Motorists are ditching gas-guzzling cars and buying fuel-efficient bikes as prices at the pumps continue to soar, according to a report released yesterday.The Retail Sales Index showed overall sales of motor vehicles plummeted 21.3 percent in March compared to the same month last year.The decline reflected 42 fewer cars sold which offset a 24.6 percent jump in the sales of motorcycles.Retailers attribute the shift to the increase in gasoline prices, which have led consumers to favour purchasing motorcycles over cars.Service stations were the only retail sector to experience sales growth during March, reporting a 1.7 percent increase in revenue. That was fuelled by a spike in gasoline prices, which surged 11.2 percent above March 2010.Michael Butler, general manager at Bermuda Motors car showroom on Church Street, Hamilton, said yesterday: “Sales have really plummeted over the last few months. I’m assuming it’s the economy. Because of the recession and lay-offs, people don’t want to make major purchases such as cars and also the banks are being very cautious in lending.”Mr Butler said the remaining customers have tended to opt for smaller cars. The downward spiral has seen car sales slashed by 50 percent since 2007.Bermuda Motors sold 342 vehicles in the first four months of this year compared to 469 during the same period last year and 527 the year before.However, sales of Kymco cycles at the store have been “doing OK” in contrast.“We’ve not had to lay anyone off yet. We’re just about holding our own at the moment,” said Mr Butler.The gloom at Bermuda Motors contrasted with an upbeat mood at Cycle Care in Woodlands Road, where president of motor sales and marketing Paul Decouto said business is doing well.The store shifted 140 bikes in March alone.“We knew this was coming, especially with the price of fuel and the traffic congestion problems. We’ve strategically placed ourselves with the best range of bikes,” he said. “We’ve got about 20 people in our showroom right now. It’s crazy.”Sales figures tell a gloomy storyThe Retail Sales Index report for March was gloomy, with a general downturn in consumer spending for the 35th month in a row.The report released by the Department of Statistics yesterday showed gross sales receipts for retailers dipping 5.5 percent to an estimated $83.5 million. That’s $4.8 million below the $88.3 million earned in March 2010.Residents returning from business and vacation trips declared $4.3 million in overseas purchases, a decrease of 6.5 percent compared to the same month of last year.Combined local and overseas spending totalled $87.8 million, 5.5 percent less than in 2010.After adjusting for the annual retail sales rate of inflation, measured at 3.3 percent in March 2011, the volume of retail sales contracted by 8.6 percent.The downturn in construction activity led to softened demand for building supplies, resulting in a 14.8 percent decline in sales from hardware stores.Meanwhile sales of food fell 3.8 percent in March 2011, as food prices increased by 1.6 percent year-on-year.Food sales have generally climbed month-by-month since 2006, but March is the third in a row now to see a decline.And although the words of the famous song say “Bermudians love to drink,” things have even slowed down on that front.Store-bought liquor sales dipped 4.8 percent compared to March last year and are down for the sixth consecutive month.In contrast, sales of souvenirs, T-shirts and jewellery at tourist-related stores climbed by 53.4 percent during the month, reflecting increased visitor arrivals and sales promotions.