The motorcycle industry publishing sector mourns the passing of motorcycle industry magazine and trade show pioneer Larry Hester. As founder of Dealernews and Dealer Expo, those of us who have enjoyed careers in the wake of Hester, Joe Teresi, who also passed recently, must keep the flame of institutional memory alive.
LiveWire e-motorcycles are being made available for training at Bartels' Harley-Davidson Riding Academy in Marina del Rey, California - the first new rider program in the U.S. to offer certified training on LiveWire's all-electric S2 motorcycles.
The MIC says that AIMExpo 2026, taking place January 7-9 in Anaheim, California, has already surpassed 250 exhibiting companies - the fastest pace in show history - "as momentum continues to build around North America's premier powersports trade event."
The Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC) is warning that recently imposed and expanded U.S. tariffs could carry serious consequences for the powersports sector. Scott Schloegel, MIC's senior vice president of government relations said: "The MIC government relations team remains actively engaged with legislators and policymakers on the issue of tariffs. We continue to monitor the effects that broad-based tariffs may have on the powersports industry and advocate for measures to mitigate these impacts."
Heritage Global Partners (HGP) put the remaining assets of the Erik Buell-endorsed, NYC-headquartered Fuell Motorcycles up for sale in an auction that ended in August. Assets included completed and partially built Fuell models, IP (including patents), machinery, inventory, parts and tools.
Dealer registration is now open for the National Powersports Dealer Association's annual networking and educational event DealerConnect. A meeting for dealers, by dealers, the annual session is set for September 21-23, 2025 at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. "This isn't a trade show," insists Tigra Tsujikawa, NPDA Membership Marketing Director. "It's not about walking aisles and collecting brochures. It's about making sure our side of the industry is represented, heard and taken seriously;" www.npda.org
A record 127,000 riders participated in The Distinguished Gentleman's Ride (DGR) this year, raising $7.6m USD for men's health. The top three fundraisers each received a brand-new Triumph Modern Classic motorcycle. Officially the world's largest charity event for classic and vintage motorcycle enthusiasts, 1,038 rides took place in 108 countries simultaneously on Sunday 18 May 2025. The overall winner, who is rewarded with a Bonneville Scrambler 1200 Icon Edition, was Canadian Joseph Mancinelli. He raised $62,625 this year riding in Hamilton, Ontario, bringing his total raised since his first ride in 2017 to an incredible $550k. Also winning their choice of a Triumph Modern Classic motorcycle, were Andrew Cook from Idaho, US, who raised $56,640, and Nick Politis from Florida, US, who raised $46,999. The 2026 Ride is slated for May 17; www.gentlemansride.com
Despite revenue coming in ahead of Wall Street investor expectations, Harley's Q2 global unit shipments declined 28%, and the company's net income fell to $108m - down over 50% year-over-year. Those expectations must have been really bad!
Continuing the downward trend in the Harley dealer eco-system, another dealer shuttered its doors permanently in June. After 25 years in business, High Country Harley-Davidson, with locations in Frederick, Colorado and Cheyenne, Wyoming, has closed both its stores - merely the latest to find itself impaled on Harley's hubris. Several high-profile stores closed in 2024 alone, including legacy locations in San Francisco, New York City, and Illinois. Reasons cited ranged from economic challenges to ownership changes and corporate restructuring. Reporting the news PSB said that "despite having more than 650 dealerships nationwide, the closures reflect broader challenges in the powersports retail sector as brands, dealers, and customers adjust to changing market conditions."
