Off-Road Update: King of the Motos/King of the Hammers Conquers Competitors
In 2017, amidst a down year for the overall industry, both Off-Highway and Dual-Sport/ADV Motorcycles were in the black with upticks of 2.5% and 10.4%, respectively, according to the latest Motorcycle Industry Council statistics.
Shifting Gears: February
End of an era. Industry icon Arnold W. Ackerman has retired after many years of service, stepping away from his seat on the Motorcycle Industry Council Board of Directors and his chairmanship of the MIC Aftermarket/Allied Trades Committee. His decision to step aside was influenced by the need to be with his wife, who was
MARKET UPDATE: RUVs Rocking! ATVs Rolling!
The silver lining in the face of continuing soft motorcycle sales has been the hidden strength of the Side-by-Side (SxS) market and continued stability of the ATV sector. We say “hidden” because unlike motorcycles, scooters and ATVs, Recreational Utility Vehicles sales are not reported by the Motorcycle Industry Council. Overall ATV/UTV new unit sales fell
Crashing The Party!
Answer Racing made moto headlines around the globe when they signed eight-time MXGP world champion Antonio Cairoli to wear the gear as he battled for the 2017 title… but that was just the beginning of things.
Harley-Davidson Makes the Dyna Irrelevant
After 25 years in the lineup, Harley shocked their dealers with the news that the Dyna was done. Ditto for the V-Rod after its 16-year production cycle.
Shifting Gears (Aug.): Printing All The News That Fits
Tucker Rocky is both promoting from within and bringing in some outside expertise as part of their new Information Technology and Process Excellence Group. Troy Rochat joins Tucker Rocky as a VP and will lead the new group. Rochat has more than 25 years of experience in distribution operations and information technologies. “Leveraging technology and
Yamaha Creates A Category
2018 Star Venture Transcontinental Tourer Yamaha took the wraps off the 2018 Star Venture and introduced the concept of a “transcontinental tourer” capable of running with any bagger on the market. Cue up the Beach Boys on the state-of-the-art “infotainment” system and let the Good Vibrations of the big air-cooled twin eat up the miles.
Is The Motorcycle Industry Dying?
A Look At The New Rider Market Bloomberg followed the July 4th holiday with the declaration “The Motorcycle Industry Is Dying” on July 5th. While the pronouncement created some fireworks in cyberspace, many in the real world of the motorcycle industry took it as business as usual. “We all die a little each day,” claimed
Shifting Gears (July): Printing All The News That Fits
Hail to the chief! Mike Collins is now president and CEO of LeMans Corporation.Collins will now call the shots for house brands, including Moose, Icon, Thor, Arctiva, Slippery and ZlR as well as the distribution business through its five U.S. warehouses, two locations in Canada, and its European distribution center located in Germany. Most recently
GasGas Gets Serious
As the wraps came off the 2018 model year machine at the EICMA motorcycle expo in Italy last fall, the new ownership team from Grupo Torrot Electric had just taken over and had something to prove. All the jokes about an e-bike company taking over a company called “GasGas” notwithstanding, the European media was mildly
Retrograde Motion: What is Old is New Again!
Slab seats, flat bars and universal tread tires… what is old is new again. In a case of retrograde motion, these classic hallmarks seem to be the choice of builders these days (see sidebar on the Handbuilt show).
Shifting Gears (June): Printing All The News That Fits
Former director of federal affairs in the MIC, SVIA and ROHVA Government Relations Office, Duane Taylor is now executive director of the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC). “We are excited that Duane’s leadership at NOHVCC will help our joint goal of furthering a positive future for responsible OHV recreation,” says his former boss, MIC
