making the first quarter of the calendar year Honda’s fiscal fourth quarter).

For the entire fiscal year, Honda’s worldwide net sales and other operating revenue was $7.9 trillion yen, down about 11 percent compared to the previous fiscal year. Operating income was 231 billion yen, down 59 percent.

Honda set a company record for worldwide new-unit motorcycle sales during a quarter, selling 3.5 million units during its fiscal fourth quarter, an 18 percent increase compared to last year.

Honda credited the “positive impact of the introduction of the CBR250R” for North America’s new-unit sales increase. It also credited increased cruiser and scooter sales, and improving sales of the CBR1000RR.

During Honda’s fiscal year, North American dealers sold about 200,000 new units, up from the 185,000 units sold during fiscal year 2011, when dealers sold 95,000 ATVs and side-by-sides (up 4.4 percent compared to fiscal year 2010) and 90,000 motorcycles and scooters (down 8.2 percent).

During fiscal years 2008, 2009 and 2010, Honda dealers in North America sold 453,000, 320,000 and 189,000 units, respectively.